Benandanti

Drawing on Inquisitorial archives, this book uncovers the history of the benandanti, a peasant fertility cult who believed they fought witches in dream-like states to protect their harvests. It details the century-long clash between these beliefs and the Inquisitors' attempts to categorize them, ultimately leading to the benandanti's transformation into the very witches they opposed. The author reveals how this shift in the understanding of witchcraft was influenced by the Inquisitors and spread across Europe and to the New World, offering a unique glimpse into peasant thought during this era.