Affair of the Poisons


The Affair of the 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.

Context and origin

In 1672, upon the natural death of cavalry officer Godin de Sainte-Croix, an inventory of his papers revealed a box containing nine letters from his mistress, the Marquise de Brinvilliers, as well as the marquise's acknowledgment of a debt amounting to 30,000 livres. This box also contained various vials which, after being analyzed by an apothecary, were found to have contained various poisons that left little trace in the body.
The case began in 1675 after the trial of de Brinvilliers, who was accused of having conspired with de Sainte-Croix 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. De Brinvilliers was tortured and confessed, was sentenced to death, and on 17 July was tortured with the water cure 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

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". 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, 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, claims that the police, given reports of "babies' bones", uncovered the remains of 2,500 infants in La Voisin's garden. However, Anne Somerset disputes this in her book The Affair of the Poisons and states there is no mention of the garden being searched for human remains.
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.

The end of the trial

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, 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."

Aftermath

Perhaps the most important consequence of the scandal and subsequent persecutions was the expulsion from France of the Countess of Soissons and its effect on her son Eugene. He 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. Eugene 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

The Poison Affair implicated 442 suspects: 367 orders of arrests were issued, of which 218 were carried out. Of the condemned, 36 were executed; five were sentenced to the galleys and 23 to exile. This excludes those who died in custody by torture or suicide. Additionally, many accused were never brought to trial, but placed outside of the justice system and imprisoned for life by a lettre de cachet.
Of the people who were condemned to perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet, six women were imprisoned at Château de Villefranche; 18 men at ; 12 women at Belle-Île-en-Mer; ten men at Château de Besançon; 14 women at ; and five women at.

Non-clients

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.
NameRolePunishment/Fate
Roger, Siegneur de Bachimontalchemist, associate of Louis de Vanensperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at St. André de Salins
Marie de Bachimontalchemist, associate of Louis de Vanens, spouse of Roger de Bachimontperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at St. André de Salins.
Mathurin Barentonpoisonerexecuted in September 1681
La Belliérefortune tellerperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet
François BelotMember of the royal guard, associate of La Voisinexecuted in June 1679
Martine Bergerotfortune teller
Betrandpoisoner, associate of La Voisinperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Salces
Denis Poculot, Sieur de Blessisalchemist, lover of La Voisincondemned to the galleys
Marie Bossefortune teller, poisonerburned at the stake 8 May 1679
Marie Bouffetabortion care provider, associate of Marguerite Jolyhanged in December 1681
Pierre Cadelanassociate of Vanensperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet
Jeanne Chanfrainlover of Guibourg
Magdelaine Chapelainfortune teller, associate of Filastreperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer ; the last condemned to die, of those whose date of death is known
Anne Cheron provider of objects for magic ritualsexecuted in June 1679
Jacques Cottonofficiate at the black masses, associate of La Voisinexecuted by burning in 1680
P. Dalmasassociate of La Chaboissieresent to a workhouse.
Giles Davotofficiate at the black masses, associate of La Voisinexecuted in 1681
Etienne Debrayassociate of Deschaultexecuted in September 1681
Marguerite Delaportepoisoner, associate of La Voisinperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer
Jacques Deschault magicianexecuted in 1681
Louison Deslogesassociate of Marguerite Jolyhanged in December 1681
Perrette Dodée, "La Dodée"poisonercommitted suicide in prison
Louise Dusoulcyelover of Dalmas, poisoner
Françoise Filastrepoisonerexecuted in 1680
Louis Galetpoisonerperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Besançon
Anne Guesdon, Mme Guesdonpoisonerperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Villefranche
Étienne Guibourgofficiate at the black masses, associate of La Voisinperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Besançon
Marguerite Jolyfortune teller, poisonerexecuted by burning in December 1681
Latour associate of la Voisinperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Salces
Catherine Lepèreabortion care providerexecuted in June 1679
Adam Lesagemagician, officiate at black masses, associate of La Voisinperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Besançon
Catherine Leroyassociate of La Voisin and la Chaboissiereperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer
Jeanne Lerouxassociate of la Voisinexecuted in April 1680
Margot perpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at St. André de Salins
François Mariotte associate of la Voisin and Lesagedied in prison in 1682
Anne Melinepoisoner, associate of Marguerite Jolyhanged in December 1681
François Boucher, Vicomte de Montmayorastrologer from Luxembourgperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Salces
Marguerite Monvoisindaughter of La Voisinperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer
Christophe Moreau magician, poisonerexecuted in September 1681
Romanipoisoner, associate of La Voisinperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Château de Besançon
La Pelletierfortune teller, provider of children for black masses, associate of La Voisinperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer
Maitre Pierrepoisonerperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet
Anne Polignypoisonerexecuted in July 1681
La Poignardparticipated in arranging black massesperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet
La Poulainassociate of La Voisinperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at Belle-Île-en-Mer
Catherine Trianonpoisoner, associate of La Voisincommitted suicide in prison in early 1681
La Salomondpoisonerperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet
Denise Sandosmepoisonerexecuted by hanging in July 1681
Louis de Vanensalchemistperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet at St. André de Salins,
Marie Vautierpoisoner and associate of la Voisinperpetual imprisonment by lettre de cachet
Marie Vigoreaux, née Marie Vaudonassociate of La Bossedied under torture in May 1679
La Voisinfortune teller, poisonerburned at the stake 22 February 1680
Jean Bartholominat, La Chaboissierevalet of Louis de Vanensthe last executed in the Affair of the Poisons 16 July 1682