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What medieval ideas contributed to the stereotype of the Satanic witch?

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Oil painting The Witches' Sabbath by Francisco de Goya shows a group of figures in dark robes gathered around a crouching person, with eerie creatures flying in a moonlit sky. — Witchcraft *El conjuro* or *Las brujas* (“The Conjuring” or “The Witches”), oil on canvas by Francisco Goya, 1797–98; in the Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Madrid.

The stereotype of the Satanic witch did not emerge until the 15th century; however, it was constructed from several pre-existing medieval ideas and conspiracy theories.

Key influences included:

Conspiracy Theories: Medieval writers projected fears of secretive, malevolent groups onto religious minorities, such as Jews and heretical Christian sects. These groups were falsely accused of nocturnal rituals involving cannibalism, incest, and Satanism.1
Folklore: Popular beliefs held that certain individuals could leave their bodies at night to meet with supernatural entities, sometimes traveling by flight to these spectral gatherings.1
Ceremonial Magic: The practice of necromancy—using rituals to command demons—led the clergy to believe that such magic relied on a formal pact with the Devil.1

These tropes coalesced in the 1420s and 1430s, synthesizing the idea of a witch who gained power through a demonic pact and participated in the witches’ sabbath. This dangerous synthesis was later codified in influential texts like the Malleus maleficarum, which fueled centuries of persecution.12