Affair of the Poisons

17th century murder scandal in France

Catherine Deshayes, "La Voisin", 17th-century print of her portrait held by a winged devil Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie (1625–1709), 17th century print by Mignard Marie Madeleine Marguerite d'Aubray, Marquise of Brinvilliers, 1676, after her imprisonment, portrait by Charles LeBrun Madame de Montespan

The Affair of the Poisons (French: affaire des poisons) was a major murder scandal in France during the reign of King Louis XIV. Between 1677 and 1682, a number of prominent members of the aristocracy were implicated and sentenced on charges of poisoning and witchcraft. The scandal reached into the inner circle of the king. It led to the execution of 36 people.[1]

## Context and origin

[edit]

The case began in 1675 after the trial of Madame de Brinvilliers, who was accused of having conspired with her lover, army captain Godin de Sainte-Croix [fr], to poison her father Antoine Dreux d'Aubray in 1666 and two of her brothers, Antoine d'Aubray and François d'Aubray, in 1670, in order to inherit their estates. There were also rumours that she had poisoned poor people during her visits to hospitals.

After being accused, she fled but was arrested in Liège. Madame de Brinvilliers was tortured and confessed, was sentenced to death, and on 17 July was tortured with the water cure (forced to drink sixteen pints of water) and then beheaded, and her body burned at the stake. Her alleged accomplice Sainte-Croix did not face charges because he had died of natural causes in 1672.

The sensational trial drew attention to other mysterious deaths, starting rumours. Prominent people, including Louis XIV, became alarmed that they might be poisoned.

## Implications and investigation

[edit]

The affair proper opened in February 1677 after the arrest of Magdelaine de La Grange on charges of forgery and murder. La Grange appealed to François Michel Le Tellier, Marquis of Louvois, claiming that she had information about other crimes of high importance. Louvois reported to the king, who told Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie, who, among other things, was the chief of the Paris police, to root out the poisoners. La Reynie sought to calm the king. The subsequent investigation of potential poisoners led to accusations of witchcraft, murder and more.

Authorities rounded up a number of fortune tellers and alchemists who were suspected of selling not only divinations, séances and aphrodisiacs, but also "inheritance powders" (a euphemism for poison). Some of them confessed under torture and gave authorities lists of their clients, who had allegedly bought poison to get rid of their spouses or rivals in the royal court.

The most famous case was that of the midwife Catherine Deshayes Monvoisin or La Voisin, who was arrested in 1679 after she was incriminated by the poisoner Marie Bosse. La Voisin implicated several important courtiers. These included Olympia Mancini, the Countess of Soissons, her sister, the Duchess of Bouillon, François Henri de Montmorency, Duke of Luxembourg and, most importantly, the king's mistress, Madame de Montespan.

Questioned while intoxicated,[2] La Voisin claimed that Montespan had bought aphrodisiacs and performed black masses with her in order to gain and keep the king's favour over rival lovers. She had worked with a priest named Étienne Guibourg. There was no evidence beyond her confessions, but bad reputations followed these people afterwards. Eleanor Herman, in her book Sex with Kings (2009), claims that the police, given reports of "babies' bones", uncovered the remains of 2,500 infants in La Voisin's garden.[3] However, Anne Somerset disputes this in her book The Affair of the Poisons (2003) and states there is no mention of the garden being searched for human remains.[4]

Also involved in the scandal was Eustache Dauger de Cavoye, the eldest living scion of a prominent noble family. Cavoye was disinherited by his family when, in an act of debauchery, he chose to celebrate Good Friday with a black mass. Upon his disinheritance, he opened a lucrative trade in "inheritance powders" and aphrodisiacs. He mysteriously disappeared after the abrupt ending of Louis's official investigation in 1678. Because of this and his name, he was once suspected of being the Man in the Iron Mask. However, this theory has fallen out of favour because it is now known that he was imprisoned by his family in 1679 in the Prison Saint-Lazare.[citation needed]

## The end of the trial

[edit]

La Voisin was sentenced to death for witchcraft and poisoning, and burned at the stake on 22 February 1680. Marshal Montmorency-Bouteville was briefly jailed in 1680, but was later released and became a captain of the guard. Minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert helped to hush things up.

