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The Life and Times of Margarida de Portu: Fourteenth Century Accused Poisoner

Christian Carter

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Published in A Poisoned Past: The Life And Times Of Margarida De Portu A Fourteenth Century Accused Poisoner (Thinking Historically)

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Margarida de Portu was a fourteenth-century woman who was accused of poisoning her husband. Her case is one of the most famous examples of witchcraft in medieval Europe.

A Poisoned Past: The Life and Times of Margarida de Portu, a Fourteenth-Century Accused Poisoner (Thinking Historically)

by Pasols Ashlee

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4067 KB
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Print length	:	225 pages

Margarida was born in the city of Portu, Portugal, in the year 1320. Her father was a wealthy merchant, and she was raised in a privileged household. In 1340, she married a man named Joao Rodrigues de Sá. The couple had two children together.

In 1345, Joao Rodrigues de Sá died suddenly. His death was ruled to be a natural illness, but rumors soon began to circulate that Margarida had poisoned him. The rumors were based on the fact that Margarida had been having an affair with another man, and that she had been seen arguing with her husband shortly before his death.

In 1348, Margarida was arrested and charged with poisoning her husband. She was tried by a Church court and found guilty. She was sentenced to be burned at the stake.

Margarida's execution was a public event, and it was witnessed by a large crowd of people. She was burned alive in the city of Lisbon on May 17, 1349.

Margarida's case is one of the most famous examples of witchcraft in medieval Europe. It is a reminder of the dangers that women faced during this time period, when they were often accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake.

Margarida's case also raises questions about the nature of justice in medieval Europe. She was accused of a crime without any real evidence, and she was found guilty and executed based on nothing more than rumor and innuendo.

Margarida's story is a tragic reminder of the dangers of superstition and intolerance. It is also a reminder of the importance of due process of law and the right to a fair trial.

The Evidence Against Margarida de Portu

The evidence against Margarida de Portu was circumstantial. There was no eyewitness testimony that she had poisoned her husband, and there was no physical evidence that she had done so. The only evidence against her was the fact that she had been having an affair with another man, and that she had been seen arguing with her husband shortly before his death.

This evidence was not enough to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Margarida had poisoned her husband. However, the Church court found her guilty based on this evidence, and she was sentenced to be burned at the stake.

The Injustice of Margarida's Trial

Margarida's trial was a miscarriage of justice. She was accused of a crime without any real evidence, and she was found guilty and executed based on nothing more than rumor and innuendo.

The Church court that tried Margarida was biased against her from the very beginning. The judges were all men, and they were all members of the Church. They were not interested in giving Margarida a fair trial. They were only interested in finding her guilty and executing her.

Margarida's trial is a reminder of the dangers of superstition and intolerance. It is also a reminder of the importance of due process of law and the right to a fair trial.

The Legacy of Margarida de Portu

Margarida de Portu's story is a tragic reminder of the dangers that women faced during the Middle Ages. She was accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake based on nothing more than rumor and innuendo.

Margarida's story is also a reminder of the importance of due process of law and the right to a fair trial. She was not given a fair trial, and she was executed based on nothing more than the prejudices of the judges who tried her.

Margarida's story is a tragic reminder of the dangers of superstition and intolerance. It is also a reminder of the importance of due process of law and the right to a fair trial.

A Poisoned Past: The Life and Times of Margarida de Portu, a Fourteenth-Century Accused Poisoner (Thinking Historically)

by Pasols Ashlee

4.2 out of 5