Biography of Gilles de Rais 1404 - 1440

Biography of Gilles de Rais 1404 - 1440 Gilles de Rais was a French noblemen and noted soldier of the fourteenth century who was tried and executed for the murder and torture of numerous children. He is now remembered chiefly as a historical serial killer, but may have been innocent. Gilles de Rais as Noble and Commander Gilles de Laval, Lord of Rais (thus known as Gilles de (of) Rais), was born in 1404 at Champtocà © castle, Anjou, France. His parents were heirs to wealthy land holdings: the lordship of Rais and part of the Laval family possessions on his father’s side and lands belonging to a branch of the Craon family through his mother’s side. He also married into a wealthy line in 1420, uniting with Catherine de Thouars. Consequently Gilles was once of the richest men in the whole of Europe by his teens. He has been described as keeping a more lavish court than even the French king, and he was a great patron of the arts. By 1420 Gilles was fighting in the wars over the succession rights to the Duchy of Brittany, before being involved in the Hundred Years War, fighting against the English in 1427. Having proved himself an able, if brutal and low level, commander, Gilles found himself alongside Joan of Arc, taking part in several battles with her, including the famed rescue of Orlà ©ans in 1429. Thanks to his success, and the crucial influence of Gilles’ cousin, Georges de Ka Trà ©moille, Gilles became a favorite of King Charles VII, who appointed Gilles Marshall of France in 1429; Gilles was only 24 years old. He spent more time with Jeanne’s forces until her capture. The scene was set for Gilles to go on and have a major career, after all, the French were beginning their victory in the Hundred Years War. Gilles de Rais as Serial Killer By 1432 Gilles de Rais had largely retreated to his estates, and we dont really know why. At some stage his interests turned to alchemy and the occult, perhaps after an order, sought by his family in 1435, barred him from selling or mortgaging anymore of his lands and he needed money to continue his lifestyle. He also, possibly, began the kidnap, torture, rape and murder of children, with the number of victims ranging from 30 to upwards of 150 given by different commentators. Some accounts claim this ended up costing GIlles more money as he invested in occult practices which didnt work but cost regardless. We have avoided giving too much detail on Gilles crimes here, but if youre interested a search on the web will bring up the accounts. With one eye on these infractions, and possibly another on seizing Gilles’ land and possessions, the Duke of Brittany and the Bishop of Nantes moved to arrest and prosecute him. He was seized in September 1440 and tried by both ecclesiastical and civil courts. At first he claimed to be not guilty, but â€Å"confessed† under threat of torture, which is no confession at all; the ecclesiastical court found him guilty of heresy, the civil court guilty of murder. He was sentenced to death and hanged on October 26th 1440, being held up as a model of penitence for recanting and apparently accepting his fate. There is an alternative school of thought, one which argues that Gilles de Rais was set-up by the authorities, who had an interest in taking what remained of his wealth, and was actually innocent. The fact his confession was extracted through threat of torture is cited as evidence of severe doubt. Gilles wouldnt be the first European who was set up so people could take wealth, and remove power, by jealous rivals, and the Knights Templar are a very famous example, while Countess Bathory is in much the same position as Gilles, only in her case it looks very likely she was set up instead of just possible. Bluebeard The character of Bluebeard, recorded in a seventeenth century collection of fairy tales called Contes de ma mà ¨re l’oye (Tales of Mother Goose), is believed to be partly based on Breton folk tales which are, in turn, partly based on Gilles de Rais, although the murders have become of wives rather than children.

