{"id":1877,"date":"2019-03-20T09:28:45","date_gmt":"2019-03-20T08:28:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fontecesia.it\/?p=1877"},"modified":"2019-03-17T11:58:52","modified_gmt":"2019-03-17T10:58:52","slug":"matteuccia-da-todi-the-witch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fontecesia.it\/en\/stories-legends-umbria\/matteuccia-da-todi-the-witch\/","title":{"rendered":"Matteuccia da Todi: the witch hunt began with her"},"content":{"rendered":"

The witch Matteuccia da Todi\u00a0is an important figure in the history of Todi as well as Italian and European medieval history.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Matteuccia di Francesco \u2013 this lady’s real name – was born in Ripabianca in 1388.<\/p>\n

She was a \u201cDomina Herbarum\u201d, an expert of herbs<\/strong>\u00a0and with them she prepared ointments and herbal teas\u00a0– that were said to heal the ailments of body and soul – also thanks to the recitation of magic words.<\/p>\n

It would seem that her remedies\u00a0were truly effective and therefore increasing numbers of people sought her help. Most of her advice was absolutely harmless\u00a0and at most could have seemed strange or extravagant, in other cases she used more mysterious and macabre potions and rituals.<\/p>\n

Among her clients and protectors there was one Braccio Fortebracci, a renowned condottiero and lord of a vast territory which included Perugia and, for a brief period, Todi as well. Some scholars say that this friendship was what ultimately lead to her death sentence: in fact, Matteuccia was accused of witchcraft<\/strong>. Possibly one way of targeting Braccio da Montone who had seigniory over central Italy to the detriment of Pope Martin V.<\/p>\n

The records of the trial\u00a0conducted in Todi at the \u201cTribunale dei Malefici – The Court of Evildoers<\/strong>\u201d are still preserved today, at the Municipal historical archives. She was charged with thirty counts, including the crime of having persuaded one of Braccio’s men to gather the flesh of a drowned man\u00a0to prepare an oil to heal the wounds of a patient, of being able to turn into a cat, to have flown on a goat to the famous noce di Benevento (the walnut tree of Benevento<\/strong>)\u00a0\u2013 legend has it, as is recorded in the trial files, that it was a place where witches met in the presence of the devil – and of having drunk the blood of many infants.<\/p>\n

By the end of the trial Matteuccia had not produced any form of defence, nor did anyone else do so for her, and she was found guilty, probably after torturing\u00a0the defendants, which was very common practice at the time.<\/p>\n

Matteuccia was one of the first women in Europe to be tried for witchcraft<\/strong> and the first to be burned at the stake.<\/p>\n

On March 20 1428, at age 40, she was burned<\/strong> alive in Todi, in Piazza del Montarone, very close to Piazza del Popolo.<\/p>\n

Bernardino da Siena<\/strong>\u00a0also pressed charges against her, and it is said that the historical monumental linden tree\u00a0in front of the Montesanto Convent was planted during the priest’s visit to Todi, precisely in 1428.<\/p>\n

To date, the story of this woman is still studied, recounted and considered symbolic\u00a0of the horrific events of the Inquisition.<\/p>\n

In her honour there have been conventions, re-enactments, plays and even the Orto della strega Matteuccia<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0of the Todi Agrarian institute: a bona fide plot and garden full of aromatic and medicinal herbs<\/strong> used for visits and in-depth studies of history and botany. \u00a0<\/p>\n

If you wish to read more about witch Hunts and more about Matteuccia,here is the link of the book “Witch Hunts in Europe and America: An Encyclopedia<\/a>“<\/p>\n

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Matteuccia da Todi\u00a0is an important figure in the history of Todi as well as Italian and European medieval history. Matteuccia was one of the first women in Europe to be tried for witchcraft and the first to be burned at the stake.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1871,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[99],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n