This thesis deeply investigates the witch trials of Finnmark, taking a close look at how gender and ethnicity played a major role. Religious extremism, which preached intolerance towards Sámi men and Norwegian women, was used to promote...
moreThis thesis deeply investigates the witch trials of Finnmark, taking a close look at how gender and ethnicity played a major role. Religious extremism, which preached intolerance towards Sámi men and Norwegian women, was used to promote authoritarianism during the trials. This is seen in the first case involving Morten Olsen and Christen the Tailor. King Christian IV’s religious anti-sorcery decrees, influenced by Niels Hemmingsen, promote the persecution of women and Sámi men. District Governor John Cunningham uses these religious decrees to promote misogynistic legislation, which was influenced by the Scottish witch panic of 1597. The last panic in Finnmark was also a result of religious extremism, as Christopher Orning used religion as an excuse to promote authoritarianism and practice gynocide. This argument is supported by the digital mapping of the locations of where the accused lived via Palladio. This reveals patterns which show that Sámi men who lived along the northern fjords were disproportionately affected and that Norwegian women living in villages near Vardøhus, where the District Governor lived, were disproportionately accused. The use of digital tools further solidifies the argument that accusations were motivated by systemic misogyny and racism against the Sámi. Palladio digital maps revealed that areas with high Sámi populations were disproportionately affected during the trials, and women in areas surrounding the District Governor were majorly impacted. From this, a conclusion is made, which shows that these areas were impacted because of religious extremism within the government, which promoted misogyny and intolerance towards the Sámi and their beliefs.
