What was the Malleus maleficarum?

Answer 1

The Malleus Maleficarum,(Latin for The Hammer Against Witches) is a famous treatise on witches, written in 1486 by Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger, two Inquisitors of the Catholic Church, and was first published in Germany in 1487

Answer 2

Malleus Maleficarum (‘The Hammer of the Witches’) is one of the most infamous books in history, and has been described as a prime example of high scholarship placed in the service of madness. It is a Catholic manual that sets out to refute claims that witchcraft does not exist, then deals with ways to deal with those accused of witchcraft.

The book was written in 1486 by Heinrich Kramer, a German clergyman, but only three years after its publication the Catholic Church condemned Malleus Maleficarum as false. In spite of this, it was influential in encouraging and regulating the witch hunt that spread throughout Europe. Thirty six editions of Malleus Maleficarum were published between 1487 and 1669.