De La Reynie re-established the special court, the Chambre Ardente ("burning court"), to judge cases of poisoning and witchcraft. It investigated a number of cases, including many connected to nobles and courtiers in the king's court. Over the years, the court sentenced 34 people to death for poisoning or witchcraft. Two died under torture and several courtiers were exiled. The court was abolished in 1682, because the king could not risk the publicity of such scandal. To this, Police Chief Reynie said "the enormity of their crimes proved their safeguard."[1]

## Aftermath

[edit]

Perhaps the most important effect of the scandal and subsequent persecutions was the expulsion from France of the Countess of Soissons. Her son Eugene remained in France, only to find that his mother's high-profile disgrace prevented him from realising his personal ambitions, as he was effectively barred from pursuing a military career. He would eventually leave France, nurturing a profound grudge against Louis XIV, and enter the service of France's sworn enemies, the Habsburgs. Prince Eugene of Savoy, or Prinz Eugen, would, in time, come to be known as one of the greatest generals of the age and one of the factors behind the failure of Louis's bid for hegemony in Europe.

## Suspects and sentences

[edit]

The Poison Affair implicated 442 suspects: 367 orders of arrests were issued, of which 218 were carried out.[1] Of the condemned, 36 were executed; five were sentenced to the galleys and 23 to exile.[1] This excludes those who died in custody by torture or suicide.[1] Additionally, many accused were never brought to trial, but placed outside of the justice system and imprisoned for life by a lettre de cachet.[1]

Of the people who were condemned to perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet, six women were imprisoned at Château de Villefranche; 18 men at Château de Salces[dubious - discuss]; 12 women at Belle-Île-en-Mer; ten men at Château de Besançon; 14 women at St André de Salins [fr]; and five women at Fort-les-Bains [fr].[1]

### Non-clients

[edit]

This lists those people of the Poison Affair who were sentenced or punished without verdict for having been professionally involved in criminal activity; as poisoners or occultists or in other ways associated with the organization of la Voisin. Their punishment is mentioned after their name and role.

The fate of non-clients in the Poison Affair  Name | Role | Punishment/Fate

|
|

Roger, Siegneur de Bachimont  | alchemist, associate of Louis de Vanens  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at St. André de Salins
Marie de Bachimont  | alchemist, associate of Louis de Vanens, spouse of Roger de Bachimont  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at St. André de Salins.
Mathurin Barenton  | poisoner  | executed in September 1681
La Belliére  | fortune teller  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet
François Belot  | Member of the royal guard, associate of La Voisin  | executed in June 1679
Martine Bergerot  | fortune teller  |
Betrand  | poisoner, associate of La Voisin  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Salces
Denis Poculot, Sieur de Blessis  | alchemist, lover of La Voisin  | condemned to the galleys
Marie Bosse | fortune teller, poisoner  | burned at the stake 8 May 1679
Marie Bouffet  | abortion care provider, associate of Marguerite Joly  | hanged in December 1681
Pierre Cadelan  | associate of Vanens  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet (d. September 1684)
Jeanne Chanfrain | lover of Guibourg  |
Magdelaine Chapelain | fortune teller, associate of Filastre  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer (1658-d. June 1724); the last condemned to die, of those whose date of death is known
Anne Cheron (fruit seller)  | provider of objects for magic rituals  | executed in June 1679
Jacques Cotton  | officiate at the black masses, associate of La Voisin  | executed by burning in 1680
P. Dalmas  | associate of La Chaboissiere  | sent to a workhouse.
Giles Davot  | officiate at the black masses, associate of La Voisin  | executed in 1681
Etienne Debray  | associate of Deschault  | executed in September 1681
Marguerite Delaporte | poisoner, associate of La Voisin  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer
Jacques Deschault (shepherd)  | magician  | executed in 1681
Louison Desloges  | associate of Marguerite Joly  | hanged in December 1681
La Dodée  | poisoner  | committed suicide in prison
Louise Dusoulcye  | lover of Dalmas, poisoner  |
Françoise Filastre | poisoner  | executed in 1680
Louis Galet  | poisoner  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Besançon
Mme Guesdon  | poisoner  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet (1640–d. August 1717)
Étienne Guibourg | officiate at the black masses, associate of La Voisin  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Besançon
Marguerite Joly | fortune teller, poisoner  | executed by burning in December 1681
Latour (stonemason)  | associate of la Voisin  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Salces
Catherine Lepère | abortion care provider  | executed in June 1679
Adam Lesage | magician, officiate at black masses, associate of La Voisin  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Besançon
Catherine Leroy  | associate of La Voisin and la Chaboissiere  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer
Jeanne Leroux  | associate of la Voisin  | executed in April 1680
Margot (servant of la Voisin)  |  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at St. André de Salins
François Mariotte (abbe)  | associate of la Voisin and Lesage  | died in prison in 1682
Anne Meline  | poisoner, associate of Marguerite Joly  | hanged in December 1681
François Boucher, Vicomte de Montmayor  | astrologer from Luxembourg  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Salces
Marguerite Monvoisin | daughter of La Voisin  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer
Christophe Moreau (shepherd)  | magician, poisoner  | executed in September 1681
Romani | poisoner, associate of La Voisin  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Besançon
La Pelletier  | fortune teller, provider of children for black masses, associate of La Voisin  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer
Maitre Pierre  | poisoner  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet
Anne Poligny  | poisoner  | executed in July 1681
La Poignard  | participated in arranging black masses  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet
La Poulain  | associate of La Voisin  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer
Catherine Trianon | poisoner, associate of La Voisin  | committed suicide in prison in early 1681
La Salomond  | poisoner  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet
Denise Sandosme  | poisoner  | executed by hanging in July 1681
Louis de Vanens | alchemist  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at St. André de Salins, (d. December 1691)
Vautier  | poisoner and associate of la Voisin  | perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet
Marie Vigoreaux | associate of La Bosse  | died under torture in May 1679
La Voisin | fortune teller, poisoner  | burned at the stake 22 February 1680
Jean Bartholominat, La Chaboissiere  | valet of Louis de Vanens  | the last executed in the Affair of the Poisons 16 July 1682

