1. Urbain Grandier was a French Catholic priest who was burned at the stake after being convicted of witchcraft, following the events of the so-called "Loudun possessions".
21 Facts About Urbain Grandier
1. 2.
Urbain Grandier attended the Jesuit college of La Madeleine in Bordeaux.
3.
Urbain Grandier's uncle was a priest who held some influence with the Jesuits there.
4.
Sometime around 1629 or 1630, Philippa Trincant, daughter of Louis Trincant, the king's prosecutor and a friend of Urbain Grandier, gave birth to a son.
5.
Urbain Grandier was believed to have had intimate relations with a number of women.
6.
Jeanne then accused Urbain Grandier of using black magic to seduce her.
7.
However, Monsieur des Niau, Counsellor at la Fleche, said that Urbain Grandier applied for the position, but that it was instead awarded to Canon Jean Mignon, a nephew of Monsieur Trincant.
8.
Urbain Grandier had gained the enmity of the powerful Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister of France.
9.
Urbain Grandier was prevented from doing so by the town militia, and upon returning to Paris reported on the state of affairs in Loudun including the recent disturbance at the Ursuline convent.
10.
Urbain Grandier was arrested and confined to the prison at Angers.
11.
Laubardemont returned to Paris, where letters in support of Urbain Grandier from the Bailly of Loudun to the Procurator-General of the Parliament, stating that the possession was an "imposture", were intercepted.
12.
Urbain Grandier, who had been held at the prison of Angers, was returned to Loudun.
13.
The judges who condemned Urbain Grandier ordered that he be put to the "extraordinary question", a form of torture which was usually, but not immediately, fatal, and was therefore administered to only those victims who were to be executed soon afterwards.
14.
One of the documents introduced as evidence during Urbain Grandier's second trial is a diabolical pact written in Latin and apparently signed by Urbain Grandier.
15.
We, the influential Lucifer, the young Satan, Beelzebub, Leviathan, Elimi, and Astaroth, together with others, have today accepted the covenant pact of Urbain Grandier, who is ours.
16.
Urbain Grandier will go whoring three days long; the carousal will be dear to him.
17.
Urbain Grandier offers us once in the year a seal of blood, under the feet, he will trample the holy things of the church and he will ask us many questions; with this pact, he will live twenty years happy on the earth of men, and will later join us to sin against God.
18.
Urbain Grandier is the subject of "Urbain Grandier's Funeral Pyre", a song by Elvenking off the album The Pagan Manifesto.
19.
Urbain Grandier is the subject of the song "Devils" by the pagan rock band Inkubus Sukkubus from their 1993 album Wytches.
20.
The Loudun possessions and Urbain Grandier's trial are the subject of Les brasiers ne s'eteignent jamais by Michel Gaudo, an adventure module for the French horror RPG Malefices.
21.
Urbain Grandier is portrayed by Oliver Reed in the 1971 Ken Russell film The Devils.