Baron Gilles de Rais: Medieval Serial Killer is a riveting film about the notorious French nobleman Gilles de Rais. A distinguished war hero, he fought alongside Joan of Arc in the early 1430s. But he was also known as a prolific serial killer, executed in 1440 for heresy, practicing the black arts and, worst of all, kidnapping, raping and killing nearly 150 children.
Born in 1404, Gilles’ early life was ideal. He is a bright boy who knows military tactics. Tragically, tragedy struck when his father was killed in a hunting accident and his mother died a few months later. He was then brought up by his grandfather, Jean de Craon, a well-known political mogul and schemer, who arranged for Gilles to Marriage to a wealthy Brittany heiress. Giles had by this time turned into a grumpy teenager and young man. His marriage also obliged him to serve in the military, as by 1429 Brittany had become a disputed territory between the French and English crowns during the Hundred Years’ War.
A fearless fighter and brilliant strategist, he quickly made waves on the battlefield. He was chosen by the French Dauphin (later King Charles VII) to guide and protect Joan of Arc in battle. Together they won several important battles, when Joan (due largely to Gilles’ experience) liberated the city of Orleans from the British. In 1431, Joan was captured by the English and burned alive. A year later, Field Marshal Giles reportedly began abducting children near his home. In 1435, Gilles led the French army to defeat the enemy once and for all. At this time, he was already very rich and powerful, and his status could not be doubted by anyone.
After retiring from the army, Dries became so decadent and profligate that he died almost penniless in 1440. He was in desperate need of money, and many crooks took advantage of him. Giles turned to so-called alchemists to create gold and became a disciple of the dark arts. He hired a “wizard” to help him awaken a demon that could help him regain his fortune. After nearly a decade of abducting and murdering children, the royal family finally took him to court in 1440, with his servants admitting to having found the child who might have harmed Giles. He eventually admitted to avoiding torture and was summarily hanged.
In recent years, however, historians and experts have questioned his crimes, arguing he was an innocent man. With no conclusive evidence of his guilt other than testimony, and with threats of torture and terminal illness, anyone could confess to anything. It is also interesting that the public prosecutor, the Duke of Brittany, received all of Dries’ property after the execution, indicating that there was a political conspiracy against him. History has not been kind to Gilles de Rais, even when he was a brutal serial killer. But we can only imagine the truth, and maybe one day someone will unravel it.
Directed by: Dan Davis
