Gilles de Rais (date of birth unknown, not earlier than 1405 – 26 October 1440), Baron de Rais, 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. He is best known for his reputation and later conviction as a confessed serial killer of children.
A member of the House of Montmorency-Laval, Gilles de Rais grew up under the tutelage of his maternal grandfather and increased his fortune by marriage. He earned the favour of the Duke of Brittany and was admitted to the French court. From 1427 to 1435, Rais served as a commander in the French army, and fought alongside Joan of Arc against the English and their Burgundian allies during the Hundred Years' War, for which he was appointed Marshal of France.
In 1434 or 1435, he retired from military life, depleted his wealth by staging an extravagant theatrical spectacle of his own composition, and was accused of dabbling in the occult. After 1432, Rais was accused of engaging in a series of child murders, with victims possibly numbering in the hundreds. The killings came to an end in 1440, when a violent dispute with a clergyman led to an ecclesiastical investigation that brought the crimes to light, and attributed them to Rais. At his trial, the parents of missing children in the surrounding area and Rais's own confederates in crime testified against him. He was condemned to death and hanged at Nantes on 26 October 1440.
Rais is believed to be the inspiration for the French folktale "Bluebeard" ("Barbe bleue"), which was first recorded in 1697.
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Some of their strengths
Gilles de Rais has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Energetic, Creative, Kind, Passionate, Curious, Independent, and Imaginative.
Smart and Sophisticated
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Gilles de Rais is someone who is a smart, sophisticated, and organized person who displays kindness and grace in every day interactions, and who also has a passionate soul. A person who defines themself by their friends and what groups they belong to.
Warm and Caring
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Gilles de Rais well know them as someone who can be warm, caring, and compassionate, like a lamp or torch.
Ambitious and Forceful
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Gilles de Rais as someone who is ambitious, hard-working, determined, and intelligent.
A person who has a knack for identifying opportunities, has amazing concentration and focus, who can work independently, who likes starting new things, and who is somewhat of an intellectual.
Perceptive and Visionary
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Gilles de Rais is someone who has a natural awareness about what is going on in the surrounding environment and the world at large, and a refined vision of how to navigate it.
They are also someone who is curious, dynamic, and positive, and who enjoys inspiring and communicating with other people.
Altruistic and Purposeful
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Gilles de Rais tends to be someone who has a desire to be of service to a higher calling and who is always trying to perfect things. Who can be practical and polished, reserved and methodical, and who tends to trust internal judgment before trusting anyone else at face value.
Some of Gilles de Rais's challenges
While Gilles de Rais has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Gilles de Rais can be Difficult, Perfectionist, Impulsive, Careless, Complicated, Brusque, and Relentless.
Difficult and Perfectionist
One of Gilles de Rais's key challenges is that they are someone who can be difficult and too much of a perfectionist.
Gilles de Rais must also exercise caution as they can have a hard time reconciling wants and needs, and can be excessive and unrealistic.
Relentless and Inflexible
Gilles de Rais is someone who can be relentless, obsessive, and inflexible, who can be confrontational with work colleagues, can have difficulty communicating feelings and be somewhat reclusive, and who can be self-destructive, overindulgent, and extravagant.
Critical and Bossy
Finally, Gilles de Rais also can be too focused on the small details of life, try to control whatever is happening, and be finicky and demanding.
