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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

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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

by Des Niau

EN·~1 hours·8 chapters

Chapters

8 total
1

Transcriber's Note.

0:15
2

THE DEVILS OF LOUDUN.

0:46
3

Introduction.

16:29
4

The Devils of Loudun.

15:32
5

PART II.

28:07
6

PART III.

25:54
7

APPENDICES.

24:02
8

Transcriber's Note.

1:16

Description

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.

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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

2014-03-31

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Des Niau

Des Niau

A shadowy 17th-century French writer linked to the famous Loudun possessions, this author survives more in controversy and old records than in a well-documented personal story. The mystery around the name only adds to the strange atmosphere surrounding the work.

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