
audiobook
by Des Niau
Transcriber's Note.
THE DEVILS OF LOUDUN.
Introduction.
The Devils of Loudun.
PART II.
PART III.
APPENDICES.
Transcriber's Note.
A rare, first‑hand chronicle brings the fevered drama of 1630s Loudun to life. Written by a parish counselor who witnessed the events, it recounts how Father Urbain Grandier was accused of bewitching the Ursuline nuns, whose convent became the stage for alleged demonic possessions. The narrative weaves vivid descriptions of the hysteria, the inquisitorial interviews, and the town's clash between faith and fear.
Beyond the immediate accusation, the account offers a fascinating overview of contemporary ideas about magic, tracing its roots from ancient Babylon to Persian and Egyptian traditions. This scholarly backdrop helps listeners grasp why the townspeople interpreted strange phenomena as the work of invisible forces. The eye‑witness voice maintains a measured tone, allowing the historic tragedy to unfold without modern sensationalism.
Full title
The History of the Devils of Loudun, Volumes I-III The Alleged Possession of the Ursuline Nuns, and the Trial and Execution of Urbain Grandier, Told by an Eye-witness The Alleged Possession of the Ursuline Nuns, and the Trial and Execution of Urbain Grandier, Told by an Eye-witness
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (107K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Chris Curnow, Eleni Christofaki and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
Mar 31, 2014
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

Best known for a vivid firsthand account of the Loudun possessions, this elusive 17th-century writer remains intriguing precisely because so little is known for certain. The surviving work places readers close to one of France’s most notorious witchcraft-era scandals.
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