Ward of Arles Hospital by Vincent van Gogh Essay

Ward of Arles Hospital by Vincent van Gogh - Essay Example In order to understand this image, it is imperative that a multidimensional analysis be undertaken which includes formal, content and iconographic. Figure 1: Ward of Arles Hospital Source: http://www.vangoghgallery.com/catalog/Painting/722/Ward-in-the-Hospital-in-Arles.html 1889. Formal analysis The Ward of Ales is a painting done in application of numerous paints. This painting has been accomplished by use of short paint brushes and the oil on canvas technique. The painting contains a hospital ward scene with waiting bay outside. Some people are seen outside sited, others are standing while women dressed in nun clothes are moving and one man in a hat is leaving through the corridor. The central part of the image is a wide corridor that leads to the entrance, which is still the exit, of the hospital. On the sides, there are curtains- closing wardrooms with beds. The beds do not have any occupants. The front part contains a cylindrical object with tapped connection to the roof of the corridor with men sited in wooden table chairs around it. The wards and the corridor fit very well into the frame of the painting while the front part is slightly cut off by the frame. Its axis is vertical with a bird’s eye view of the objects. ... The colors employed in the painting are largely brown, on the floor and wooden table chairs, and blue varying from faint to deep, on the walls and the ceiling or roof. Curtains contain a light green finishing. The texture of the painting is almost smooth as depicted by Van Gogh in April 1889. The painting presents scenery of people in the hospital ward outside. The â€Å"most distinct feature of the painting† (Feldman 30) involves the central cylindrical object where men are sited around. The application of different colors on the fore ground, painting objects and the back ground produce a good balance within the painting. Image contrast is also achieved through the employment of many features which guide a viewer excellently into understanding the scene. By application of swirling paint motions especially at the front and central parts, Van Gogh creates a dynamic feeling in the painting; especially by using big lines that swirl around parts of the image. The texture appears a little rougher on the foreground while ending up smoother at the background. The combination of the hospital wards and the people in the corridors of the hospital with ceiling objects bring a harmonious existence of the objects. The painting brings forward a great sense of unity and brings a friendly feeling. Iconographic analysis Iconographic description of an image is entails imager-viewer interaction abilities. The Ward of Arles is a beautiful and one of the most important paintings on the nineteenth century. It uses complex techniques that lead to accomplishment of marvelous effects that do not seem to lose value with time. Van Gogh relies on the people and the ward in the hospital to tell a story of being hospitalized in the Ales hospital in France. Upon first

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Review of the Annual Report & Accounts regarding the financial Essay

Review of the Annual Report & Accounts regarding the financial performance of the QE11 for the year ended 31 March 2013 - Essay Example This improvement can be attributed to improved strategies that helped the centre maximise in potential. The first main reason for the improvement in cash flow was the presence of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London between July and August 2012 (QEIICC, 2013).During this period, the centre operated as the Olympic House for Italy. This booking acted as a very strong boost for a positive cash flow. Another reason for the improvement of the cash flow was a change in strategy where the centre decreased its dependency on government bookings and concentrated on hosting both local and international professional associations and corporations. During the 2013 financial year, the centre received 326 meetings and events with government bookings accounting for only 18% of these bookings translating to only 5% of the revenue received the whole year (QEIICC, 2013). The final reason for this improvement in cash flow is an extensive and effective marketing campaign instituted. The marketing campaign targeted both the local and international markets and it was maximised through the sale and subsidiary services and opportunities. During the financial year ending 31 March 2013, the QE11 planned to achieve a minimum divided payment to the local government and to the Department of Communities equal to 6% of the total capital employed. This step was taken to ensure that the centre retains cash. Stutely (2007) notes that in some situations Chief Financial Officers may choose to retain cash rather than paying out dividends to shareholders for a variety of reasons. In the case of the QE11 several reasons may precipitate the retention of cash. Atrill and McLaney (2011) argue that retaining surplus cash is important as it provides more flexibility in an uncertain market. The government’s decision to severely cut down the number of government bookings has resulted in creating a volatile situation

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Finish the question - Essay Example directly applicable to the company’s overall strategy of achieving financial success while providing shareholder value and maintaining focus on environmental sustainability. Additionally, the TBL rhymes to the company’s mission of producing financial rewards to investors in addition to growth and development opportunities for employees, business partners and communities. The SunChips brand of Frito-Lay concentrates on sustainability as the fundamental driver of their business strategy. The company uses environmentally-friendly production and transportation methods in order to minimize harm to the planet. The Modesto, California plant, for example, has adopted an environmentally-friendly ways of cooking sun chips. The plant currently uses solar panels to generate energy for cooking chips. The company has implemented sustainable methods of reclaiming waste water and managing other production wastes. These include a 36-acre solar filled for reclaiming water and a biomass b oiler for proper solid waste product management. Frito-Lay is proud of SunChips brand for being a snack characterized by environmental friendliness. The company strives to ensure that the consumer walks away with the knowledge that each SunChips product is produced using the most environmentally sustainable methods. Thus, the Triple Bottom Line rhymes with the overall strategy of SunChips and it creates a value for the company and the

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