What is Catherine Deshayes?
'''Caterine Deshayes''', sometimes known as '''Catherine Monvoisin''', or simply '''La Voisin''' was a murderous French serial killer. She was born around 1640, and executed as a [[witch]] on 16 February 1680, in [[Paris]]; together with several others. She played an important role in the so-called [[Affair of the Poisons]]. She lived from charging high fees to make [[horosocope]]s. She celebrated [[black mass]]es, practiced [[abortion]]s, sold love potions and poisons. She is said to have [[sacrifice]]d [[infant]]s. Together with the [[Hellfire club]] this is one of the earliest known examples of [[theistic satanism]]. Many nobles were among her clients, among them, [[Madame de Montespan]] a [[courtesan]] of [[Louis XIV of France|Louis XIV]]. == References == * Anne Somerset - ''The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV'' (St. Martin's Press (October 12, 2003) {{ISBN|0-312-33017-0}}) * [http://www.angelfire.com/az3/synagogasatanae/zacharias.htm Excerpts from Bastille trial records of Guibourg and LaVoisin (French and English translation)] {{bio-stub}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Deshayes, Catherine}} [[Category:1640s births]] [[Category:1680 deaths]] [[Category:Executed French people]] [[Category:French murderers]] [[Category:People executed by burning]] [[Category:People executed for witchcraft]] [[Category:Serial killers]]