Women. A doctrine adopted by some heretics claimed that women were subhuman creatures, devoid of humanity. This belief was vehemently condemned by ecclesiastical authorities, notably at the second Council of Mâcon. Historical texts, such as those by Delancre and Bodin, associate women with greater susceptibility to witchcraft, a notion rooted in medieval superstition. Ancient philosophers attributed various natural misfortunes to the presence of women on certain days, such as spoiling milk, tarnishing mirrors, drying fields, spawning serpents, and inciting rabid dogs, reflecting deep-seated misogynistic ideologies of those periods.
Women
Creature Types: Other
Mythological/Cultural Origins: Doctrine
Roles/Functions in Lore: Medieval Ecclesiastical Records
Literary Sources/Traditions: Middle Ages
Historical/Legendary Time Periods: Misogynistic beliefs, Witchcraft susceptibility
Attributes/Powers: Ambiguous
Alignments/Moral Standings: N/A
