10 bloodthirsty killers from the beginning of time to the Middle Ages

The term "serial killer" appeared only at the end of the XIX century. But this does not mean that there were no bloodthirsty killers before. Since ancient times, there have been many chilling stories and legends about the terrible crimes of serial killers, which account for dozens, and sometimes hundreds of lives. We invite you to get acquainted with the stories of 10 bloodthirsty killers.

Liu Pengli

Liu Pengli was the prince of Jidong and the emperor's cousin. He was famous for his cruelty. Together with his associates, he raided villages and raped, robbed and killed local residents for his own pleasure. It was estimated that he killed about 100 people. People lived in fear of Liu Pengli. In the end, the emperor found out about his deeds, but did not execute him, but deprived him of his titles and fortune.

Anula from Anuradhapura

This woman's cruelty was born of her amorous nature. Princess Anula killed her husband by falling in love with a palace guard. Then she became interested in a carpenter and, naturally, poisoned her former lover. Later, the princess fell in love with a logging truck and got rid of the carpenter. And then there was a court priest, who also took a fancy to Anula, and the logging truck had to be poisoned. She lived with the priest for 6 months before she poisoned him too. This would have continued if the queen had not been dethroned and burned alive.

Zu Shenatir

Zu Shenatir is one of the very first serial killers known to history. He lived in the 5th century BC in Yemen and was a merchant. At that time, bloody murders committed by high-ranking members of society were not uncommon, because the position of these people easily helped them avoid punishment. And Zu Shenatir was no exception. He lured boys into his castle, raped them and threw them out of the windows. The number of his victims is not exactly known, the score goes to dozens. But one of the victims of a serial killer did not want to put up with his fate. The young man got into a fight with Shenatir and stabbed him.

Alice Kiteler

Alice Kiteler from Kilkenny became one of the first women to stand trial in Europe on charges of witchcraft. She allegedly killed her first three husbands by poisoning them. And when the fourth husband of the "witch" fell ill, his children decided that Alice had poisoned him. She was also accused of rejecting Christianity, wearing amulets and even having a connection with a demon. The court found Alice Kiteler guilty of the murders, and she was burned at the stake.

Gilles de Rais

Gilles de Rais was a French nobleman, a valiant warrior and a rich heir. He fought on the battlefield side by side with Joan of Arc herself. But that's not what he became famous for. Gilles de Rais was interested in alchemy and the occult, tried to summon demons and sacrificed children. As soon as de Rais abducted children, he took great pleasure in torturing, raping and killing them. His favorite method of killing was decapitation, but he also cut their throats, dismembered them, or broke their necks. His victims number in the hundreds. But the excesses of Gilles de Rais came to an end when he was caught and executed by hanging.

Peter Stubbe

Peter Stubbe was a wealthy farmer and lived in Bedburg, Germany, in the XVI century. His wealth and position allowed him to become very influential in the city and gain the trust of fellow citizens. This helped Peter to hide his diabolical deeds. There were terrible murders of people and cattle in the city, and the inhabitants blamed the wolves for this. But when several hunters tracked down what they thought was a killer wolf, they found Stubbe. He was nicknamed the werewolf of Bedburg because, by his own admission, the devil personally gave him the ability to transform into a wolf. He was found guilty of a series of crimes, including murder, incest, cannibalism, rape and communication with demons, and beheaded.

Gilles Garnier

Another story of a serial killer recognized as a werewolf. Gilles Garnier was a recluse and led a secluded life in the east of France. There were terrible rumors about him, which later turned out to be true. Garnier killed people, ate their meat and fed his family with it. The peasants thought that there was a man-eating wolf in the vicinity, and decided to kill him. But when they came across a strange figure bending over a child, it was not a wolf at all, but Garnier. The killer was sure that he was under the protection of demons, who gave him unique hunting abilities. The court found him guilty, and Gilles Garnier was burned at the stake in 1573.

Peter Nirs

In Germany at the end of the XVI century, Peter Nirs led a gang of criminals and eventually committed 544 murders. He was arrested and tortured in 1577, but confessed to only 75 murders. The murderer managed to escape, but was recaptured in 1581. He stated that he had learned the art of invisibility, which was allegedly the reason why he had avoided imprisonment for so long. Believing that the devil would grant him supernatural powers, Nirs committed many murders for the rites of black magic. 24 of his victims were pregnant women. The last time Nirs was arrested, he was wheeled alive and quartered.

Elizabeth Bathory

Elizabeth Bathory was born in 1560 in Transylvania in a high-ranking family. For her deeds, she received the nickname "bloody Countess Bathory". In 1610, gloomy rumors began to reach the Habsburg court about the mass murders of young girls, allegedly taking place in the Chakhtitsky castle belonging to the countess. Bathory believed that the blood of girls helps her to prolong her youth. Bathory was arrested along with her accomplices, and the Countess spent the last years of her life in prison.

Bjorn Petursson

Bjorn Petursson was a farmer from Iceland. When he was young, he had a strange dream: a mysterious man offered him to try 18 pieces of human flesh, and then showed him a stone on the mountain and ordered him to take what lies under it. The next day, the young man found an axe under a stone and felt an irresistible desire to kill. After that, townspeople and travelers began to mysteriously disappear. Bjorn confessed to killing 18 people and was beheaded in 1596. It was later established that the number of his victims far exceeded the one he named.