logo
episode-header-image
Oct 16
24m 47s

[From The Vault 🔐] The Affair of the Po...

Leonardo English
About this episode

From The Vault 🔐 — normally a member-only episode, unlocked this month for everyone.

--


The Affair of the Poisons was a scandal involving black magic, murder, and deceit at the court of King Louis XIV of France.

It all began with the discovery of a red leather trunk, and would go on to expose the desperation and moral decay behind the glitter of Versailles.

- King Louis XIV and life at the French court
- The role of mistresses in Louis XIV's court
- Marie de Brinvilliers and the hospital poisonings
- The death of Godin de Sainte-Croix reveals a scandal
- La Voisin's role in Parisian witchcraft and poisonings
- The investigation led by Gabriel Nicolas de La Reynie
- The Chambre Ardente tribunal's secretive findings
- Madame de Montespan allegedly plots against the King
- How the scandalous affair was quietly covered up
- The enduring legacy of 17th-century France's dark secrets

👉 Follow along with the interactive transcript, subtitles, and study pack — free, no registration required: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/affair-of-poisons


--

🔓 And if you’d like to unlock our entire catalogue (550+ episodes), along with interactive transcripts, instant translations, and study packs, check out membership at https://bit.ly/FromTheVault2025


Up next
Oct 23
#575 | The Science of Happiness: Can It Be Measured?
What does happiness really mean, and can it be measured? In this episode, we move from Aristotle’s eudaimonia to brain scans, surveys, big data, and what truly lifts our mood. It asks why money only helps so much, why social ties matter, and how trust shapes national well-being. ... Show More
22m 54s
Oct 20
⚡️ A bonus episode from SEND7: World News in 7 minutes. Monday 20th October, 2025
Today, we have some news in English from our friends over at SEND7 - Simple English News Daily in 7 minutes. World News in 7 minutes. Monday 20th October, 2025.To listen to SEND7 every morning, search in your podcast app for Simple English News Daily, or go to www.send7.org 
8m 39s
Oct 9
#572 | Caligula | Psychopath, Sadist, Emperor
In part one of our three-part series on "Tyrants of the Roman Empire," we'll meet Caligula, the notorious Roman emperor known for his cruelty and excess. Once hailed as a promising leader, Caligula's reign quickly devolved into a nightmare, filled with public executions and humil ... Show More
23m 6s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
476. The French Revolution: The Diamond Necklace Scandal (Part 2)
In August 1785 a shocking affair came to light which would prove so detrimental to the reputation and standing of the French King Louis XVI, and more especially his already unpopular wife, Queen Marie Antoinette, that it would become a decisive moment in the rising tide of the Fr ... Show More
53m 58s
Jan 2025
La Grande Mademoiselle : une rebelle sous Louis XIV (3/3)
De retour à la Cour du roi soleil, la Grande Mademoiselle tombe sous le charme du duc de Lauzun. Opportuniste, les ambitions de ce-dernier ne sont que bassement matérielles. De plus, Louis XIV fait valoir la raison d’État et refuse ce mariage. Éperdument amoureuse, la Grande Made ... Show More
29m 1s
Jul 2024
Le meurtrier du château de Chamblas
En 1835 Louis Vilhardin de Marcellange épouse Théodora de La Roche-Négly de Chamblas. Une union qui permet au jeune marié de s’élever dans une famille plus fortunée que la sienne. Mais après la naissance de leurs deux enfants, Théodora demande une séparation de biens. Louis refus ... Show More
20m 35s
Dec 2024
Marie Antoinette
In 1770, 14-year-old Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria arrived in France to marry Louis XVI. As Marie Antoinette, she became the ultimate diva of her time; rebelling against the the rigid protocols of court and crafting a unique visual identity; wearing men's clothing and spor ... Show More
40m 46s
Jan 2025
La Grande Mademoiselle : une rebelle sous Louis XIV (2/3)
Bannie de la cour est rejetée par la famille royale, la Grande Mademoiselle est exilée à Saint-Fargeau. Ce qui devait être un lieu d’exil devient bientôt un véritable lieu de résistance. La princesse y organise des représentations théâtrales et entreprend la rédaction de ses mémo ... Show More
24m 22s
Apr 2024
Death in the Desert: The Murder Mystery of Charles Morgan
Charles Morgan, a prominent businessman, was found dead in his study, a single gunshot wound to the head. The investigation revealed a tangled web of deceit and betrayal among his inner circle, with motives ranging from financial gain to personal vendettas. As detectives untangle ... Show More
39m 5s
Aug 2024
482. The French Revolution: The Royal Family Escapes (Part 8)
Twelve months after the dramatic Women’s March on Versailles, the Revolution proper was well into its stride, and while Paris overflowed with a sense of unbridled political freedom, the King and Queen were little more than prisoners in their echoing palace. For the past year Loui ... Show More
1h 6m
Nov 2024
The Witches of Lorraine
**This episode contains brief descriptions of tortures** Between 1570 and 1630 there was intense persecution as thousands of people were accused of being witches in Lorraine, a small duchy on the borders of France and the Holy Roman Empire. Suspicion spread like a deadly virus th ... Show More
42m 33s
Mar 2025
544. The French Revolution: The September Massacres (Part 1)
‘Still more traitors, still more treason…" It is 1792 and France has been at war since April; it is not going well. In Paris, the Tuileries Palace has been stormed, and the royal family imprisoned. Meanwhile, tensions are rising between the main political factions of the Revoluti ... Show More
1h 2m
Nov 2024
[1/4] Affaire Troadec : une famille décimée pour un trésor fantasmé
(Premier épisode) Le 23 février 2017, la police est informée de la disparition d’une famille de quatre personnes, à Orvault, près de Nantes. Pascal et Brigitte Troadec, 49 ans, ainsi que leurs deux enfants, Sébastien et Charlotte, 21 et 18 ans, n’ont plus donné signe de vie depui ... Show More
9m 57s