Laurentius Christophori Hornæus
Encyclopedia
Laurentius Christophori Hornaeus (1645 – April 27, 1719), also known as Lars Christophri Hornæus, was a minister and witch-hunter in Torsåker
and Ytterlännäs
, Sweden
.
in 1645. During the 17th century in Sweden, the Latinized form of peoples names were common and their birthplace was sometimes added as a family name. Hornaeus most likely is the Latinized version of Härnösand. Lars started his theological studies in the 1660s and in 1667 he and his brother Petrus were both studying together at the University of Uppsala. Lars was ordained in 1672 and was then employed as an assistant or curate, to the "assistant minister" Olaus Erici Rufinius (1637-1672) in Ytterlännäs. Ytterlännäs
is the parish for the city of Torsåker
. He was also responsible for the annex parish in the Dal Hundred. Olaus Rufinius died in 1672, and Lars was appointed as the new "assistant minister" of Ytterlännäs.
which became the largest witch-hunt
in Sweden's history.
Torsåker
Torsåker is a locality situated in Hofors Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden with 873 inhabitants in 2005. It contains a parish for the Archdiocese of Uppsala...
and Ytterlännäs
Ytterlännäs
Ytterlännäs is a parish in the Diocese of Härnösand in Västernorrland County, Sweden.-History:Ytterlännäs parish, in the province of Ångermanland, belonged to the Archdiocese of Uppsala in the Middle Ages, but has been part of the Diocese of Härnösand since its formation in 1647...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Birth and education
He was born as Lars Christoffersson in HärnösandHärnösand
Härnösand is a locality and the seat of Härnösand Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 18,003 inhabitants in 2005. It is called "the gate to the High Coast" because of the world heritage landscape rises just some miles north of Härnösand...
in 1645. During the 17th century in Sweden, the Latinized form of peoples names were common and their birthplace was sometimes added as a family name. Hornaeus most likely is the Latinized version of Härnösand. Lars started his theological studies in the 1660s and in 1667 he and his brother Petrus were both studying together at the University of Uppsala. Lars was ordained in 1672 and was then employed as an assistant or curate, to the "assistant minister" Olaus Erici Rufinius (1637-1672) in Ytterlännäs. Ytterlännäs
Ytterlännäs
Ytterlännäs is a parish in the Diocese of Härnösand in Västernorrland County, Sweden.-History:Ytterlännäs parish, in the province of Ångermanland, belonged to the Archdiocese of Uppsala in the Middle Ages, but has been part of the Diocese of Härnösand since its formation in 1647...
is the parish for the city of Torsåker
Torsåker
Torsåker is a locality situated in Hofors Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden with 873 inhabitants in 2005. It contains a parish for the Archdiocese of Uppsala...
. He was also responsible for the annex parish in the Dal Hundred. Olaus Rufinius died in 1672, and Lars was appointed as the new "assistant minister" of Ytterlännäs.
Torsåker witch trials
In 1675 Laurentius Christophri Hornaeus engaged in the Torsåker witch trialsTorsåker witch trials
The Torsåker witch trials took place in 1675 in Torsåker parish, Sweden. 71 people: 6 men and 65 women were beheaded and then burned, all in a single day...
which became the largest witch-hunt
Witch-hunt
A witch-hunt is a search for witches or evidence of witchcraft, often involving moral panic, mass hysteria and lynching, but in historical instances also legally sanctioned and involving official witchcraft trials...
in Sweden's history.