The Abbé Étienne Guibourg was a French Roman Catholic abbé and occultist who was involved in the affaire des poisons, during the reign of Louis XIV. He has been variously described as a "defrocked" or "renegade" priest, and is said to have also had a good knowledge of chemistry. He is best known for performing a series of Black Mass rituals with Catherine Monvoisin for Madame de Montespan.
Guibourg performing his Black Mass with the naked body of Madame de Montespan for an altar, as depicted in The Guibourg Mass by Henry de Malvost, Paris, 1903.
The Affair of the Poisons was a major murder scandal in France during the reign of King Louis XIV. Between 1677 and 1682, a number of prominent members of the aristocracy were implicated and sentenced on charges of poisoning and witchcraft. The scandal reached into the inner circle of the king. It led to the execution of 36 people.
Catherine Deshayes, "La Voisin", 17th-century print of her portrait held by a winged devil
Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie (1625–1709), 17th century print by Mignard
Marie Madeleine Marguerite d'Aubray, Marquise of Brinvilliers, 1676, after her imprisonment, portrait by Charles LeBrun
Madame de Montespan
