Home > Gilles de Rais

Gilles was born in 1404 at Machécoul, in the area on the border of Brittany and Poitou. His father was Guy de Montmorency-Laval who himself had inherited by adoption the fortunes of Jeanne de Rais and Marie de Craon. Gilles inherited the barony of Rais in the peerage-duchy of Retz. He was an intelligent child, learning fluent Latin.

He took the side of the Montforts, and specifically Jean V. of Brittany against a rival house. The opposing side (Olivier de Blois, count of Penthievre) having taken Duke John prisoner through craft, Gilles was able to secure his release, and was rewarded for this act by generous land grants which the Breton parliament commuted to monetary ones.

In 1420 he found himself at the court of the Dauphin, the then uncrowned king of France. There he substantially increased his fortune by marrying Katherine of Thouars from Brittany, La Vendee and Poitou. The very thin connection that Gilles may have with the legend of Bluebeard may follow from the fact that out of several previous marriage plans two were thwarted by death of the putative bride.

From 1427 to 1435, Gilles served as a commander in the Royal army, including service during Joan of Arc's campaigns in 1429. Although a few popular authors have chosen to inflate the position he held during the latter campaigns, it is known from the surviving financial records that he commanded a rather modest personal contingent of some twenty-five men-at-arms and eleven archers, and was one of many dozens of such commanders rather than the chief. Nor did he serve as Joan of Arc's bodyguard, a position actually held by a man named Jean d'Aulon. Rais' greatest honor during these campaigns came when he joined the other three commanders holding the quasi-ceremonial title of "Maréchal", a subordinate position under the Royal "Connétable". This honor was granted to him at the coronation of Charles VII on July 17, 1429Events January 10 Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, founds the European Order of the Golden Fleece February 12 Battle of Rouvray (or "of the Herrings"). English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the Earl of Suffolk'.

In 1435 he retired from military service to indulge himself on his estates, promoting theatrical performances and spending the large fortune he had inherited. It was also during this period that, according to the later testimony of himself and his accomplices, he began to experiment with the occult under the direction of a man named Francois Prelati, who told Rais that he could regain the wealth he had squandered by sacrificing children to a demon named "Barron".

On May 15May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (136th in leap years). There are 230 days remaining. Events 1602 Bartholomew Gosnold becomes the first European to discover Cape Cod. 1618 Johannes Kepler confirms his previously rejected disco, 1440, Rais kidnapped a clergyman named Jean le Ferron during a dispute at the Church of St-Etienne-de-Mermorte. This prompted an investigation by the BishopA bishop is an ordained person who holds a specific position of authority in any of a number of Christian churches. Bishops in the New Testament The bishop's role is typically called the " episcopacy", because the word "bishop" is derived ultimately from of NantesFor a place in Brazil (pronunciation: NAHN-chees), see Nantes, Brazil Nantes ( Breton: Naoned is a commune in western France, prefecture of the Loire-Atlantique departement and of the Pays de la Loire region''. With 277,728 inhabitants in 1999, Nantes is, during which the Bishop uncovered evidence of Rais' worse crimes over the years. On July 29July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. Events 1014 Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts not only a decisive defeat on the Bulgarian army, but his subsequent savage, the BishopA bishop is an ordained person who holds a specific position of authority in any of a number of Christian churches. Bishops in the New Testament The bishop's role is typically called the " episcopacy", because the word "bishop" is derived ultimately from released his findings, and subsequently obtained the cooperation of Rais' former supporter, Duke Jean V of Brittany. Action was now finally taken against Rais: on August 24, Jean le Ferron was freed by Royal troops led by Arthur de Richemont. Rais himself and his accomplices were arrested on September 15, after a secular investigation reached the same conclusions as the earlier investigation by the Bishop of Nantes. Rais' trials would likewise be conducted by both secular and ecclesiastic courts, on charges of murder, sodomy, and heresy.

The transcript, which included testimony from the parents of many of the missing children as well as graphic descriptions of the murders provided by Rais' accomplices, was so lurid that the judges ordered the worst portions to be stricken from the record. Rais was accused of luring young boys to his residences, where he would rape, torture and mutilate them, often masturbating while sitting upon the dying body. He and his accomplices would set up the severed heads of the children afterwards, in order to judge which was the most beautiful.

The extensive witness testimony convinced the judges that there was adequate grounds for establishing the guilt of the accused. Rais confessed voluntarily to the crimes on October 21, and the court therefore canceled a plan to have him tortured. On October 23, the secular court condemned Rais' accomplices, Henriet and Poitou; on the 25th the ecclesiastic court handed down a sentence of excommunication against Rais, followed by condemnation by the secular court on the same day. After tearfully expressing remorse for his crimes, Rais was freed of the sentence of excommunication and granted a request to confess to a priest, although the secular penalty still remained in effect. Rais, Henriet, and Poitou were executed at Nantes on October 26, 1440.

Gilles de Rais is believed to have somehow given rise to the legend of Bluebeard, although the legend bears little resemblance to the reality.