From the Middle Ages and throughout the 17th century, an infiltration of witchcraft continued throughout Europe. The witch craze led to the torture and persecution of witches. More than 100,000 witches on trial were concentrated in the southwestern European region. The mass hysteria of witches was denounced because of their rejection of God and their pact with the devil, which resulted in severe punishments and accusations. One of the reasons for the persecution of witches was that they were seen as the cause of crop failures, epidemics, natural disasters and personal tragedies. Witches also played a role in the religious aspect of Europe. Witches were persecuted due to the lack of a main religion, which was important to life during the Protestant and Catholic Reformations. At this time of the witch phenomenon, Europe was in a state of instability and Europeans sought to profit from the persecution of witches in the form of goods and money. The persecution of individuals as witches in Europe was primarily a repercussion of economic circumstances, strong religious beliefs, and popular prejudices. The economic scene during the era of witch madness was very visible during the period 1480-1700. During this period, Europe was in a state of instability, so money and exploration were important to many. An eyewitness to the persecutions, Canon Linden of Trier, Germany, states that people used the trials to improve their economies. Linden wrote that the executioner earned the most money and described him "as a court nobleman" (Document A2). This is evidence that people of high rank or position participated in the witch trials due to their economic greed and desire for property. The mayor of Bamberg, Germany... middle of paper ...... his high position in society caused chaos around the witch craze. The Protestant and Catholic religions had a major influence on the daily lives of Europeans in the 16th century and all believed in persecuted witches. During the Scientific Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment, people began to realize that their superstition about witches was ridiculous and that when they used their reason rather than their beliefs, it made no sense that witches constituted a threat. From the late 15th to the 17th century, it was evident that superstition and reason were linked to the beliefs of influential people, giving rise to the initial and final phases of the witch hunt. Religious aspects, economic greed and social stereotypes of the time influenced these beliefs. These three elements led to the deaths of many so-called witches across Europe..