Page 65 - All About History - Issue 70-18

ron
The B
of
A comrade-in-arms of Joan
revealed to be a serial child killer, but did Gilles de Rais really do it?
G illes de Rais was a man of means. Born into
he received
the House of Montmorency-Laval,
rich rewards and kingly favours for his
service. He was also
distinguished military
supposedly a bloodthirsty 15th century serial
killer, responsible for the abduction, torture and murder of
hundreds of children. In a storm of occultism, alchemy and
Satanic worship, the reputation and privileged life of the once
celebrated French noble was destined to come to a brutal
and shuddering halt.
Born in 1404, Gilles de Rais was orphaned at a young
age. He married into a vast fortune but he wasn’t content to
sit back. Instead, Rais determined to prove himself on the
battlefield. He soon became a celebrated and feared warrior,
famed for his bravery and nerve, as well as his strategic brain
and loyalty to France. Rais enjoyed an unblemished record
and when the Dauphin of France needed someone to fight
alongside Joan of Arc in her crusade against the English, Rais
was the obvious candidate.
As Joan’s reputation soared so too did that of Rais and he
distinguished himself during the Hundred Years’ War. He
was at Joan’s side throughout the decisive Siege of Orléans
in 1428-9 and provided her with vital strategic insights that
turned the tide against the English who had dominated the
Hundred Years’ War since Agincourt in 1415. For his part in
that decisive victory Rais was appointed a Marshal of France
and when Joan went to her death in 1431 her comrade’s star
shined brighter than ever.
Baron de Rais was the model of piety. He constructed
a magnificent place of worship named the Chapel of the
Innocents. Filling its choir stalls with boys whom he
lood
of Arc horrified France
Written by Catherine Curzon
The Marshal of France was
believed to have subjected
victims to black magic
“Servants claimed that Rais
succeeded in raising a demon”
The Baron of Blood
when he was
auditioned and selected personally, he entertained his
a magnificent play
he had penned, telling
that
subjects with
the story of the Siege of Orléans. He squandered his money
on hundreds of costumes that were worn once, destroyed
and made afresh for every performance. Those lucky enough
to be in the audience were treated to unlimited lavish
refreshments too, with the bill footed by Rais.
That lifestyle didn’t endear him to other members of his
family and as Rais grew older, his coffers grew depleted. He
set extravagance aside to concentrate on salvation, but whilst
others looked to heaven, Gilles de Rais had other ideas. Rais
ploughed his remaining fortune into the employment of
alchemists and sorcerers in the vain hope that they might be
able to conjure up some cash.
Later, his servants claimed that Rais had succeeded in
raising a demon during one of their unspeakable rites.
The hellish visitor promised the baron that a fortune
would be his on one condition – he must supply innocent
blood to complete the ceremony. Beyond the walls of Rais’
castles people were beginning to talk.
By day the lands around his immense estates were
much like any other. By night, however, if rumours were
to believed, then those lands became the playground for
to believed, then those lands became the playgyground for
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