The witch trial with the most executions in the world was in Huesca

When we talk about witch hunts, we automatically think of Salem and women burned at the stake. If we focus on Spain, the most famous trial is that of Zugarramurdi, where eleven women died, six at the stake and five in prison. However, few people know that the trial with the most executions for witchcraft in the world took place in the province of Huesca.

Specifically, the small town of Laspaúles, in the region of Ribagorza , was the scene of the bloodiest witchcraft trial ever recorded. This event , which took place in 1592, left an indelible mark on the collective memory of the area. The Laspaúles trial was notable for its magnitude and cruelty. More than twenty women were accused of practicing witchcraft. The local authorities, driven by fear and superstition, carried out an inhuman judicial process that led to the unjust deaths of these women.

The accused were subjected to brutal interrogations and torture to obtain confessions. Techniques used included the rack, the pulley, sleep deprivation and simulated drowning,   but the most common method of torture documented involved tying the accused’s hands behind their back and then hanging them from the ceiling with a pulley.

The legacy of the Witch Hunt

Up to 24 women were publicly hanged in the town square for witchcraft and their names remain printed on the execution reports that are still preserved: Antona Delmas, Maria de Joan Porter, Antona Moranjo, Isabel Palasin, Maria Dejela, Maria la Denuya, Joana Raso, Sesilia Duran, Aldonsa Mur, Maria Duran, Joana Taulac, Margalida Sen, Margalida Seneta, Maria Gueri, Catalina Baron, Isabel Arcas, Joana Torrent, Antona Lanas, Catalina Cierco, Margalida Riu, Barbera Herbera, Leunor Reals, Ana Castayn and Maria Garus.

Apart from them, there was one woman, Margalinda Reals, who managed to escape and was not hanged like the others. The trial of Laspaúles was not an isolated event. It was part of a period of witch-hunts that spread throughout Europe, fuelled by ignorance, religious fanaticism and social tensions. According to researcher Carlos Garcés, in the province of Huesca alone, some 120 women were hanged or burned at the stake between 1461 and 1645.

LASPAULES TODAY

In addition, in Aragon, witchcraft trials were not held by the Inquisition, which was an external court, separate from the people, but by municipal councils. This made matters worse, as accusations of Satanism were used to get the locals to settle scores in the cruelest way possible. Today, the Laspaúles Witches Theme Park, located about three kilometres from Laspaúles, pays homage to this inhuman event through scenes interconnected by paths in a peaceful and immersive environment. The park takes advantage of the natural geological formations that, according to local tradition, evoke coven sites, creating an atmosphere of mystery and reflection.

The trial of Laspaúles serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of fanaticism and superstition. It has also been the subject of numerous historical studies and serves as a warning about the consequences of intolerance and injustice.