Based primarily on the exhaustive investigation by the Inquisition of Modena, 'The Scourge of Demons' examines this fascinating case in its historical context. The travails of Santa Chiara occurred at a time when Europe witnessed peaks in both witch-hunting and in the numbers of people reputedly possessed by demons. Female religious figures appeared particularly prone to demonic attacks, and Counter-Reformation Church authorities were especially interested in imposing stricter discipline on convents. Watt carefully considers how the nuns of Santa Chiara understood and experienced alleged possession and witchcraft, concluding that Santa Chiara's diabolical troubles and their denouement - involving the actions of nuns, confessors, inquisitorial authorities, and exorcists - were profoundly shaped by the unique confluence of religious, cultural, judicial, and intellectual trends that flourished in the 1630s. Jeffrey R. Watt is professor of history at the University of Mississippi.

Absorbing, illuminating and scholarly. [.] Watt's gift for historical narrative is remarkable. [.] This book is a major contribution to historical understanding of post-Tridentine religious life. It has shifted our perspective and broadened our understanding of female convent life. This book is an exemplar of broad and deep research and careful analysis of the sources. It is a brilliant example of historical narrative. It should be read and admired by scholars, assigned to students and enjoyed by readers interested in early modern European religious and gender studies.'

Source: Journal of Church History

An impressive and even exemplary job of archival scholarship that will be of interest to scholars of witchcraft and possession, and of Inquisitorial processes.'

Source: Sixteenth Century Journal

Thoroughly examines a compelling case of possession and witchcraft in a wealthy convent in Carpi in the 1630s. [...] The story unfolds gradually with a narrative style, and historiographical debates are smoothly brought into the account.'

Source: Historians of Women Religious of Britain and Ireland