This episode unravels the disturbing truth about Gilles de Rais... beginning with the corruption of a holy warrior who fought beside Joan of Arc.

A French lord and baron, Rais was accused of abducting 140+ children for medieval occult rituals, then condemned in a scandalous heresy trial. And the twist isn't just that a national hero committed these atrocities- it's that although his crimes revealed history's first serial killer, the darkest historical true crime story of the Middle Ages, history might have gotten it wrong- because he may have, in fact, been innocent.

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⚖️ Usage Notes & Licensing

Some images and historical documents in this episode are public domain, Creative Commons licensed, or used under U.S. Fair Use for educational analysis, historical commentary, and transformative storytelling.
Full list of images and licensing links are included below.

🏆 Episode Credits

All research, writing, editing, narration, and production by:
Jessica M. Lathrop, M.A. (Ancient & Classical History)
Larry Lathrop, M.S. (Data Science + MBA)

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🖼️ Image Attributions

• Pied Piper (Historic Fairy Tale Postcard) – CC BY 2.0. From the Jack Zipes Historic Fairy Tale Postcard Collection. Photo courtesy of MCAD Library (2023).
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pied_Piper_-_53072168362_-_Jack_Zipes_Historic_Fairy_Tale_Postcard_Collection_-_Herrfurth,_Oskar_(German_1862-1934).jpg

• Gilles de Retz (historical mixed-media figure) – CC BY-SA 3.0. Sculpture by George S. Stuart (2007).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GillesdeRetz_Best.jpg

• Barbe-Bleue – Gilles de Rais – Public Domain. Illustration by Alfred Paris (Les Brigands, Funck-Brentano).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alfred_Paris_-_Les_Brigands_(Funck-Brentano)_-_Barbe-Bleue_-_Gilles_de_Rais.png

• “Il semble que la nature se pervertisse devant lui…” – Public Domain. Illustration by Martin van Maële (Là-bas).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Martin_van_Ma%C3%ABle_-_L%C3%A0-bas_-_Il_semble_que_la_nature_se_pervertisse_devant_lui_et_que_ce_soit_sa_pr%C3%A9sence_m%C3%AAme_qui_la_d%C3%A9prave.jpg

• Execution of Gilles de Rais – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ex%C3%A9cution_de_Gilles_de_Rais.jpg

• The Trial of Gilles de Rais – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Le_proc%C3%A8s_de_Gilles_de_Rais.jpg

• John, Duke of Brittany – Public Domain. British Museum (BM 1848,1013.49).
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John,_Duke_of_Brittany_(BM_1848,1013.49).jpg

• Gilles de Rais (1405–1440) – Public Domain. Painting by Féron (MV 962).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F%C3%A9ron_-_Gilles_de_Rais_(1405-1440)_-_MV_962.jpg

• La Psychose de Gilles de Rais (1910), title page – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:La_Psychose_de_Gilles_de_Rais_(1910).jpg

• The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament – Public Domain. Painting by Raphael.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raphael1a.jpg

• Joan of Arc in Battle – Public Domain. Painting by Hermann Stilke (1843).
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joan-of-Arc-in-Battle.jpg

• Joan of Arc at the Stake – Public Domain. Painting by Hermann Stilke (1843).
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stilke_Hermann_Anton_-_Joan_of_Arc%27s_Death_at_the_Stake.jpg

• Follower of Dark Cult with Evil Mask and Mantle © Andrew Poplavsky. Used under Canva Pro Content License. Source: Canva Pro.

• Les causes célèbres – Gilles de Rais – Public Domain. Le Petit Journal illustré (19 April 1931).
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Les_causes_c%C3%A9l%C3%A8bres_-_Gilles_de_Rais_(Le_Petit_Journal_illustr%C3%A9,_19_avril_1931).jpg

• Le Baiser de la démone – Public Domain. Artwork by Roland Brévannes (1906).
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brevannes-baiser-demone.jpg

• Gilles de Rais (engraving) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gilles_de_Rais_gravure.jpg

• Charles VII of France – Public Domain. Portrait by Jean Fouquet.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jean_Fouquet_-_Portrait_of_Charles_VII_of_France_-_WGA8037.jpg

• The Feast of the Bean King – Public Domain. Painting by Jacob Jordaens.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jacob_Jordaens_-_The_Feast_of_the_Bean_King_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

• An Alchemist at Work with Assistants – Public Domain. Painting by Mattheus van Helmont.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mattheus_van_Helmont_An_Alchemist_at_Work_with_assistants.jpeg

• An Ancient Stone Castle with a Dark Entrance © baehakqinugroho. Used under Canva Pro Content License. Source: Canva Pro.

• Siege of Romorantin Castle (1356) – Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Siege_of_Romorantin_Castle,_1356.jpg

• Pontifical Mass (15th century) – Public Domain. Source: Project Gutenberg eText 16531.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pontifical_Mass_-_15th_Century_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_16531.jpg

• John of Malestroit, Bishop of Nantes – Public Domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nnates.jpg

• Barbe-Bleue, quadrille historique – Public Domain. Music cover by Alphonse Leduc.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alphonse_Leduc_-_Barbe-Bleue,_quadrille_historique.jpg

• Étienne Chevalier with St. Stephen – Public Domain. Painting by Jean Fouquet.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jean_Fouquet_006.jpg

• Barbe-Bleue – L’homme noir s’approcha de Guillemette – Public Domain. Illustration by Alfred Paris.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alfred_Paris_-_Les_Brigands_(Funck-Brentano)_-_Barbe-Bleue_-_L%27homme_noir_s%27approcha_de_Guillemette.png

• Mystical snake coiling around a celestial crescent moon © WinWin.artlab. Used under Canva Pro Content License. Source: Canva Pro.

• Gilles de Retz – Public Domain. Illustration by Paul Lacroix.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gilles_de_Retz_-_Paul_Lacroix.jpg

• Title page of Le procès inquisitorial de Gilles de Rais, maréchal de France – Public Domain. Source: Internet Archive.
https://archive.org/details/leprocsinquisi00raisuoft/page/n5/mode/2up

• Title page of Bluebeard: An Account of Comorre the Cursed and Gilles de Rais – Public Domain. Ernest Alfred Vizetelly (1902). Source: Internet Archive.
https://archive.org/details/bluebeardanacco00vizegoog/page/n13/mode/2up

• Title page of Blue-Beard – Public Domain. Thomas Wilson (1899). Source: Internet Archive.
https://archive.org/details/bluebeard00wils/page/n7/mode/2up

• Title page of Gilles de Rais: The Original Bluebeard – Public Domain. A. L. Vincent & Clare Binns (1926). Source: Internet Archive.
https://archive.org/details/gillesderaisorig0000vinc/page/n7/mode/2up

😅 Whew!

You’ve reached the end of the details for this episode.

Thank you for being a part of the Cursed Voices community. We believe that history is most haunting when it’s handled with care, and your support allows us to keep digging for the truth behind these legendary tales. We sincerely appreciate every view, every like, every follower, and every donation.

🏛️ Ready for the next mystery? > [Click here to return to our full Episode Archive]

Stay curious, question everything, and we’ll meet you in the next episode. - Jess & Larry

Gilles de Rais (History's First Serial Killer) - Cursed Voices Episode