is a very original theory as advanced by Professor Gunnar Heinsohn, University of Bremen, who discovered the essential concept of Youth Bulge: the witch hunts of the Renaissance would be directly responsible for the dramatic increase in fertility in Europe at the time! For those wishing to have all the data, Heinsohn's article is available (in English): HERE. Back on a theory sulfur.
In the late Middle Ages, Europe is in a demographic disaster. The Little Ice Age, began in 1303, provoked a series of bad harvests from 1335 to 1352, causing it and there prolonged periods of scarcity. As if this were not enough, the Black Plague, transmitted by fleas from the black rat (Rattus rattus ) hit our continent, exterminating millions of people, carrying into the grave nearly a quarter of the population the continent. It is, relatively speaking, worse than the balance of the two world wars combined, in a Europe of course much less populated than the twentieth century. The consequences of these demographic properly cataclysmic bloodletting. Between 1300 and 1400, the European population collapsed from 75 to 45 million people, representing a decrease of 40%. So in a century, Europe has lost almost half its population.
In the late Middle Ages, Europe is in a demographic disaster. The Little Ice Age, began in 1303, provoked a series of bad harvests from 1335 to 1352, causing it and there prolonged periods of scarcity. As if this were not enough, the Black Plague, transmitted by fleas from the black rat (Rattus rattus ) hit our continent, exterminating millions of people, carrying into the grave nearly a quarter of the population the continent. It is, relatively speaking, worse than the balance of the two world wars combined, in a Europe of course much less populated than the twentieth century. The consequences of these demographic properly cataclysmic bloodletting. Between 1300 and 1400, the European population collapsed from 75 to 45 million people, representing a decrease of 40%. So in a century, Europe has lost almost half its population.
The Triumph of Death, by Peter Brueguel Europe then began the second half of the fifteenth century very weak, especially since the Second Rome, Constantinople, fell to just Turks, spreading dismay throughout Christendom. Depopulated, Europe suffers from a severe lack of manpower. Among intellectuals and economists of the time, the population issue becomes central, crucial same. Thus, Jean Bodin, probably one of the brightest intellectuals of the Renaissance and fierce partisan witch hunts confessed "that ' there is strength or wealth than men . Before him, the Pope himself, aware of the precarious situation of the Christian kingdoms had published a bull in 1484 stating that " is important, especially in our time that the Catholic faith grow and blossom everywhere . By "grow," the Pope refers to the reproduction of the faithful of the Church, as discussed below. However, raise the birth rate in Europe is very difficult for the simple reason that the average fertility rate of women in Europe is very low: about 2 to 3 children per woman only. This fertility rates, reflecting a much higher infant mortality than today, and the toll taken by infectious diseases, comes just a balance of births and deaths.
Indeed, the woman of medieval times has a very wide discretion in matters of contraception. Christianity was not yet fully taxed on their consciences, and the countryside, where living almost all of Europe's population at the time, have retained an ancestral knowledge pagan probably dating from prehistoric times and transmitted without interruption until then. This knowledge very complex, almost exclusively female and passed down orally from mother to daughter, especially on the pharmacopoeia, the many plants, herbs, essences and potions that may affect the sexuality of men and women. Some plants such as juniper are potent abortifacients, while others are fearful contraceptives. Midwives are the guardians of this knowledge and it exists in any village one or two of these women that we will consult when the need arises. Midwives, often regarded as true matriarchs, have a certain fear on the part of the population and are only slightly worried in their activities. Largely for that, despite the absence of modern contraception, the average fertility rate during the medieval period was so low, blocking any hope of demographic renewal in Europe.
revolution came from a bull of Pope Innocent VIII issued in 1484 and nicknamed the "Bull of the Witches". Indeed, if the magic (poisoning of crops and livestock, signs, etc.. Called sorcery in English) was always opposed by Christianity, it was not the same for witchcraft ( witchcraft in English, which means "the art of witches").
The law-making that, ordered the death penalty for " people of both sexes ... who, by their incantations, spells, incantations, charms and other processes and cursed and monstrous sins, killed children in the womb and also the offspring of livestock, destroyed the produce of the land, ... they prevent the man to have sex and women to conceive .
In addition to the magic "classic" is grafted the new crime of witchcraft . According to the famous Hammer of Witches (Malleus Maleficarum ), written at the same time (1487) that the papal bull and used throughout Europe by the witch hunters, we define the various crimes of witchcraft:
This means, translated into modern terminology:
(1) fornication and adultery (as a means of have fun without remorse, that is to say without a legitimate child), (2) make men impotent, (3) castration and sterilization, (4) bestiality and homosexuality (as a means of obtaining sexual satisfaction without procreation), (5) contraception, (6) abortion (7) infanticide.
This shows that by witchcraft means all acts may impede the normal reproductive process between a man and a woman. These practices are now crimes punishable by death. Contrary to popular belief, witch hunts are an invention of the Renaissance and not the Middle Ages. Healers, midwives and persons known to provide contraceptives and performing abortions are now in the eye of the cyclone. Midwives and witches belong to the authors of the Hammer of Witches in the same category, so much so that both terms are routinely used interchangeably in the book, as synonyms. This mentality is not confined solely to Catholic areas and is spreading in the Protestant principalities. Throughout Europe, authorities are looking for witches to judge and condemn. It is estimated that between the sixteenth and the eighteenth century, 60 000-100 000 people, mostly women, were sentenced to death for witchcraft and burned alive.
