In 16th-century France, people believed that a simple knotted loop of thread, called a ligature or aiguillette, held strong magical powers. According to folklore and witchcraft traditions, witches could use this thread to cause harm—such as making men impotent, women unable to have children, or creating unhappiness in marriages.
But the ligature was not only seen as a tool for harm. It was also thought to bind couples together in secret or forbidden relationships. This double meaning showed both the fear and curiosity people had about magic at the time.
The fear of the ligature, sometimes called the fear of satanic castration, was widespread in French society. Many believed that witches could ruin a marriage right from the start, using the ligature as a way to interfere with the couple’s happiness.
One common belief was that, at the exact moment a priest blessed a new marriage, a witch might sneak behind the groom, tie a knot in a thread, and drop a coin on the ground while saying the Devil’s name.
If the coin disappeared, people thought it meant the Devil had taken it and would keep it until Judgment Day. This was seen as a terrible sign, and the couple was believed to be doomed to a life of unhappiness, infertility, and unfaithfulness.
These superstitions were especially strong in places like Languedoc. There, the fear of witchcraft was so great that fewer than ten out of every hundred weddings were held publicly in church.
To avoid the risk of magical harm, the priest, the couple, and their closest family members would often hold the wedding ceremony in secret. Only after this private ritual would the newlyweds return home to celebrate and begin their life together.
These beliefs had a real impact on society. A physician named Thomas Platter noted that the panic over ligatures and witchcraft was so serious that it could even lead to fewer families being formed, as people avoided public marriages out of fear.
The story of the ligature is a powerful example of how magical beliefs and superstitions shaped social customs, influenced relationships, and even affected population trends in early modern Europe.
