Europe's werewolf trials: a dark historical chapter

Historical context

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Werewolves are popular mythological creatures that have been around for centuries. Reports of lycanthropy can be traced back to Mesopotamia in 2100 BCE.

Pagan folklore

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Werewolves were part of European folklore during the Middle Ages, but then the Christian church took over and started blaming all sorts of bad things on witches. A popular belief at the time was that these witches had the capacity to turn into wolves and prey on livestock and people.

Hunting spreads across Europe

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Werewolf prosecutions then spread from Switzerland to the French region of Franche-Comté, and then across Europe, to Germany, the Netherlands, and Livonia (in the Baltic Sea region, which includes present-day Estonia and Latvia).

Famous werewolves

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Now, let's take a look at some of the most famous werewolves throughout history. Most of them have been tried and convicted.

The Werewolves of Poligny

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Pierre Burgot and Michel Verdun were two serial killers who confessed to the murders and cannibalism of numerous young children. They were both executed for lycanthropy in 1521.

The Werewolf of Chalons

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Legend has it that the werewolf of Chalons, also known as the Demon Tailor. was a tailor from Paris, France. He is said to have tortured and killed numerous children in 1598.

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Chalons's crimes were so horrific that the court ordered for all records to be destroyed, so that he could be erased from history.

Thiess of Kaltenbrun

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Thiess of Kaltenbrun, also known as the Livonian werewolf, was an octogenarian who around 1691 confessed to being a werewolf. According to him, werewolves were the "hounds of God," and they actually fought witches and the devil himself.

The Werewolf of Caud

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Jacques Roulet, aka the Werewolf of Caud and the Werewolf of Angers, was arrested in 1598 and accused of murdering, mutilating, and cannibalizing a teenager. The Frenchman confessed to being a werewolf and was sentenced to death for murder, lycanthropy, and cannibalism. But following an appeal, Roulet managed to get locked away in a sanatorium.

The Wolf of Ansbach

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

The Wolf of Ansbach was said to be a man-eating reincarnation of the deceased mayor of the Bavarian town of Ansbach. He was eventually killed in 1685, and his carcass put on display in the town square.

The Werewolf of Allariz

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Manuel Blanco Romasanta, aka the Werewolf of Allariz, is known as Spain’s first serial killer. He was arrested in 1853 and admitted to 13 murders, but claimed to have done so as a werewolf.

Hans the Werewolf

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Hans the Werewolf was active in the region of Estonia. He was sentenced to death and executed in 1651. Hans was just 18 years old.

Jean Grenier

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

In 1603, 13-year-old Jean Grenier, from La Roche-Chalais in the Dordogne region of France, confessed to being a werewolf. Grenier may have been the youngest person ever to be convicted as a werewolf.

Swiatek the Beggar

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

This case dates back to 1849 in Połomia, modern-day Poland. A beggar named Swiatek was accused of killing and eating ate least six people. He was eventually arrested but took his own life before standing trial.

The Werewolf of Pavia

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

The man told his accusers that unlike a real wolf whose hair grows outwards, his grew inwards. The magistrates proceeded to mutilate him in order to find out if it was true, and the Werewolf of Pavia died as a result.

The most ruthless judge

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

In 1582, judge Pierre De Lancre and polymath Jean d’Espagnet were appointed by King Henry IV to “clean up” the Labourd region of France of witches and werewolves. In just three years, Pierre De Lancre executed around 600 people. He was so violent that he was removed from his position as a judge.

Clinical lycanthropy

Historical context, Pagan folklore, Hunting spreads across Europe, Famous werewolves, The Werewolves of Poligny, The Werewolf of Chalons, Thiess of Kaltenbrun, The Werewolf of Caud, The Wolf of Ansbach, The Werewolf of Allariz, Hans the Werewolf, Jean Grenier, Swiatek the Beggar, The Werewolf of Pavia, The most ruthless judge, Clinical lycanthropy

Some of these cases concerned people who likely suffered from mental illness. Clinical lycanthropy, for instance, is an actual psychiatric syndrome where sufferers believe they can turn into a wolf.

Sources: (History) (History Collection) (Ranker) (Listverse) (Mental Floss) (Not Even Past)

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