Wolf of Soissons

Last updated

The Wolf of Soissons was a man-eating wolf which terrorized the commune of Soissons northeast of Paris over a period of two days in 1765, attacking eighteen people, four of whom died from their wounds. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

First victim

The first victim of the wolf was a pregnant woman, attacked in the parish of Septmont on the last day of February. [4] [5] Locals had taken the second trimester fetus from the womb to be baptized before it died when the wolf struck again not three hundred yards from the scene of the first attack. One woman named Madame d'Amberief and her son survived only by fighting together.

Subsequent attacks

On 1 March, near the hamlet of Courcelles, a man was attacked by the wolf and survived with head wounds. [6] The next victims were two young boys, named Boucher and Maréchal, who were attacked on the road to Paris, both badly wounded. A farmer on horseback lost part of his face to the wolf before escaping to a local mill, where a seventeen-year-old boy was caught unaware and slain. After these atrocities the wolf fled to Bazoches, where it partially decapitated a woman and severely wounded a girl, who ran screaming to the village for help. Four citizens of Bazoches set an ambush at the body of the latest victim, but when the wolf returned it proved to be too much for them and the villagers soon found themselves fighting for their lives. The arrival of more peasants from the village finally put the wolf to flight, chasing it into a courtyard where it fought with a chained dog. When the chain broke the wolf was pursued through a pasture, where it killed a number of sheep, and into a stable, where a servant and cattle were mutilated. [7]

Death

The episode ended when Antoine Saverelle, a former member of the local militia, tracked the wolf to a small lane armed with a pitchfork. The wolf sprang at him but he managed to pin its head to the ground with the instrument, holding it down for roughly fifteen minutes before an armed peasant came to his aid and killed the animal. Saverelle received a reward of 300 livres from Louis XV of France for his bravery. [8] [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Brotherhood of the Wolf</i> 2001 film by Christophe Gans

Brotherhood of the Wolf is a 2001 French period action horror film directed by Christophe Gans, co-written by Gans and Stéphane Cabel, and starring Samuel Le Bihan, Mark Dacascos, Émilie Dequenne, Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel. The story takes place in 18th-century France, where the Chevalier de Fronsac and Mani of the Iroquois tribe are sent to investigate the mysterious slaughter of hundreds by an unknown creature in the county of Gévaudan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beast of Gévaudan</span> Man-eating animal in the 1760s

The Beast of Gévaudan is the historic name associated with a man-eating animal or animals that terrorized the former province of Gévaudan, in the Margeride Mountains of south-central France between 1764 and 1767.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte</span> French Navy officer and nobleman

Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte, was a French Navy officer and nobleman. Over a career spanning 50 years, he served under Louis XV and Louis XVI and took part in 34 military engagements. He fought in the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War, earning the ranks of Commandeur in the Order of Saint Louis in 1780, and of Grand Cross in 1784. He died during the French Revolution.

François Antoine, Officer of the Royal Bedchamber, Knight Equerry of the Royal Military Order of Saint Louis, served as Gun-Bearer to the King and Lieutenant of the Hunt under Louis XV of France, and is most notable as having pursued and slain what was thought to be the Beast of Gévaudan, its mate, and its whelps between 23 June and 17 October 1765.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">18th-century French literature</span> Literature-related events in France during the 18th century

18th-century French literature is French literature written between 1715, the year of the death of King Louis XIV of France, and 1798, the year of the coup d'État of Bonaparte which brought the Consulate to power, concluded the French Revolution, and began the modern era of French history. This century of enormous economic, social, intellectual and political transformation produced two important literary and philosophical movements: during what became known as the Age of Enlightenment, the Philosophes questioned all existing institutions, including the church and state, and applied rationalism and scientific analysis to society; and a very different movement, which emerged in reaction to the first movement; the beginnings of Romanticism, which exalted the role of emotion in art and life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let them eat cake</span> Quote traditionally attributed to Marie Antoinette

"Let them eat cake" is the traditional translation of the French phrase "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche", said to have been spoken in the 18th century by "a great princess" upon being told that the peasants had no bread. The phrase "let them eat cake" is often conventionally attributed to Marie Antoinette, although there is no evidence that she ever uttered it, and it is now generally regarded as a journalistic cliché. The French phrase mentions brioche, a bread enriched with butter and eggs, considered a luxury food. The quote is taken to reflect either the princess's frivolous disregard for the starving peasants or her poor understanding of their plight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Soissons</span> Catholic diocese in France

The Diocese of Soissons, Laon, and Saint-Quentin is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The diocese is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Reims and corresponds, with the exception of two hamlets, to the entire Department of Aisne. The current bishop is Renauld Marie François Dupont de Dinechin, appointed on 30 October 2015. In 2022, in the Diocese of Soissons there is one priest for every 5,594 Catholics.

