38. The Greenland authorities executed Kolgrim for stealing someone’s wife (sorry, ‘witchcraft’) in 1407
In 1406, a wealthy Norwegian merchant called Torgrim Sölvesson came to Greenland with his wife, Steinunn Ravnsdotter. The following year, Steinunn fell in love with a local man from the town of Gardar called Kolgrim. Besotted, she left Torgrim to live with her new lover. Bad luck, Mr. Sölvesson? Apparently not. Being rich, Torgrim was able to accuse Kolgrim of using witchcraft to seduce Steinunn. Why else would she leave him? Well, local authorities couldn’t think of a more logical explanation, and soon Kolgrim burned to ashes in Gardar’s execution site. Heartbroken, Steinunn died insane soon after.