Gilles de Rais

Baron de Rais, Bluebeard, Barbe bleue

  Active for 16 years
(1420-1435) in France

80

CONFIRMED
VICTIMS

200

POSSIBLE
VICTIMS
Jump to:
  1. Summary
  2. Serial Killer Profile
  3. Serial Killer Type
  4. General Information
  5. Characteristics
  6. Childhood
  7. Cognitive Ability
  8. Incarceration
  9. Death
  10. 6 Timeline Events
  11. Serial Killers Active During Spree
  12. Boolean Statistical Questions
  13. 5 Books About Gilles de Rais
  14. 3 External References
  15. Internal References

Gilles de Rais (Gilles de Montmorency-Laval) an Breton nobleman and serial killer known as Baron de Rais and Barbe bleue (bluebeard). Rais confessed to an uncertain number of murders, estimates are between eighty and two-hundred. His victims were all children that were sodomized prior to death. Gilles de Rais is believed to be the inspiration for the 1697 fairy tale Bluebeard by Charles Perrault.

Gilles de Rais Serial Killer Profile

Serial Killer Gilles de Rais (aka) Baron de Rais, Bluebeard, Barbe bleue, was active for 16 years between 1420-1435, known to have ( 80 confirmed / 200 possible ) victims. This Serial Killer was active in the following countries: France

Gilles de Rais was born in Champtocé-sur-Loire, commune in Maine-et-Loire, France. He was raised by both parents until (Age 10), his maternal grandfather, Jean de Craon. He had at least one brother, René de La Suze. His father, Guy II de Laval-Rais. His mother, Marie de Craon.

Gilles de Rais a bisexual, pedophile male citizen of France. He married Catherine de Thouars of Brittany in 1420. He had one daughter, Marie.

Prior to his spree he had commited crimes.

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. He was known to kill victims at his own home. At least one victim was tied, bound, or otherwise restrained during the crime. At the time of his crimes he was living with his caste in Machecoul, Loire-Atlantique, France, where he was known to work as a military personnel, serial killer.

He was arrested on September 15th 1440, convicted on October 25th 1440, sentenced to death by hanging while being burnt alive at a prison on the Island of Nantes in Nantes, France. He was convicted on charges of murder, witchcraft and other possible charges during his lifetime. Gilles de Rais was executed on October 26th 1440.

Gilles de Rais died on October 26th 1440, cause of death: capital punishment, executed by hanging while being burnt alive at a prison on the Island of Nantes in Nantes, France.

Profile Completeness: 89%
serial killers by profile completeness

Gilles de Rais has been listed on Killer.Cloud since March of 2019 and was last updated 5 years ago.

Gilles de Rais a known:

Gilles de Rais
Serial Killer Profile:

Updated: 2019-05-13 Collected by Killer.Cloud
General Information
Name: Gilles de Rais
Nickname: Baron de Rais, Bluebeard, Barbe bleue
Victims: 80 - 200
Years Active: 1420 - 1435
Active Countries: France
Convicted Of: murder, witchcraft
Life Span:      - 1440
Characteristics
Gender: Male
Citizenship: France
Sexual Preference: bisexual, pedophile
Marital Status: married Catherine de Thouars of Brittany in 1420
Children: one daughter, Marie
Living With: his caste in Machecoul, Loire-Atlantique, France
Occupation: military personnel, serial killer
Childhood Information
D.O.B.: N/A
Native Name: Gilles de Rais
Given Name: Gilles
Birth Location: Champtocé-sur-Loire, commune in Maine-et-Loire, France
Birth Order: N/A
Siblings: at least one brother, René de La Suze
Raised By: both parents until (Age 10), his maternal grandfather, Jean de Craon
Birth Category: N/A
Mother: Marie de Craon
Father: Guy II de Laval-Rais

Cognitive Ability
IQ: N/A
Highest School: N/A
Highest Degree:

Incarceration
Arrested: Sep 15, 1440
Convicted: Oct 25, 1440
Sentence: death by hanging while being burnt alive
Prison Location: a prison on the Island of Nantes in Nantes, France
Executed: Oct 26, 1440
Previous Crimes: TRUE
Previous Jail: FALSE
Previous Prison: FALSE

Death Information
Death Date: Oct 26, 1440
Manner of Death: capital punishment
Cause of Death: executed by hanging while being burnt alive
Death Location: a prison on the Island of Nantes in Nantes, France
Killed In Prison: FALSE
Suicide: FALSE
6 Timeline Events of Serial Killer
Gilles de Rais

The 6 dates listed below represent a timeline of the life and crimes of serial killer Gilles de Rais. A complete collection of serial killer events can be found on our Serial Killer Timeline.

