The first serial killer goes to his reward
It happened today in history; on September 15, 1440, the Baron Gilles de Rais, Marshal of France and a renowned companion-in-arms of Joan of Arc was arrested along with several servants. This case became the first and possibly most notorious serial child murder controversy in history. His arrest led to the discovery of the ritualistic torture, murder, and dismemberment of possibly hundreds of children.
An extravagant aristocratic spendthrift, Gilles was drawn into the occult to try to make gold to pay off his debts. Under the guidance of two fallen priests, Eustache Blanchet and François Prelati, the desperate lord soon resorted to demonic practices. At least 40 children, boys and girls, maybe as many as 600, but more likely somewhere between 80 and 200, were not only kidnapped and sodomized and tortured before or during their ritualistic murders at his parties. Apparently, however, it didn’t work: no demons appeared despite his sacrifices.
If that’s what indeed happened. Many have questioned the accounts of the Inquisition, claiming political motives. Of course, since one of those denying real crimes was Aleister Crowley, one may wonder what the motive of the debunker was. The baron’s story inspired the fairy tale of “Bluebeard”, the serial wife murderer.
In any event, the Inquisition might have gotten it right for once, for Gilles de Rais confessed without torture. He was executed by hanging a few days before Hallowe’en in 1440, but allowed to confess to a priest beforehand. His body was burnt and given to several noblewomen for burial.
Whatever the truth — and apparently a lot of children’s bodies were indeed discovered — this very first case of “satanic panic” has many of the elements found hundreds of years later including:
- the involvement of high government officials
- clerical involvement
- satanism, black magic, child abuse, sodomy and murder
- government cover-up
- continued denial in the face of evidence
So remember Gilles de Rais the next time someone says, “Oh such things could never happen.” History says differently.
There are a number of different sites that discuss this case. Here’s one at Crime Library that comes down on the side of innocence: Gilles de Rais: Monster or Victim? And here’s one not so kind.
The history of Gilles de Rais is very well documented. Why Joan of Arc did not “see” his dark side, as he did ride with her in all of the major battles of the Loire Campaign, remains a mystery.
Some say her death by fire drove him insane. I do not believe this is true. It’s an excuse.
His coat of arms is displayed in the Cathedral St. Croix in Orleans every year, during the annual May fete honoring Joan of Arc’sc raising of the siege. I was astonished to see it hanging there, along with her other comrades of arms. Later I learned that he had “bought” his way back into the good graces of the Church, through paying a great deal of money in exchange for forgiveness.
Yes, Gilles de Rais confessed without torture. However, he only confirmed the testimony of his two servants, who clearly were tortured because their evidence is suspiciously similar in every detail. Also, Gilles was a religious man who dreaded excommunication above anything else. He confessed after he had been excommunicated.
His judges were not impartial or disinterested. Both the Bishop of Nantes and the Duke of Brittany had had financial dealings with him and stood to profit by his ruin; both were pro-English, whereas Gilles was a great French war hero. He was Joan of Arc’s personal protector and it might be supposed that to smear him would be to smear her by association.
In addition, there was no physical evidence at all, even though this was a man who allegedly kept severed heads as trophies.
Aleister Crowley had a rather naughty motive for insisting on Gilles’ innocence, I think – as the official Wickedest Man in the World, he probably felt his title theatened.
However, in 1992 the evidence was re-examined by a Court of Cassation and Gilles de Rais was acquitted.