### Clients

[edit]

This lists people involved in the Poison Affair by being clients of the professionals above. Their punishment is mentioned after their name and role.

The fate of clients in the Poison Affair  Name | Appointee | Punishment/Fate

|
|

Benigne, Marquise de Alluye  | La Voisin  | fled country to avoid trial; was later allowed to return
Pierre Bonnard, secretary of duc de Luxembourg  | Lesage  | condemned to the galleys in May 1680
Marie Brissart  | La Voisin and Lesage  | fined and exiled
Marie de Broglio, Marquise de Canilhac  | La Voisin  | never brought to trial
Anne Carada  | Deschault and Debray  | executed 25 June 1681
Louis de Guilhem de Castelnau, marquis de Cessac  | Lesage  | fled country to avoid trial; returned in 1691
Mme Cottard  | Lesage  | admonished and fined
Mme Desmaretz  | Lesage  | fined
Françoise de Dreux | La Voisin  | exiled from the capital, but the exile was never enforced
Madeleine, Marechale de la Ferte (d. 1720)  | La Voisin  | discharged
Antoine de Pas, Marquis de Feuquieres (d. 1711)  | La Voisin  | never brought to trial
Madame Ferry  | La Voisin  | executed in May 1679
Marguerite Leféron | La Voisin  | exiled from the capital and fined
Mme Lescalopier  | Poligny and Sandosme  | left country to avoid trial
Jean Maillard  | Moreau  | executed in February 1682
Olympe Mancini, Comtesse de Soissons  | La Voisin  | exiled
Marie Anne Mancini, Duchesse de Bouillon  | La Voisin  | banishment to the provinces
François Henri de Montmorency-Bouteville, duc de Luxembourg | La Voisin  | freed
Marquise de Montespan | La Voisin  | never tried
Madame Philbert, earlier Brunet (wife of Philippe Rebille Philbert)  | La Voisin  | hanged
Jacqueline du Roure, vicomtesse de Polignac (d. 1720)  | La Voisin and Lesage  | fled country to avoid trial; returned 1686 but banished from the capital
Marguerite de Poulaillon | Marie Bosse  | imprisoned in a convent
Claude Marie, comtesse du Roure  | La Voisin and Lesage  | discharged in March 1680, but banished from the capital
Marie Louise Charlotte, Princesse de Tingry  | La Voisin  | discharged
Marie Vertemart  | La Voisin  | sentenced to a workhouse
Antoinette, Duchess de Vivonne  | La Voisin and Filastre  | never brought to trial

## Similar incidents

[edit]

In October 1702 Marie-Anne de La Ville was arrested for having created a new organisation similar to the one of la Voisin, but because of Affair of the Poisons, she and her colleagues were never brought to trial, but imprisoned without trial on a lettre de cachet.[1]

## In fiction

[edit]

In 1907 French writer Victorien Sardou produced a play The Affair of the Poisons. This later provided the basis for a 1955 film adaptation of the same title directed by Henri Decoin. Marjorie Bowen's 1936 novel The Poisoners also revolves around the incident.

The organisation of La Voisin and the Affair of the Poisons is portrayed in a novel by Judith Merkle Riley: The Oracle Glass (1994).

