Jindřich František Boblig z Edelstadtu (; 1612 – 27 January 1698) was a lawyer and imperial lay

inquisitor An inquisitor was an official (usually with judicial or investigative functions) in an inquisition – an organization or program intended to eliminate heresy and other things contrary to the doctrine or teachings of the Catholic faith. Literall ...

who led the witch trials in Northern Moravia in the late 17th century.

Biography

Jindřich František was born in 1612 in

Zlaté Hory Zlaté Hory (; until 1948 Cukmantl; ) is a town in Jeseník District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,700 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zone. Administrativ ...

(). Little is known about his early life. His father,

Burgomaster Burgomaster (alternatively spelled burgermeister, ) is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief magistrate or executive of a city or town. The name in English was derived from the Dutch . In so ...

in Zlaté Hory, was ennobled and received the mark of nobility "z Edelstadtu" (''von Edelstadt'', ''of Edelstadt'') in 1591. Jindřich Boblig studied law, probably in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

, but he did not complete his studies and later was titled only as ''juris candidatus''. Until his participation in the

witch trials A witch hunt, or a witch purge, is a search for people who have been labeled witches or a search for evidence of witchcraft. Practicing evil spells or incantations was proscribed and punishable in early human civilizations in the Middle East. ...

of the Šumperk region, he probably led a law practice in

Olomouc Olomouc (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 103,000 inhabitants, making it the Statutory city (Czech Republic), sixth largest city in the country. It is the administrative centre of the Olomouc Region. Located on the Morava (rive ...

. He was active in the

Šumperk Šumperk (; ) is a town in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 25,000 inhabitants. It is an industrial town, but it also contains valuable historical and architectural monuments. The historic town centre is well preserved and i ...

region, particularly in the town of

Velké Losiny Velké Losiny () is a spa municipality and village in Šumperk District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,500 inhabitants. It is known for the Velké Losiny Castle and for the Paper Mill at Velké Losiny, Paper Mill, which ...

. Boblig was responsible for

burning Combustion, or burning, is a high-temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel (the reductant) and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke. Combust ...

of approximately 100 people accused of

witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

. The list of executed included two priests who attempted to stop the trials and Kryštof Lautner, Dean of Šumperk.

Witch trials

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boblig of Edelstadt, Jindrich Frantisek 1612 births 1698 deaths 17th-century Austrian lawyers Inquisitors Moravian nobility People from Bohemia People from Zlaté Hory Silesian nobility Witch hunters Moravian-German people