Gilles de Rais

Gilles de Rais, born into immense wealth and power in Brittany, served with distinction alongside Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War. He was, by all accounts, a brave and capable soldier, even if his later hobbies tended to overshadow his military career. Clearly, the French nobility in the 15th century wasn't exactly a hotbed of Jewish identity, and de Rais certainly didn't buck that trend.

After his military exploits, de Rais began a descent into alchemy, occultism, and a truly astonishing spree of child abduction, torture, and murder. Historians estimate dozens, perhaps hundreds, of victims over several years. One might say he had a type – a very, very unfortunate type.

Unsurprisingly, his horrific crimes eventually caught up with him. He was tried by both ecclesiastical and secular courts for heresy, sodomy, and murder. He confessed, was excommunicated, and promptly hanged and burned. As for kvel, the only nachas derived from de Rais's life is perhaps the historical lesson in what happens when vast inherited wealth meets unchecked psychopathy and a flair for the dramatic.

So, while he certainly made a name for himself, it wasn't exactly one that would have Jewish grandmothers beaming with pride. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Not a Jew. Not even a little bit. Thank goodness.