Too bad most history classes focus on memorizing dates and dull facts. View more posts. Wow! I had never heard of this killer before. Such grand assemblies were more suited to royal rather than baronial status but these projections of grandeur and prestige were clearly important to de Rais’ image of himself. He could claim kinship with two of Brittany’s most renowned medieval knights, Bertrand du Guesclin and Olivier de Clisson. I will happily be sure to check out your blog! She was the lady of Tiffauges and vassal of the Duke of Brittany. ( Log Out / Catherine was the second daughter of Constance, Duchess of Brittany, and Guy of Thouars. It’s funny isn’t it – we think we have important, famous, infamous people now – there always has been of course – but then they are gone until someone like you digs them up and remind us – good job! According to the testimony of his servant, when de Rais “was unable to find more children at his convenience, boys and girls on whom to practice his execrable debaucheries, he practiced them on the children in his chapel”, another servant added “but he did not kill them or have them killed, because they kept these things secret.”. Thanks for putting us in the know. A day that witnessed the extraordinary spectacle of the city’s clergy, followed by a mob of thousands who had once bayed for his blood, earnestly marching through the streets of Nantes to the field of execution, singing and praying for de Rais’ salvation. Guy served as regent of Brittany between 1203 and 1206 for his infant daughter Alix, Duchess of Brittany. Facts and Events. Catherine de Thouars 1201 – … I love history, and at times such as learning of these events that I wonder why people yearn for the “good old days!” Great work! On 29 July, Jean de Malestroit, Bishop of Nantes and Chancellor of Brittany, issued a declaration stating that he and his commissioners had found that de Rais was publicly defamed for murdering many children, and was guilty of invoking demons with horrid rites, of entering into compacts with them and of other enormities. However, a few months later they were absolved and legally married; a union that markedly increased his already substantial landholdings, making him one of the richest men in France. Like you, I love the myriad old castles and churches dotted around here . However, some historians have argued that the figure could have exceeded 700 while others have even tried to argue that he was innocent. I can’t say how much I believe the charges purely because of it being preceded by other lesser charges which makes me wonder if it is a set up. ( Log Out / Great historical blog and well illustrated too. Drama was another area of interest to de Rais and he would stage costly spectacles featuring hundreds of actors clad in bespoke armour or in the finest garments adorned with threads of gold and silver; such productions were usually followed by lavish banquets. Although the charges brought against him claim that his murderous activities began in 1426, de Rais asserted that his first killings were not committed until after his grandfather’s death towards the end of 1432. Apologies, I tried not make it salacious at all. Only parts of the official record of the ecclesiastical trial have survived the centuries but what remains is harrowing. Catherine de Thouars; Alix de Thouars; Spouse and Children . Margaret is mentioned, though not named, as Constance and Guy's daughter by historians Pierre Daru and François Manet. The esteem in which de Rais was held is evidenced by his being amongst the favoured nobles chosen to bring the Holy Ampulla to Reims cathedral for the anointment of Charles VII in July 1429; a coronation which saw him honoured with the appointment of Marshall of France, one of the Great Officers of the French crown and a position he could reasonably expect to retain for life. He admitted the charges brought against him and that he acted “according to his imagination and ideas … solely for his pleasure and carnal delight.” However, Pierre de L’Hôpital was unsatisfied by this and demanded to know, in open court, why de Rais had killed so many innocents without reason but de Rais would not be drawn and refused to submit to the humiliation of a public confession, saying “Truly, there was no other cause, no other end nor intention, if not what I’ve told you: I’ve told you greater things than this and enough to kill ten thousand men.”. Catherine of Thouars was the daughter of Constance, suo jure Duchess of Brittany and Countess of Richmond, and her third husband Guy of Thouars. Thus, at the age of just 25, de Rais seemingly had the world at his feet. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Guy of Thouars (died April 13, 1213) was the second husband of Constance, Duchess of Brittany. Catherine had a twin sister, Margaret, and their mother might have died because of a difficult delivery[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] After her mother's death, her father married Eustachie of Chemillé, and had two sons, Peter and Thomas. In May 1438, Prelati was brought to him from Florence but had no more success than his predecessors despite his claims to having a special link to a demon named Barron, whom he had no difficulty in evoking when alone but who stubbornly refused to appear in de Rais’ presence. Such horrendous crimes. But yes, the shrine and the later actions is unexplainable. What an incredible story! Thank you and you are most welcome, you’ve some great, well-illustrated posts there! Change ), The Breton Bluebeard and his Bride – Bonjour From Brittany. They had three children: Margaret is named as Constance and Guy's daughter by historians Dom Morice, Dom Charles Taillandiers, Prudence-Guillaume de Roujoux and. Another wonderful story – What a spectacular fall from Grace! I am pleased you found it interesting. She was the lady of Tiffauges and vassal of the Duke of Brittany. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catherine_of_Thouars&oldid=964555532, Pages using infobox royalty with unknown parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 26 June 2020, at 06:24. However, before he is sent to hear his fate at the civil court, the judges asked if he wished to be reincorporated into the Church. Great! With the appearance of Joan of Arc, de Rais was charged with ensuring her safety and fought alongside her at the relief of Orleans, the subsequent battles of Jargeau and Patay and was with her when she was injured in the trenches before Paris in September 1429. She married Guy de Thouars (c1254-1213) 1198 JL . It might be nice to visit the medieval period but I’d not want to live there , Thank you and I’m glad that you found it so . Very informative! He maintained a permanent military retinue of 200 knights, along with their attendant squires, grooms, heralds and pages, who accompanied him wherever he went; his arrivals being announced by fanfare. John II becomes Duke of Bourbon after Peter I died at the battle of Poitiers in 1356. The mighty prince was one of Jeanne d’Arc’s first companions. However, a few months later they were absolved and legally married; a union that markedly increased his already substantial landholdings, making him one of the richest men in France. What a story! On his knees, de Rais pleaded tearfully that “he had never known what heresy was, that he did not know that he had lapsed into and committed it” and begged re-admittance to the Church; the judges lifted his excommunication and appointed a confessor for his absolution. He tearfully asked the judges to forgive his insults, he admitted to the charges levied against him excepting the invocation of demons and begged to be allowed to enter a monastery. Two pretenders show up : Jeanne de Penthièvre and her husband Charles de Blois who back the King of France and Philippe IV and Jean de Montfort who pay respects to Edward III, King of England. Constance of Penthièvre, hereditary Duchess of Brittany Constance was the only child of Conan IV, Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond, and Margaret of Huntingdon, later called Countess of Hereford, granddaughter of David I of Scotland. One of the shrine’s statues was venerated as la Bonne Vierge de Crée-Lait and was often visited by expectant mothers until its destruction during the French Revolution; the remains of the shrine itself were extant until the late 19th century. Political alliances in medieval Brittany were constant only in their inconstancy and in 1426 de Rais seems to have followed John V’s brother, Arthur de Richemont, into the service of Charles VII of France and the following year is placed at the head of an Angevin army. Brittany 1. In 1212, Catherine married Andrew III, Baron of Vitré, whose father Andrew II had been Constance's ally. In 1439, de Rais sold the Chateau de Saint-Étienne-de-Mermorte to Geoffroy Le Ferron, the Treasurer of Brittany, but by the following year was intent of regaining this estate. Stay Well. Exceptional research! According to his own testimony, de Rais turned his attention to sorcery and alchemy after the death of his grandfather; he sought the philosopher’s stone which would place unlimited wealth and power in his hands and revive his fortune. Great commander, he served the French monarchy for more than half a century, © Roi Uther 2018 – Website made by Scrib’Armor. After many failed invocations, Prelati eventually suggested making an offering to the demons of the blood and limbs of slain children and de Rais duly provided him with a child’s hand and heart in a glass in another futile attempt to secure his demonic pact for wealth and power. Whether he was overwhelmed by the testimonies railed against him or overcome with a genuine desire to confess and secure redemption; whatever the reason, de Rais began to talk at length of his crimes. And the good is oft interred with their bones… but did this awful fellow have any goodness to bury? However, Le Ferron refused to sell and in May 1440 de Rais resolved to take back the castle by force with a company of about 60 men-at-arms. The young de Rais seems to have seen his first action at 15 years of age when he joined the de Montfort faction in supporting John V’s position as Duke of Brittany against the rival house of Penthievre and was rewarded for his role in laying siege to the Penthievre castles thus helping secure the release of the kidnapped Duke in 1420. Catherine was the younger half-sister of Eleanor, Matilda and Arthur, Constance and Geoffrey of England's children, the sister of Alix and Margaret, and the elder half-sister of Peter and Thomas of Chemillé, Guy and Eustachie of Chemillé's sons. In 1420 Gilles de Rais started his killing spree, during his crimes as a serial killer he was known to torture, rape, mutilate, and murder his victims. Catherine had a twin sister, Margaret, and their mother might have died because of a difficult delivery After her mother's death, her father married Eustachie of Chemillé, and had two sons, Peter and Thomas. I think that’s true. He devoted large rooms in his castles to the succession of sorcerers and charlatans that he hired from France, Germany and Italy.
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