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Loudun
Loudun (; ; Poitevin dialect, Poitevin: ''Loudin'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Vienne Departments of France, department and the Regions of France, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, western France. It is located south of the town of Chinon and 25 km to the east of the town Thouars. The area south of Loudun is the place of origin of a significant portion of the Acadians, one of the early founding people of New France in Canada. Demographics Sights An ancient town, Loudun contains numerous old streets, and buildings and monuments of which five are Monument historique, Government-listed monuments. It is also the location of a Vicus (Rome), vicus type archaeological site. History * The Treaty of Loudun, negotiated and signed in Loudun on May 3, 1616, temporarily resolved the power struggle for control of the French government between the Henri, Prince of Condé (1588–1646), Prince of Condé (next in line for Louis XIII's throne) and queen mother Marie de Medici's f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Loudun Possessions
The Loudun possessions, known in French language, French as the Possessed of Loudun Affair (''Affaire des possédées de Loudun''), was a notorious Witch-hunt, witchcraft trial that took place in Loudun, Kingdom of France, in 1634. A convent of Ursulines, Ursuline nun, nuns said they had been visited and Spirit possession, possessed by demons. Following an investigation by the Catholic Church, a local priest named Urbain Grandier was accused of summoning the evil spirits. He was eventually convicted of the crimes of Magic (supernatural), sorcery and Death by burning, burned at the stake. The case contains similar themes to other witchcraft trials that occurred throughout western Europe in the 17th century, such as the Aix-en-Provence possessions (France) in 1611 or the Pendle witches (England) in 1612 before reaching the European colonization of the Americas, New World by the Salem witch trials, 1690s. Background In its continuing efforts to consolidate and centralize power, the C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Devils Of Loudun
''The Devils of Loudun'' is a 1952 non-fiction novel by Aldous Huxley. Premise It is a historical narrative of supposed demonic possession, religious fanaticism, sexual repression, and mass hysteria that occurred in 17th-century France surrounding unexplained events that took place in the small town of Loudun. It centers on Roman Catholic priest Urbain Grandier and an entire convent of Ursuline nuns, who allegedly became possessed by demons after Grandier made a pact with Satan. The events led to several public exorcisms as well as executions by burning. The book, though lesser known than Huxley's other books, is considered one of his best works. Historical details Urbain Grandier was a priest burned at the stake at Loudun, France on 18 August 1634. He was accused of seducing an entire convent of Ursuline nuns and of being in league with the devil. Grandier was likely promiscuous and was insolent towards his peers. He had antagonized the Mother Superior, Sister Jeanne of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Devils (play)
''The Devils'' is a play, commissioned by Sir Peter Hall for the Royal Shakespeare Company and written by British dramatist John Whiting, based on Aldous Huxley's 1952 book, ''The Devils of Loudun''. Performance ''The Devils'' had its first performance at London's Aldwych Theatre in February, 1961, with Dorothy Tutin portraying the deformed and hysterical Sister Jeanne of the Angels, and Richard Johnson as the existential hero, Father Urbain Grandier. Diana Rigg appeared in the supporting role of Philippe and Max Adrian played the zealot exorcist, Father Pierre Barre (Max Adrian himself would go on to appear in the film version of the play, albeit not as Pierre Barre, but as Ibert, the surgeon). Whiting revised his text in 1963, shortly before his death from cancer. The play was subsequently produced at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. under the direction of Zelda Fichandler, and on Broadway in 1965, with Anne Bancroft and Jason Robards in the leading roles. The Broadway ve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Treaty Of Loudun
The Treaty of Loudun was signed on 3 May 1616 in Loudun, France, and ended the war that originally began as a power struggle between queen mother Marie de Medici's favorite Concino Concini (recently made Marquis d'Ancre) and Henry II de Condé, the next in line for Louis XIII's throne. The war gained religious undertones when rebellious Huguenot princes joined Condé's revolt. Negotiations and terms Negotiations between the court and Condé took place at Loudun between February and May and were conducted by the secretary of state, Nicolas de Neufville, Marquis de Villeroy.. Père Joseph, a confidant of Armand-Jean du Plessis (at the time Bishop of Luçon and Queen Anne's grand almoner, later to become Cardinal Richelieu and first minister), also took part. The treaty was signed by Marie and Condé on 3 May 1616 and officially ended the revolts by many nobles in France at the cost of royal concessions and reparations to Condé and others. Based on the terms of the treaty, the Hu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Leonard Huxley (26 July 1894 – 22 November 1963) was an English writer and philosopher. He wrote nearly 50 books, both novels and non-fiction works, as well as wide-ranging essays, narratives, and poems. Born into the prominent Huxley family, he graduated from Balliol College, Oxford, with an undergraduate degree in English literature. Early in his career, he published short stories and poetry and edited the literary magazine ''Oxford Poetry'', before going on to publish travel writing, satire, and screenplays. He spent the latter part of his life in the United States, living in Los Angeles from 1937 until his death. By the end of his life, Huxley was widely acknowledged as one of the foremost intellectuals of his time. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature nine times, and was elected Companion of Literature by the Royal Society of Literature in 1962. Huxley was a pacifist. He grew interested in philosophical mysticism, as well as universalism, addre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Louis XIII
Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown. Shortly before his ninth birthday, Louis became king of France and Navarre after his father Henry IV was assassinated. His mother, Marie de' Medici, acted as regent during his minority. Mismanagement of the kingdom and ceaseless political intrigues by Marie and her Italian favourites led the young king to take power in 1617 by exiling his mother and executing her followers, including Concino Concini, the most influential Italian at the French court. Louis XIII, taciturn and suspicious, relied heavily on his chief ministers, first Charles d'Albert, duc de Luynes and then Cardinal Richelieu, to govern the Kingdom of France. The King and the Cardinal are remembered for establishing the ''Académie française'', and ending the revolt of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mother Joan Of The Angels
