Medieval ideas about evil spirits, or the history of human relations with the devil. Orlov M.

The writer and historian Mikhail Orlov gathered an impressive material about the views of medieval Europe for evil spirits. He describes in detail in which guises, according to demonologists, the devil appeared to the people, what intrigues committed, how the contracts were concluded with him and sold his souls, how the unclean power seduced and abducted people, as the witches who participated in them took place, etc. The separate section is devoted to the demonic creatures of folk legends - elves, fairies, gnomes, which were far from as harmless in the ideas of the Middle Ages as in modern fairy tales, as well as werewolves, vampires, ghosts and other evil spirits. And, of course, the author did not pass by the activities of the Inquisition - the persecution of secret sciences and the organization of trials of sorcerers and witches. The additions to sections tell about the characters of the Russian demonic pantheon and persecution of sorcerers and witches in Rus'. For the first time, the book of Mikhail Orlov was published in 1904. Here it is printed in the new edition and with small abbreviations.