What is marie de rais?

Marie de Rais, also known as Gilles de Rais, was a French nobleman and soldier of the 15th century who was executed for a series of crimes, including murder and sodomy. He was born in 1404 in the province of Brittany, France, and was a military accomplice of Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War. After the war, de Rais became increasingly involved in alchemy and black magic, and was rumored to have sacrificed several children to summon demons and spirits.

De Rais was eventually arrested in 1440 and accused of multiple counts of kidnapping, rape, torture, murder, and other depraved acts committed against children. He was tried, found guilty, and executed by hanging and burning the same year. The exact number of his victims is not known, but is estimated to be in the hundreds. De Rais remains a notorious figure in French history and is the inspiration for the tale of Bluebeard, a man who murders his wives.