Editing Buckriders (section)

==Raids and raiders==
[[Image:Maaseik, RAM03.jpg|thumb|Instruments of torture from the 18th century, Regionaal Archeologisch Museum in Maaseik]]


Trials against buckriders differed from 'common trials against common criminals' if the suspect had performed the god-denying oath: 'I forswear God ... etc.' This so-called oath of heresy is a stereotypical aspect of the buckriders myth. Since the convicts were accused of this oath and a pact with the devil, we can define this as a late form of [[witch-hunt]]. 

Prosecution of buckriders were ruthless, even by those day's standards. More than 90% of the convicted received capital punishment. Many confessions were gained by means of torture, or by fear for it.

There are seven periods of different buckrider trials.<ref>VAN GEHUCHTEN F. Bokkenrijders: Late heksenprocessen in Limburg. Het proces van vier bokkenrijdersgroepen in Limburg (1773-1795). Opglabbeek 2002.</ref> The first took place during 1743 &ndash; 1745, and the last during 1793 &ndash; 1794.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Gangleaders 
! rowspan="2"| Raiding area 
! rowspan="2"| Trial (Year) 
! colspan="2" align="center" | Number of gangmembers
|-
! Convicted 
! Accused
|-
| '''Overmaas''' || || || ||
|-
| 1. Mathias Ponts || [[Herzogenrath]] - [[Nieuwstadt]] || 1743 - 1745 || 87 || 140
|-
| 2. De Gaverelle and De Preez || [[Schinnen]] - [[Geleen]] || 1749 - 1751 || 31 || 45
|-
| 3. The brothers Kerckhoffs ([[Balthasar Kirchhoffs]] and [[Joseph Kirchhoffs]]) || [[Herzogenrath]] - [[Valkenburg (city)|Valkenburg]] || 1771 - 1776 || 230 || 450
|-
| '''Loon''' || || || ||
|-
| 4. Voortmans - Van Muysen || [[Wellen]] - [[Haspengouw]] || 1774 - 1776 || 31 || 350
|-
| 5. Philip Mertens and Henricus Houben || [[Kinrooi|Ophoven]] - [[Geistingen]] - [[Maaseik]] || 1785 - 1786 || 16 || 45
|-
| 6. Nolleke van Geleen || [[Bree, Belgium|Bree]] - [[Bocholt, Belgium|Bocholt]] - [[Gruitrode]] || 1789 - 1791 || 23 || 60
|-
| 7. Pelsers and Bollen || [[Maaseik|Neeroeteren - Maaseik]] || 1793 - 1794 || 50 || 80
|}

===Known associated deaths===
* [[Gabriel Brühl|Gabriël Brühl]] &ndash; sentenced to death by hanging, 10 September 1743.
* Geerling Daniels &ndash; died of two self-inflicted stab wounds, 28 January 1751.
* Joseph Kirchhoffs &ndash; sentenced to death by hanging, 11 May 1772.
* Joannes Arnold van de Wal ("Nolleke van Geleen") &ndash; sentenced to death by hanging, 21 September 1789.