During middle ages witchcraft was not a crime according to swedish law, except when murder had been committed by magic. But during the 1500’s more and more witch trials was taken place in Sweden, mostly in the southern regions. And in 1608 a law against witchcraft was introduced in the kingdom.

The period 1668-1676 in Sweden is known as “The great noise” (Det stora oväsendet) and was a national mass hysteria concerning witches. It started in the province of Härjedalen in 1668 and spread down to the neighbouring province of Dalecarlia, the main focus of this book. This was the beginning of the real witch hunt in Sweden, a country where witch trials had previously been a rarity.

A central part of the witch trials in Sweden is Blockula (Blåkulla) a place described as a meadow where the devil held his earthly court with the witches. This place could only be reached by magical flight, usually on an enchanted object or animal. At this place black masses and pagan rites were performed and the witches fornicated with the devil.