A Case of Witchcraft: The Trial of Urbain Grandier [Hardcover]

Robert Rapley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1999

An extraordinary tale of passion, intrigue, and revenge, A Case of Witchcraft is the true story of Urbain Grandier, a seventeenth-century priest who was accused and found guilty of sorcery. Although popularised by Aldous Huxley's The Devils of Loudun, the story has never been told in its entirety. Robert Rapley provides a compelling new interpretation of the case, revealing startling evidence of a secret conspiracy to destroy the priest that went as high as Louis XIII. As a Catholic priest, Grandier was an influential figure in the Loudun community and local government. A brilliant speaker, he was popular with his parishioners. But he had enemies, including Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIII, who was trying to wrest political autonomy from local governors and centralise power in Paris. Grandier's support of the governor of Loudun meant that he was seen as an enemy of the crown. In addition, the debonair priest's romantic intrigues brought him into conflict with some of the town's most influential power brokers. When a nearby convent of Ursuline nuns began experiencing strange visions and hallucinations, Grandier's enemies seized the opportunity to orchestrate his downfall. These mass possessions, which spread through the convent despite attempts at exorcism, were regarded as witchcraft and Grandier was accused of having caused them. Condemned by Richelieu and the king, Grandier was tortured and burned at the stake for his alleged crimes. He maintained his innocence to the end. This tale of conspiracy, corruption, and mass hysteria provides a fascinating exploration of human behaviour and community dynamics.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A superb unravelling of the story of Grandier ... This is a work of impeccable scholarship, yet it has the verve and narrative drive of a first-rate historical novel ... Reading Rapley's harrowing account of the last hours of this flawed hero, one finds oneself wondering if perhaps the Devil was indeed at work in Loudun that day." The New Yorker

Product Details

• Hardcover: 277 pages
• Publisher: Mcgill Queens Univ Pr (April 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0773517162
• ISBN-13: 978-0773517165
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,274,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating and a disturbing historical account, January 11, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Case of Witchcraft (Paperback)

A Case Of Witchcraft by independent Canadian scholar Robert Rapley is the true story of Urbain Grandier, a priest who was accused of sorcery, tortured, and burned at the stake during the reign of King Louis XIII. a meticulously researched and scholarly look at mass hysteria and religious extremism at its worst, A Case Of Witchcraft is so compelling it cannot be put down - the thoughts and acts every character within are reconstructed from records, documented evidence, and sometimes oral legends that have survived the centuries. A Case Of Witchcraft is simultaneously a fascinating and a disturbing historical account.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Witchy Book, January 13, 2007

By 

M. Brown "TankerToys.com" (Monterey, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Case of Witchcraft (Paperback)

Urbain Grandier was a Catholic priest in the 1600s was an influential figure in Loudon, France. When Ursuline nuns in a nearby convent began experiencing strange visions and hallucinations, Grandier's enemies seized the opportunity to orchestrate his downfall. These mass possessions, which despite exorcism spread through the convent, were regarded as witchcraft and Grandier was accused of having caused them. Condemned by Louis XIII, Grandier was tortured and burned at the stake for his alleged crimes, but maintained his innocence to the end. This book helps show how witch trials were primarily motivated by men with their own motives.