Date Event Description
1420
Gilles de Rais started his serial killing spree. #1420
Nov 30 1420
married Catherine de Thouars #14201130
Location: Duchy of Brittany, France

Gilles de Rais married Catherine de Thouars, a rich heiress of La Vendée and Poitou. The marriage was arranged by his maternal grandfather Jean de Craon.

1435
Gilles de Rais ended his serial killing spree. #1435
Sep 15 1440
Gilles de Rais arrested. #14400915
Oct 25 1440
Gilles de Rais was convictedand sentenced to death by hanging while being burnt alive at a prison on the Island of Nantes in Nantes, France.  #14401025
Oct 26 1440
Gilles de Raiswas executed.cause of death:capital punishment,executed by hanging while being burnt aliveat a prison on the Island of Nantes in Nantes, France. #14401026
Back to top Serial Killers Active During

The following serial killers were active during the same time span as Gilles de Rais (1420-1435).

Serial Killers By Active Year


35 / 40
ANSWERED
Serial Killer
Boolean Questions:
Killer
Question
Killer
Answer
Total
Answered
previous crimes TRUE 367
kill at killers home TRUE 320
used weapon TRUE 453
rape TRUE 453
torture TRUE 426
bound TRUE 406
mutilated TRUE 447
suicide FALSE 225
killed in prison FALSE 218
father drug abuse FALSE 192
mother drug abuse FALSE 195
problems in school FALSE 221
teased in school FALSE 218
physically defect FALSE 300
speach defect FALSE 300
head injury FALSE 299
physically abused FALSE 231
psychologically abused FALSE 224
sexually abused FALSE 226
psychologist FALSE 258
forensic hospital FALSE 257
previous jail FALSE 352
previous prision FALSE 336
kill at victims home FALSE 323
used gun FALSE 451
stalk FALSE 418
blindfold FALSE 363
strangle FALSE 443
sex with body FALSE 430
ate part of body FALSE 451
drank blood FALSE 442
posed body FALSE 365
totem body part FALSE 365
totem personal item FALSE 354
robbed FALSE 418


Books that Mention Gilles de Rais

Book: Serial Killer Rapists (mentions serial killer Gilles de Rais)
Kevin Smith
Serial Killer Rapists
Book: The Horrific Crimes of Gilles de Ra... (mentions serial killer Gilles de Rais)
Jack Smith
The Horrific Crimes of Gilles de Rais Revisit...
Book: Satanic Alchemy (mentions serial killer Gilles de Rais)
Candice Black
Satanic Alchemy

5 Books that mention Serial Killer
Gilles de Rais

ISBN10 Book Title Killers
1733630619 Serial Killer Rapists 266
0241129648 The Life and Death of My... 1
0349102503 The Life and Death of My... 1
1530142954 The Horrific Crimes of Gi... 1
0983884277 Satanic Alchemy 1

Gilles de Rais (c.  September 1405 – 26 October 1440), Baron de Rais (French: [də ʁɛ]), was a knight and lord from Brittany, Anjou and Poitou, a leader in the French army, and a companion-in-arms of Joan of Arc.

Wikipedia
External References
  1. Q311634 on www.wikidata.org, Retrieved on Mar 26, 2019.
  2. Gilles de Rais on en.wikipedia.org, Retrieved on Mar 26, 2019.
  3. Gilles de Rais: History’s First Serial Killer? on www.britannica.com, Retrieved on Mar 26, 2019.
Internal References

Gilles de Rais is included in the following pages on Killer.Cloud the Serial Killer Database

  1. #1 of 20[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killers active in France
  2. #2 of 89[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killer Torturers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  3. #4 of 307[ Page 1 ] of Serial Killer Rapist sorted by Confirmed Victims
  4. #6 of 651[ Page 1 ] of serial killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  5. #86 of 651[ Page 6 ] of serial killers sorted by Years Active
  6. #145 of 651[ Page 10 ] of serial killers sorted by Profile Completeness
  7. #482 of 651[ Page 33 ] of the A-Z List of Serial Killers
Statistics:
Serial Killers Statistics, charts Gilles de Rais is included in: Active Serial Killers by Country, Serial Killers By Gender, Sexual Preference, Mannor of Death, Active Serial Killers by Year and Statistical Boolean Questions.
Years Active: