The famous “Poisons” affair under the reign of Louis XIV was probably the beginning of modern satanism. Several people were involved in the plot that mainly consisted in black masses, sacrifices of babies and murders.

La Voisin, a notorious “witch”  and several priests (Gérard, Guibourg, Lemaignan,….)  used to sell charms, potions and celebrate black masses.

They even sold shirts and beverages full of arsenic to help rich ladies to get rid of their lovers or husbands. The marquise of Montespan was accused to have offered her nude body as an autel for the black masses of the Abbé Guibourg.

The trial lasted three years and culminated with the Great Ordonnance of 1682, which made a clear distinction between witches and people that are using poisons and plants with evil purposes. 36 persons were condemned to death.

Other witchcraft stories in the XVIII and XIXth centuries were linked with criminal affairs.

Eventually in the XXth century, we have seen the return of the satanic sects with major icons: Aleister Crowley, Charles Manson and Antonin Lavey.