Podcast - The Bal des Ardents, or “Ball of the Burning Men”

This Party Was Fire!On January 28, 1393, King Charles VI of France and five nobles dressed as “wild men” for a masquerade, covering themselves in pitch (tar) and flax to look hairy and savage, then chaining themselves together for a group dance. When the king’s brother arrived late with a torch and got too close to investigate the costumes, the highly flammable outfits instantly ignited, creating human torches chained together. Four nobles burned to death while the king only survived because his teenage aunt tackled him and smothered the flames with her dress. The disaster worsened the king’s existing mental illness, destabilized France, and contributed to French defeats in the Hundred Years’ War, proving that even in 1393, people should have known not to combine tar-covered costumes with open flames.New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe to never miss history’s weirdest moments.Until then, remember: truth is stranger than fiction, and history is weirder than you think.Be sure to check out my Substack (Intelligence Bulletin from Author Daniel P. Douglas) for other podcast series, written articles, and links to my books.Thanks for listening. Have a memorable day!Thanks for listening to Wait! That Actually Happened? from Author Daniel P. Douglas. This podcast is public, so feel free to share it! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit authordanielpdouglas.substack.com