Real Life Vampires – Peter Plogojowitz and Gilles De Rais

Posted by scarygeek on December 1, 2009 at 22:21 pm

Vampires have stalked the earth since the early twelfth century, and it is believed they continue to walk the earth today. Two of the most famous of vampires are Gilles de Rais (1404 – 1440), and Peter Plogojowitz (died in 1725).

Gilles de Rais, was an evil Frenchman, who tortured and killed between 80 and 200 children. Once a Catholic, he turned sadist, and began killing children and feasting on their blood and internal organs. It is not known if appetite for children was that of a madman, or that of a man who was inspired by an occult. Thankfully, he only lived to be 36-years-old.

Peter Plogojowitz, was a Serbian peasant, from the small village of Kisilova. He was thought to have become a vampire after his death, going on a an eight day rampage, and killing 9 of his fellow villagers. All of these villagers were said to have mentioned Peter Plogojowitz in their dying breath. His was one of the most well documented vampire cases which was witnessed by Austrian authorities. His body was exhumed and his body was found to have continued to grow, and fresh blood found in this body. There was also witness to blood smeared across his face. The villagers staked his body and burned his remains.

Sources:

Wikipedia

The Vampire Encyclopedia, Matthew Bunson (1993)

How to Be a Vampire, Amy Gray