Jean Bodin, Monk, Political Adviser and Demonologist

Jean Bodin was a Member of Parliament of Paris, political philosopher and also a professor of law.  He was also a respected writer about demonology.

Bodin spent his early childhood at Angers where he lived a modest life.  He received his education at a monastery of Angers, where he passed as a novice monk.  There is a little documentation about his early life,   there are accounts saying that he visited Geneva sometime in the year 1547 but the information stated on that document is a bit vague and ambiguous, experts said that they might be referring to another Jean Bodin.

Jean Bodin got involved in numerous political works, but one thing peculiar about him is his participation in the investigation against witchcraft and also werewolves.  He proposed a harsh punishment to those who were proven to engage on witchcraft practices.  He believed on the wicked ways of witches, werewolves, shape shifting and eating flesh of human during the Sabbaths.

Bodin acquired fame when he wrote the De la Demonomanie des Sorciers.  His books have been reprinted several times which serves as a guide to people hunting witches.

Bodin believes that witches has made a pact with Satan and perform miraculous work with the help of the demon.  He claimed that Witches have extraordinary powers that were granted by Satan, some of their powers are their ability to fly, cast demons, and their ability to turn themselves into werewolves.  Bodin has no mercy when doing the interrogation, not even with kids.  He forced those kids to testify against their parents.  He believes that Witches need to suffer for their evil deed.  He is not in favor of burning them at a stake since the agony of that experience is a mere half hour.

Bodin also discuss some prominent werewolves in his book.  He said that the likes of Gilles Garnier and the Werewolves of Poligny has the ability to shape shift and those fact were supported by the writing of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas.  His book De la Demonomanie des Sorciers was approved by the church.  Bodin died due to the bubonic plague in 1596 in Laon.