Page 67 - All About History - Issue 70-18

otives for murder

Sadism

The motive put forward
at the trial of Gilles de Rais
was simple enough. He was
motivated by sexual sadism to
torture and kill
Greed

Ego out and the Crown refused a
When Rais’ money ran

mortgage, did he really offer
his victims to a demon who
Court evidence suggested promised him riches?
by holding dominion over life turned
and death itself, Rais was
attempting to emulate the What
great tyrants of history, the knight
such as Caligula serial
into a
killer?

Werewolf Madness

When his friend and

it possible that Rais, deranged
One of the most fanciful comrade, Joan of Arc, died, was
claims is that Rais was a with grief, turned to murder to
werewolf. This outlandish vent his despair?
accusation, of course, never
made it as far as court

was nothing the baron enjoyed more than depravity and France, they hadn’t dared to speak out against him before.
terror, all of it culminating in a spree of child killings. Soon the arrested men were falling over themselves to
Gilles de Rais and his servants, Étienne Corrillaut (aka confess, hoping to escape the threat of torture. They told of
Poitou) and Henriet, were arrested and charged initially the horrific fate that met the abducted children when they
with the kidnap of the priest, a charge that was eventually were invited into the lavish home of Gilles de Rais.Treated as
amended to murder, heresy and sodomy. honoured guests, the innocent youngsters were, allegedly, first
At first Rais refused to enter a plea but when he was given a suit of fine clothes then treated to a magnificent feast
threatened with torture and excommunication – the latter that included lavish servings of hipocras, an exceptionally
a more terrifying prospect for him than execution – Rais strong liquor. Once the children were in a torpor they were
and his servants confessed to the charges. From those taken by Rais and his co-conspirators, one of whom was the
confessions a picture of sickening depravity and violence very cousin who had employed young Jeudon.
emerged. As word of the trial spread even more witnesses The children were subjected to a horrifying sexual assault
came forward to claim that their children had gone to Rais before they were murdered, usually by decapitation, though
seeking food or work, never to be seen again. Afraid of on occasion Rais broke their neck instead. Rais himself
repercussions and with neither money nor status to raise admitted that, once the children were dead, he subjected
charges against the wealthy and celebrated Marshal of them to further sexual abuse before he disembowelled and

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