Topic: Lisa's manner of death makes a tad less sense in context

[Lumi Kløvstad]

In the 1460s and 1470s, what is today Romania—primarily comprising the historical regions of Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania—did not experience widespread witch trials or hunts in the way that would become common in Western Europe in later centuries (especially the 16th and 17th centuries).

In Transylvania (then part of the Kingdom of Hungary), witch trials were rare in the 15th century, as the legal and cultural framework for systematic witch-hunting had not yet developed. The region followed Canon Law and customary laws influenced by Hungarian legal traditions. The Catholic Church still had jurisdiction over heresy and witchcraft, and the emphasis was more on heresy (e.g., Hussitism) than on diabolical witchcraft. Transylvania’s multi-ethnic makeup (Romanians, Hungarians, Saxons, Szeklers) also meant different cultural attitudes toward magic and superstition, but there was no large-scale persecution at this time.

In Wallachia and Moldavia (independent principalities), the situation was notably different. These were Orthodox Christian states with relatively little formal persecution of witches during the 15th century. Folk magic (vrăjitorie) and superstitions were widespread, but they were often dealt with informally or locally, not via major judicial campaigns. The Orthodox Church had less of a doctrinal obsession with the idea of witchcraft as satanic pacts compared to the Catholic Inquisition. Accusations, when they occurred, were more about harm actually inflicted, not demonic worship.

There are few, if any, recorded formal witch trials from this time in Wallachia or Moldavia.

The witch-hunting era in the Romanian regions came later, largely in response to Western and Central European influences like the Habsburg takeover.

If someone were found guilty of being a witch in the 1460s–1470s in the regions that are now Romania—Wallachia, Moldavia, or Transylvania—execution would have been very rare, but not impossible, particularly if the charge was tied to harmful magic, poisoning, or heresy.

If execution did occur, the most likely method would have been Beheading or Hanging. These were the most probable methods for capital punishment in that era and region, especially when applied by secular authorities for crimes such as murder, treason, or sorcery. Beheading was seen as a more "honorable" execution, often used for nobles or high-status individuals, while hanging was more common for commoners. These were typical methods used in the Byzantine, Slavic, and Hungarian legal traditions that influenced the area.

Burning at the Stake was unlikely, but not strictly impossible in this period and region. Burning for witchcraft was much more common in Western and Central Europe, especially under Catholic or Protestant inquisitorial systems. In 15th-century Orthodox principalities, burning was not a common execution method for witches, but might be used in extreme cases, especially where heresy or demonic pacts were alleged—though this theological framing was not yet dominant in Wallachia or Moldavia. In Transylvania, under Hungarian rule, there are scattered records of burning for heresy, but few or none specifically for witchcraft until later centuries.

It's worth noting that the Orthodox Church in Wallachia and Moldavia had no formal Inquisition. Folk magic and divination were often treated as misdemeanors or punished with penance or local sanctions, not death.

The Catholic-influenced parts of Transylvania might have pursued harsher punishments, but witchcraft was not yet a capital crime in Hungarian law during the 1460s–70s.

So, Lisa's death as recorded in two separate canons is actually... surprisingly unlikely given her time and place in history, unless something happened earlier in the Castlevania timeline that we can't see that would have altered the local culture and laws significantly (admittedly, not exactly unthinkable).

So yeah, a tad less sense. Not impossible, but highly unlikely, and most definitely the work of writers deliberately stretching things pretty far to fit the Dark Fairy Tale mold they wanted to work with.

[Shiroi Koumori]

Oh! I didn't know those things that you've written.
I definitely agree with your last sentence.