The Affair of the Poisons is the leading thread throughout the second season of the French-Canadian TV series Versailles. The series shows the courtiers being intoxicated with the powders and potions; even Madame de Montespan is portrayed as having a major role in the poisonings. In the fictionalization, La Voisin was altered to the character Agathe.

Scottish speed metal artist Hellripper's 2020 album titled The Affair of The Poisons contains lyrical themes based on the scandal.

Melissa Bonny wrote "See You in Hell" for Ad Infinitum's 2020 album Chapter I: Monarchy inspired by this event.

## See also

[edit]

* Spana Prosecution, another 17th-century poison affair around a net of female poisoners, an Italian equivalent of the Affair of the Poisons.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV (St. Martin's Press (12 October 2003) ISBN 0-312-33017-0)
2. ^ Ravaisson 1870–1874, Volume VI 1679–1681
3. ^ Herman, Eleanor (2009). Sex with Kings: 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge. HarperCollins. p. 113\. ISBN 978-006175155-4.
4. ^ Somerset 2003, p. 162

### Text

[edit]

* Mollenauer, Lynn Wood (2007). Strange Revelations: Magic, Poison, and Sacrilege in Louis XIV's France. Magic in History Series. Penn State Press. ISBN 978-0-271-02915-3.
* Somerset, Anne (2003). The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-33017-0.
* Le Nabour, Éric (1990). La Reynie: Le policier de Louis XIV (Présence de lhistoire). Perrin. ISBN 978-2-262-00806-2.
* Mossiker, Frances (1969). The Affair of the Poisons: Louis XIV, Madame de Montespan, and one of History's great Unsolved Mysteries. Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-7221-6245-6.
* Ravaisson, François N.N. (1866–1884). Archives de la Bastille; documents inédits recueillis et publiés. Paris: A. Durand et Pedone-Lauriel. Volumes IV 1663–1678, V 1678–1679 VI 1679–1681 VII 1681.
* Excerpts from Bastille trial records of Guibourg and LaVoisin (French and English translation)

### Fiction

[edit]

* Riley, Judith Merkle (2012). The Oracle Glass (Fiction). Sourcebooks. ISBN 978-1-4022-7059-8.
* Charbonneau, Karen (2010). The Wolf's Sun: Intrigue in 17th Century Brittany and Paris (Fiction). Ship's Cat Books. ISBN 978-0692749111.

### Video

[edit]

* Madmen / Murderers / Sorcery / Warmongers. Royal Secrets. Vol. 2\. Discovery Channel. 1996. ASIN B000CNT8MQ.

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Witch trials

In the British Isles|

* Witchcraft in early modern Britain
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In Eastern Europe|

* Witch trials in Hungary
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In France|

* Witch trials in France
* Labourd witch-hunt of 1609
* Aix-en-Provence possessions (1611)
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* Affair of the Poisons (1679–1682)
* Trial of the Wizards of Lyon (1742–1745)

In Germany|

* Witch trials in the Holy Roman Empire
* Rottweil Witch Trials
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In Northern Europe|

* Witch trials in Denmark
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In Southern Europe|

* Witch trials in Italy
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Elsewhere
in Europe|

* Witch trials in the Netherlands
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* Stedelen witch trial (1397–1407)
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Outside of Europe|

* Witch trials in Virginia (1626–1730)
* Connecticut Witch Trials (1647–1663)
* Maryland Witch Trials (1654–1712)
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* Salem witch trials (1692–1693)

Texts|

* Witchcraft and divination in the Old Testament (8th–2nd centuries BC)
* Directorium Inquisitorum (1376)
* De maleficis mulieribus (1440)
* Formicarius (1475)
* Summis desiderantes affectibus (1484)
* Malleus Maleficarum (1487)
* De Lamiis et Pythonicis Mulieribus (1489)
* Laienspiegel (1509)
* De praestigiis daemonum (1563)
* The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584)
* Newes from Scotland (1591)
* A Dialogue Concerning Witches and Witchcrafts (1593)
* Daemonolatreiae libri tres (1595)
* Daemonologie (1597)
* Magical Investigations (1599)
* Compendium Maleficarum (1608)
* A Guide to Grand-Jury Men (1627)
* The Discovery of Witches (1647)
* Treatises on the Apparitions of Spirits and on Vampires or Revenants (1751)

Related|

* Witch hunt
* accusations against children
* Drudenhaus
* Werewolf witch trials
* Witchcraft Acts
* Witchcraft Act 1735 (Great Britain)

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