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Demonology and Witchcraft - "Less we forget"

Alphonsus de Spina

Edited and compiled by George Knowles  

Alphonsus de Spina’s Fortalicium Fidei [Fortress of the Faith] written about 1459, and published in 1467 - was one of the first books ever printed to explain why Witchcraft should be persecuted in the eyes of the Catholic Church.  The five parts of his book discuss why during those times, all the Catholic faithful should wage war against heretics, Jews, Saracens (Mohammedans) and demons.  The last section describes the ten kinds of demons predominant at that time, which according to church experts, were thought to be able to deceive people (particularly old women) into imagining they can work evil.  On the strength of such beliefs, many of those later accused of witchcraft were “burned-at-the-stake”. 

Alphonso de Spina was a Spanish Franciscan (date of birth unknown, but estimated to be approx 1400).  He was allegedly an early convert from Judaism to Catholism, but contemporary academics now dispute this.  For many years he was the superior of the house of ‘Studies of the Friars Minor’ in Salamanca, Spain.  Later he became a Confessor to King John of Castile, a Professor at Salamanca, and before his death Bishop of Thermopylae in Greece in 1491.

Spina from all counts was a man of great learning who attained considerable renown as a preacher, but his main claim to fame was a work he wrote entitled “Fortalitium Fidei”.  This was originally written in 1458, but later published anonymously giving rise to some differences of opinion as to its authorship.  The first accredited edition didn’t appear until about 1464-76, and was then added to by the author at different times up until 1485. 

The "Fortalitium Fidei" deals with the different kinds of “armour” to be used by preachers and others in their war against enemies of the Christian religion.  It is divided into five books; the first is directed against those who deny the Divinity of Christ, the second against heretics, the third against the Jews, and the fourth against the Mohammedans.  The fifth book looks at the war to be waged against the ‘Gates of Hell’, in this section Spina dwells at length on demons and their hatred of men; the powers they have over men, and the diminution of these powers owing to the victory of ‘Christ on the Cross’.

Alphonso de Spina died in 1491.

Sources:

The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology - by Rossell Hope Robbins

The Encyclopedia of Witches &Witchcraft  - by Rosemary Ellen Guiley.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14216a.htm

Plus many other websites.

 Author Unknown

(Minor edits to text with bits of additional information when found)

First posted on the 28^th February 2020 by George Knowles

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Articles contributed by Patricia Jean Martin:

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Biographies

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Many of the above biographies are briefs and far from complete.  If you know about any of these individuals and can help with additional information, please contact me privately at my email address below.  Many thanks for reading  :-)

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