“Brujas” euskaldunes alavesas en el proceso inquisitorial de Logroño (1609-1614) [Basque-speaking “witches” from Alava in the inquisitorial trials of Logroño (1609-1614)]

Abstract

Between 1609 and 1614, the inquisitorial trials held in Logroño featured individuals accused of witchcraft from the Eastern Plain and Mountain region of Alava. The statements preserved, given for the purposes of both accusation and reconsideration, and all made in 1611, required an interpreter of “bascongado” so that the inquisitorial authorities could understand them. This, together with other similar evidence, reinforces the idea of Basque monolingualism in a large part of the geography of Alava at the beginning of the XVII century, It also demonstrates that the impact of the Inquisition in Alava was greater than previously thought.