Il Malleus Maleficarum
The Malleus Maleficarum, also known as the “Hammer of Witches,” is one of the most famous and influential treatises on witch hunts. First published in 1487, it was written by the German Dominican friars Heinrich Kramer (Henricus Institoris) and Jacob Sprenger. This book played a crucial role in promoting and justifying the persecution of witches in Europe, contributing to the spread of fear of witchcraft and the subsequent witch hunts that lasted for several centuries.