The courtesy title chevalier de Mailly is accorded in France to a younger brother of the marquis or the comte de Mailly in each generation. Though several have carried the designation, the celebrated Louis, chevalier de Mailly (-?1724)— possibly a brother of Louis II de Mailly (1662-1699), comte de Mailly, Lords of Rubempré, seigneur de Rieux, seigneur d'Haucourt— was the author of literary fairy tales, imaginary adventures, racy novels and romances, often published anonymously by necessity, sometimes published outside France. Departing from the formulas established by Mme d'Aulnoy, he introduced magic and marvels in his fairy tales to entertain his readers and bring his gallant lovers together. His fairy tales have often been reprinted and collected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolf attack</span> Injuries to humans or their property from wolves

Wolf attacks are injuries to humans or their property by gray wolves. Their frequency varies with geographical location and historical period, but overall wolf attacks are rare. Wolves today tend to live mostly far from people or have developed the tendency and ability to avoid them. Experts categorize wolf attacks into various types, including rabies-infected, predatory, agonistic, and defensive.

Pierre Milza was a French historian. His work focused mainly on the history of Italy, the history of Italian immigration to France and the history of fascism, of which he was a recognized specialist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marie-Angélique Memmie Le Blanc</span> Feral child (d 1775)

Marie-Angélique Memmie Le Blanc was a feral child of 18th century France who was known as The Wild Girl of Champagne, The Maid of Châlons, or The Wild Child of Songy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippe Van Dievoet</span>

Sire Philippe Van Dievoet called Vandive, écuyer, (1654–1738) was a celebrated goldsmith and jeweller. He was goldsmith to King Louis XIV, councillor of the King, officier de la Garde Robe du Roi, trustee of the Hôtel de ville of Paris, and Consul of Paris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Île des Cygnes (former island)</span> Former island in Paris, France

The Île des Cygnes or Île Maquerelle was an island on the river Seine in Paris. It was in the north-west part of the 7th arrondissement, between rue de l'Université and the Seine, the Invalides and the Champ de Mars. The Musée du quai Branly is located on it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claude-François-Xavier Millot</span>

Claude-François-Xavier Millot was a French churchman and historian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antoine-Jacques Roustan</span> Genevan pastor and theologian

Antoine-Jacques Roustan was a Genevan pastor and theologian, who engaged in an extensive correspondence with Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Unlike Rousseau, he believed that a Christian republic was practical - that the Christian religion was not incompatible with patriotism or republicanism.

André-Joseph Panckoucke was a French author and bookseller. He was the first of the Panckoucke family directly or indirectly involved in French publishing.

Jean-Pierre Papon was an 18th-century French abbot, historian of the Provence and of the French Revolution.

<i>Pastoral Pleasure</i> Painting by Antoine Watteau

Pastoral Pleasure is a c. 1714–1716 fête galante painting by Antoine Watteau, now in the Musée Condé in Chantilly. Two other Watteau paintings survive with extremely similar compositions - the largest and most finished is The Shepherds, now in the Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin; another painting of that composition, once owned by Georges Wildenstein, seems to be a reworking of the Charlottenburg painting. Pierre Rosenberg argues that the Chantilly painting was an oil sketch for the Charlottenburg one. Three other copies of the Chantilly version appeared in 19th and 20th century auctions, but their locations are now unknown.

Jan or Jean Des Roches (1740–1787) was a Dutch Republic-born educator, historian and linguist in the Austrian Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valais Monster</span> Ferocious beast(s) of Valais, Switzerland

Valais Monster, also known as Eischoll Wolf, and Mysterious animal of Leuk, is the nickname of one or more ferocious beasts that attacked numerous herds in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, from April 1946. Starting from the report of the herds devoured on the mountain pastures, the rumor swells. The Swiss press used the name "monster". Among a multitude of supposed identities, those of a lynx or one or several panthers dominate, supported by testimonies followed by many in the media. However, the Valais Monster seems to have been a large European wolf, shot in Eischoll on 27 November 1947.

References

  1. Mario Ludwig (12 November 2012). Faszination Menschenfresser: Erstaunliche Geschichten über die gefährlichsten Tiere der Welt (in German). Heyne Verlag. pp. 17–. ISBN   978-3-641-08403-5.
  2. Pierre Rousseau (1765). Journal encyclopédique... [Ed. Pierre Rousseau] (in French). De l'Imprimerie du Journal. pp. 173–.
  3. Henri Duranton; Pierre Rétat; Université de Lyon II. Centre d'études du XVIIIe siècle (1992). Gazettes européennes de langue française (in French). PU Saint-Etienne. pp. 150–. ISBN   978-2-86272-025-8.
  4. "Article III: Qui contient ce qui s'est passé de plus considérable en France, depuis le mois dernier". Journal historique et littéraire (in French). Luxembourg: François Cavelier. 1765. pp. 283–.
  5. Jacques-André Millot (1800). L'Art de procréer les sexes à volonté, ou Systême complet de génération Par Jacques-André Millot... (in French). Chez l'Auteur, Migneret. pp. 207–.
  6. Mercure de France (reprint) (in French). Slatkine Reprints. 1970. pp. 327–.
  7. Henri Martin (1837). Histoire de Soissons, depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à nos jours: d'après les sources orinigales (in French). Arnould. pp. 649–.
  8. Richard H. Thompson (1 January 1991). Wolf-hunting in France in the Reign of Louis XV: The Beast of the Gévaudan. Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press. pp. 238–. ISBN   978-0-88946-746-0.
  9. Jean-Marc Moriceau (2007). Histoire du méchant loup: 3000 attaques sur l'homme en France (XVe-XXe siècle) (in French). Fayard. pp. 463–. ISBN   9782213628806.