There are several references to the ‘soldiers’, ‘black-coats’ and ‘priests’ attacking the women as they celebrated the rites of spring.
This time period in mainland Europe was the beginning of the Dark Ages. Rome had fallen and as the empire became more decayed, it descended into darkness. There was no person or country to step into the vacuum of leadership that had been the Roman Empire.
Fear and superstition became rampant. Anyone with enough greed and enough men under their control could and would run rampant over those who were weaker. Civilization descended into chaos and human life had very little value. The life of a female had even less value.
In the time period preceding this story (300-400 C.E.), Emperor Constantine became a Christian and Christianity spread through the lands of the Roman Empire. What may have begun as spreading Jesus’ teachings of love and kindness to your fellow man or woman eventually became something unrecognizable.
The Church eventually helped fill the leadership void in Europe. Aligning itself with the upcoming kings and princes, together, they took the world into one of its darkest periods.
I am not saying Christianity was dark. I am, however, saying that the fear and greed running rampant in the known world, also ran rampant in the Church at that time. And that was very dark.
I am not asking you to believe me. There are several books and historical recollections that will give you many specifics, and you can make your own decisions.
Get the facts before discounting this information because it is unknown to you. After all, you might not know about many things, like physics. I don’t know much about physics, and yet there is plenty of proof that it is real.
I have listed several sources I used in researching this book. The list is located below.
One book I used as a source was “How the Irish Saved Civilization.” At first glance, I thought this might be a fiction, but I was wrong. This book is a very balanced and detailed historical view of Ireland and the early missionaries. It also gave credence to the ability to read and write in c.800 CE. Allowing Marta to read the riddle and solve it.
Those who taught in Ireland came before and after Saint Paidraig (St. Patrick: born c. 388 C.E., died 461 C.E.) and those who followed after, set up schools and monasteries to teach anyone who desired, man or woman, to read and write Latin and Greek and the local language.
They learned these languages by copying the writings of Ancient Greece and Rome. Many schools were set up on the coasts, but some were further inland.
After Rome was sacked in 455 by the Vandals, most valuables were stolen and buildings were destroyed, including the libraries where our great writings were stored. This may have been incidental to the invasion.
This is how the Irish actually saved Civilization. The great writings of our civilization, including treatises on democracy, were saved because they had been written down in Ireland and Britain. (exp. Book of Kells)
As the Church of Rome grew in power, they looked closer at the ‘heretical’ beliefs in parts of mainland Europe. The Church set out to ‘save’ the people, by controlling their beliefs and practices. While the rest of Europe sank into the Dark Ages and the Burning Times, Ireland was having a golden age.
Throughout Europe, many women of power, landowners and those in charge of religious houses (example: Abbey’s, etc.), were accused of heretical behavior and witchcraft. With this charge, the women lost their land. All they owned reverted to the accuser, usually the church or the political entity involved. Often the land was granted to a supporter of the church, maybe someone who had supplied the ‘muscle.’
These women, and the men supporting them, were tortured, held prisoner and executed. In some areas, the accused were burned at the stake.
Eventually, Ireland also succumbed to this abomination. Accused women lost their lands, their livelihood, their freedom and most lost their lives.