''Mother Joan of the Angels'' ( pl, Matka Joanna od Aniołów, also known as ''The Devil and the Nun'') is a 1961 Polish art film on demonic possession, directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz, based on a novella of the same title by Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, loosely based on the 17th century Loudun possessions. The film won the Special Jury Prize at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival. Plot The story takes place in and around a seventeenth century Polish convent. A priest, Father Józef Suryn (Mieczyslaw Voit), arrives at a small inn for a night's rest. He has been sent to investigate a case of demonic possession at the nearby convent after the local priest, Father Garniec, was burnt at the stake for sexually tempting the nuns. The next day, Father Suryn sets out for the convent, where he meets the abbess, Mother Joan (Lucyna Winnicka), said to be the most possessed of all the nuns. Already four priests before Father Suryn have tried to exorcise Mother Joan, but without success. The villagers at t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Whiting
John Robert Whiting (15 November 1917 – 16 June 1963) was an English actor, dramatist and critic. Life and career Born in Salisbury, he was educated at Taunton School, "the particular hellish life which is the English public school" as he described it. Trained at RADA, he then worked as an actor in repertory, and while in the company at Bideford in Devon, met the actress Asthore Lloyd Mawson ("Jackie"). At the start of the Second World War, as a lifelong pacifist, he registered as a conscientious objector, but soon after changed his mind and joined the anti-aircraft section of the Royal Artillery: his wartime experiences as a soldier, which are vividly described in dark detail in diaries written at the time (now held in the V&A theatre museum collection) were to mark a profound change in his life and work. In 1940, he married Jackie; in 1944 he was discharged from the army for undisclosed health reasons. From 1946 until 1952, while writing, he again worked as an actor, as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Concino Concini
Concino Concini, 1st Marquis d'Ancre (23 November 1569 – 24 April 1617), was an Italian politician, best known for being a minister of Louis XIII of France, as the favourite of Louis's mother, Marie de Medici, Queen of France. In 1617 he was killed on the behest of the King. First minister A Florentine nobleman, Concini was born in the capital city of the Tuscany region (23 November 1569). He went to France with Maria de Medici, wife of Henri IV, in the year 1600. The queen's lady-in-waiting, Leonora Dori, known as "Galigaï", having already been his wife. It is generally thought that the favour his wife enjoyed with the queen, combined with his wit and boldness, contributed to make Concini's fortune. In 1610, he purchased the marquisate of Ancre and the position of First Gentleman-in-waiting. Then he obtained successively the governments of Amiens and of Normandy, governor of Péronne, Roye and Montdidier and, in 1613, the baton of Marshal of France. From then first minist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drömmar Om Rosor Och Eld
''Dreams of Roses and Fire'' ( sv, Drömmar om rosor och eld) is a novel by the Swedish author Eyvind Johnson published in 1949. Set in 1600s France, it is based on the events known as the Loudun possessions and the historical person Urbain Grandier, a Roman Catholic Church, Catholic priest who was execution by burning, burned at the stake after being convicted of witchcraft. In the novel the spelling of Grandier's name is changed to Grainier. The novel was published to critical acclaim in 1949 and remains one of Eyvind Johnson's most widely read books. It has been published in many Swedish editions and translated into over a dozen languages. An English translation of the novel was published in 1984. Plot In 1617, the handsome and eloquent Urbain Grainier comes to the city as a new catholic priest. He soon gets enemies among the citizens, who are envious of his arrogance and success with women. Another reason for the conflict is Cardinal Richelieu's decision to demolish the city ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marie De Medici
Marie de' Medici (french: link=no, Marie de Médicis, it, link=no, Maria de' Medici; 26 April 1575 – 3 July 1642) was Queen of France and Navarre as the second wife of King Henry IV of France of the House of Bourbon, and Regent of the Kingdom of France officially between 1610 and 1617 during the minority of her son, Louis XIII of France. Her mandate as regent legally expired in 1614, when her son reached the age of majority, but she refused to resign and continued as regent until she was removed by a coup in 1617. A member of the powerful House of Medici in the branch of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany, the wealth of her family caused Marie to be chosen by Henry IV to become his second wife after his divorce from his previous wife, Margaret of Valois. The assassination of her husband in 1610, which occurred the day after her coronation, caused her to act as regent for her son, Louis XIII, until 1614, when he officially attained his legal majority, but as the head of the '' Conseil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spirit Possession
Spirit possession is an unusual or altered state of consciousness and associated behaviors purportedly caused by the control of a human body by spirits, ghosts, demons, or gods. The concept of spirit possession exists in many cultures and religions, including Buddhism, Christianity,Mark 5:9, Luke 8:30 Haitian Vodou, Hinduism, Islam, Wicca, and Southeast Asian, African, and Native American traditions. Depending on the cultural context in which it is found, possession may be considered voluntary or involuntary and may be considered to have beneficial or detrimental effects on the host. In a 1969 study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, spirit possession beliefs were found to exist in 74% of a sample of 488 societies in all parts of the world, with the highest numbers of believing societies in Pacific cultures and the lowest incidence among Native Americans of both North and South America. As Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian churches move into both Africa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