Indeed, the woman of medieval times has a very wide discretion in matters of contraception. Christianity was not yet fully taxed on their consciences, and the countryside, where living almost all of Europe's population at the time, have retained an ancestral knowledge pagan probably dating from prehistoric times and transmitted without interruption until then. This knowledge very complex, almost exclusively female and passed down orally from mother to daughter, especially on the pharmacopoeia, the many plants, herbs, essences and potions that may affect the sexuality of men and women. Some plants such as juniper are potent abortifacients, while others are fearful contraceptives. Midwives are the guardians of this knowledge and it exists in any village one or two of these women that we will consult when the need arises. Midwives, often regarded as true matriarchs, have a certain fear on the part of the population and are only slightly worried in their activities. Largely for that, despite the absence of modern contraception, the average fertility rate during the medieval period was so low, blocking any hope of demographic renewal in Europe.
revolution came from a bull of Pope Innocent VIII issued in 1484 and nicknamed the "Bull of the Witches". Indeed, if the magic (poisoning of crops and livestock, signs, etc.. Called sorcery in English) was always opposed by Christianity, it was not the same for witchcraft ( witchcraft in English, which means "the art of witches").
The law-making that, ordered the death penalty for " people of both sexes ... who, by their incantations, spells, incantations, charms and other processes and cursed and monstrous sins, killed children in the womb and also the offspring of livestock, destroyed the produce of the land, ... they prevent the man to have sex and women to conceive .
In addition to the magic "classic" is grafted the new crime of witchcraft . According to the famous Hammer of Witches (Malleus Maleficarum ), written at the same time (1487) that the papal bull and used throughout Europe by the witch hunters, we define the various crimes of witchcraft:
"Firstly, causing severe human uncontrolled passion, second, by obstructing the generating force, and thirdly, removing members made to the act, and fourthly, by their magic, transforming men into beasts; fifth by destroying the generative force women; sixth, causing abortion; seventh, by offering children the Devil ".
This means, translated into modern terminology:
(1) fornication and adultery (as a means of have fun without remorse, that is to say without a legitimate child), (2) make men impotent, (3) castration and sterilization, (4) bestiality and homosexuality (as a means of obtaining sexual satisfaction without procreation), (5) contraception, (6) abortion (7) infanticide.
This shows that by witchcraft means all acts may impede the normal reproductive process between a man and a woman. These practices are now crimes punishable by death. Contrary to popular belief, witch hunts are an invention of the Renaissance and not the Middle Ages. Healers, midwives and persons known to provide contraceptives and performing abortions are now in the eye of the cyclone. Midwives and witches belong to the authors of the Hammer of Witches in the same category, so much so that both terms are routinely used interchangeably in the book, as synonyms. This mentality is not confined solely to Catholic areas and is spreading in the Protestant principalities. Throughout Europe, authorities are looking for witches to judge and condemn. It is estimated that between the sixteenth and the eighteenth century, 60 000-100 000 people, mostly women, were sentenced to death for witchcraft and burned alive.
Bonfire of witches in the sixteenth century in Switzerland It was for the authorities to destroy as many times as possible this very complex culture of contraception, to enable Europe to repopulate. The first objective was reached so that from 1480 to 1750, there was absolutely no mention of contraception in the treaty while it was a topic discussed regularly during Antiquity and Middle Ages. Even the rationalists of the eighteenth century, when criticism of the Church n'abordèrent way the issue of contraception. Contraceptive knowledge, transmitted by midwives was virtually annihilated and became a taboo in the West. It was not until the late nineteenth century and the Malthusian policies of modern states to see the issue reappeared marginally, though fought fiercely by the fringe of the Christian population. Finally, it is only in the 60s as contraception and abortion made a comeback in European societies, with disastrous results demographic as we know it.
The second objective, namely to allow the recovery of Europe's population was exceeded beyond expectations. At the end of the fifteenth century, the population decline was halted, returning at 1300. Then came the population explosion, the average fertility rate from 3 in the Middle Ages to about 6 children per woman! This very high fertility rate, previously unknown to the continent would remain until the late nineteenth century. It will allow Europe to conquer and populate other continents through these famous supernumerary male youth bulge .
The decline of Christianity in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century will cause a recurrence of a culture of contraception, silenced for nearly four hundred years, and a subsequent and predictable collapse of fertility in Europe. As the late Middle Ages, Europe's population is stagnating or even declining in some countries. As the late Middle Ages, the invaders rushing the doors of Europe without any opposition. As the late Middle Ages, the "witchcraft" is in vogue. Five of the seven practices (adultery, sterilization, buggery, contraception, abortion) with the exception of infanticide and bestiality (for now ...), once punishable by death for witchcraft have become of inalienable rights . And as the late Middle Ages, a revolution in thinking will be needed to project ourselves into the Renaissance ...
birth rate countries of Europe in 2007
The second objective, namely to allow the recovery of Europe's population was exceeded beyond expectations. At the end of the fifteenth century, the population decline was halted, returning at 1300. Then came the population explosion, the average fertility rate from 3 in the Middle Ages to about 6 children per woman! This very high fertility rate, previously unknown to the continent would remain until the late nineteenth century. It will allow Europe to conquer and populate other continents through these famous supernumerary male youth bulge .
The decline of Christianity in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century will cause a recurrence of a culture of contraception, silenced for nearly four hundred years, and a subsequent and predictable collapse of fertility in Europe. As the late Middle Ages, Europe's population is stagnating or even declining in some countries. As the late Middle Ages, the invaders rushing the doors of Europe without any opposition. As the late Middle Ages, the "witchcraft" is in vogue. Five of the seven practices (adultery, sterilization, buggery, contraception, abortion) with the exception of infanticide and bestiality (for now ...), once punishable by death for witchcraft have become of inalienable rights . And as the late Middle Ages, a revolution in thinking will be needed to project ourselves into the Renaissance ...
birth rate countries of Europe in 2007 
