1191 Pope Innocent III issues papal bull to establish the Inquisition.
1318, Pope John XXII issues papal bull to discuss the practice of Witchcraft. POPE JOHN XXII
1320, Pope John XXII formalised persecution of Witches in Europe, by allowing the Inquisition to condemn sorcery.
1484, Pope Innocent VIII issued a papal bull that allowed Cramer & Springer, two members of the Inquisition, to publish (in 1486) the 'Malleus Maleficarium', a book that became known as 'the Witch hunter's bible'. In this book, they recorded what they believed to be the acts of Witches, describing Witchcraft as a major threat to the Christian religion and society as a whole. They also described Witches as being 'slaves of Satan'.THE HUNTERS BIBLE
1521/15/2 Pope Leo X issues papal bull to ensure that the secular courts carry out executions of Witches convicted by the Inquisition, the bull was to respond to the courts refusal to carry out the work of the Church.
1542, in England first statute against Witchcraft issued by Henry VIII. PDF DOCUMENT REGARDING THE LAW
1547, Englands statue of Witchcraft repealed.
1563, second statute against Witchcraft issued by Elizabeth I.
1579/19/04 Conviction of Witches at second of four famous trials at Chelmsford,England
1591/31/01 Dr. Fian, believed to be the head of the North Berwick Witched, found guilty & executed for Witchcraft in Scotland by personal order of King James VI [James I of England]
1593, Trial of Alice Samuel and her family, who were accused of bewitching the wife of Sir Henry Cromwell & several village children.
1604 Elizabethan statue of Witchcraft replaced by King James I by a stricter one.
1611, James 1st had the first English translation of the Christian Bible published, but believing Witches to be responsible for plotting to sink his ship and kill his family, he had the line 'Thou shall not suffer a poisoner to live' changed to, 'Thou shall not suffer a Witch to live' to reflect his disdain.
In 1645, Mathew Hopkins appointed himself as 'Witchfinder General' in East Anglia. Although thought that his persecution of Witches was enacted throughout the country, he actually only had sway in East Anglia.
1652/14/02 Elsie Blum, a farmhand from Oberstedten, Germany, sentenced to death for Witchcraft.
1659, Massachusetts Bay Colony Puritans ban Christmas celebrations because they are to Pagan. Seems they noticed a link!
1661, Arrest of Florence Newton, one of the few Witches burned in Ireland.
1670, Burning of Major Weir, Scottish "sorcerer" who confessed of his own accord, however he was a pillar of society but became senile just before his confession.
1684/15/06 Margret Jones becomes the first person executed as a witch in the Massachuesetts Bay Colony. She was a Boston doctor who was accused of witchcraft after several patients died.
1692, the 'Salem Witch trials' took place in Salem Massachusetts. THE SALEM TRIALS
1692/10/06 hanging of Bridget Bishop, first to die in the Salem Witch trials.
1696/14/01 Official Confession of Error by jurors of the Salem Witch trials.
1711, Last Witch trial held at Magee Island Ireland.
1776, Order of the Illuminati formed in Bavaria by Adam Weishaupt .THE SECRET ORDER
1763, The 1604 Statute of Witchcreft by James 1st is replaced with a law against pretending to practice divination and Witchcraft the law still stands untill 1951[see below]
1880/19/01 Birthday of Dorothy Clutterbuck, who initiated Gerald Gardner. ONE OF WICCAN'S MOTHERS
1984/13/06 Birthday of Gerald Gardner.
1888, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was founded by W.R. Woodman. THE ORDER
1951, repeal of the 1736 Witchcraft act in England. Finally!!
1965/27/06 Birthday of Scott Cunningham.
1962, Church of All Worlds founded. CAW SITE
1964/12/01 Gerald Gardner,founder of the Gardnerian tradition, dies of heart failure. ONE OF WICCAN'S FATHERS
1968/04/03 Church of all Worlds incorporates in Missouri, becoming the first Pagan church in the United States.
1970/22/02 Stewart Farrar initiated into Alexandrian Wicca. ANOTHER FATHER
1975/01/03 Covenant of the Goddess [COG] formed COG SITE
1981, Scott Cunningham initiated into the Traditional Gwyddonic Order of the Wicca.
1993/28/03 Scott Cunningham dies of complications caused by Aids. [May he enjoy the summerlands with all the Goddessess glory] THE MAN HIMSELF
1995/12.03 Pete Pathfinder Davis becomes the first Wiccan priest electedas presedent of the Interfaith Council of washington State. THE CHURCH
1989, USA Today Reported that Patricia Hutchins is the first military Wiccan granted religious leave for the sabbats.
