20. A Dutch city burned Mechteld ten Ham as a witch for causing plague and war with Spain
In 1605, the Netherlands suffered a terrible plague in the midst of a bloody war with Spain on home soil. With so much death, sickness and poverty around, it was only a matter of time until a witch was blamed. In ‘s-Heerenberg, they had just the woman: Mechteld ten Ham. Mechteld was a cunning woman, selling folk remedies to the sick and making predictions about the future. Sick of the accusations of witchcraft, Mechteld asked to be put on trial. Unfortunately, this involved all manner of ridiculous tests and torture. After inevitably confessing to being a witch, Mechteld burned alive.
