France's Medieval Serial Killer
How did a hero become a killer?
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51 mins
Explore the dark life of Baron Gilles de Rais, a celebrated French nobleman whose legacy became entangled with horrifying accusations. Discover how his wealth, military fame, and powerful connections eventually collided with allegations of murder and occult practices. Learn about the trial that transformed a national hero into one of medieval France's most infamous figures.
Ep 1:
The Marshal Who Would Burn
A war hero and one of Europe's richest men kneels at the gallows in 1440 — but was Gilles de Rais truly a monster, or history's most elaborate frame-up?
Ep 2:
Glory, Grief, and Ruin
From battlefield glory beside Joan of Arc to catastrophic bankruptcy, Gilles de Rais's spectacular rise gives way to isolation, grief, and ruinous, pathological spending.
Ep 3:
Demons, Debt, and Dead Children
Desperate and broke, Gilles turns to occult charlatans chasing demonic gold — while vanished children and a reckless act of violence finally force his secret world into the light.
Ep 4:
Confession, Fire, and the Verdict of History
Gilles de Rais delivers one final theatrical confession before execution, while historians still clash over his guilt — and his myth echoes disturbingly into modern tales of unchecked power.
