oa ‘Door tooverije ofte anderssints’

‘By magic or otherwise’. Children and witchcraft in the early modern Southern Low Countries

This article examines the case of Daniel Denys, a seven-year-old boy accused of witchcraft and sodomy in Ghent in 1713. Although witch hunts in the Southern Netherlands had officially ended, this case shows that belief in magic and demonic witchcraft still persisted. Daniel was interrogated and physically examined for a devil’s mark, but no evidence was found. The case is exceptional due to the involvement of a child, the nature of the accusations, and the combination of witchcraft with sexual crimes. The article puts the case in the broader context of witch trials and child prosecutions in Europe. It highlights a shift in the official approach to sodomy and witchcraft, identifying a growing emphasis on discretion and more lenient punishments.