Skip to content

Malleus Maleficarum

by Heinrich Institoris, Jakob Sprenger

Cover of Malleus Maleficarum
Popularity 2

"The Malleus Maleficarum (Latin for “The Hammer of Witches”, or “Hexenhammer” in German) is one of the most famous medieval treatises on witches. It was written in 1486 by Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger, and was first published in Germany in 1487. Its main purpose was to challenge all arguments against the existence of witchcraft and to instruct magistrates on how to identify, interrogate and convict witches." (Quote from malleusmaleficarum.org)

WitchcraftDemonologyCriminal lawCriminal procedureEarly works to 1800Criminal procedure (Canon law)