Episode 21: King Louis XV vs. The Werewolf - The Gévaudan Mystery

It killed over 100 people. It was bulletproof. And it took an army to stop it.Between 1764 and 1767, the rural province of Gévaudan in southern France became a hunting ground. Something was stalking the peasantry—a creature described by terrified eyewitnesses as far larger than a wolf, with reddish fur, a panther-like tail, and intelligence that defied nature.It didn't just kill; it decapitated its victims. The panic became so widespread that King Louis XV was forced to deploy royal troops and professional hunters to hunt down a monster that seemed unkillable.In this episode, we open the case files on history’s most terrifying real-life monster movie:

• The Reign of Terror: The gruesome timeline of attacks and the descriptions of the beast that sparked national hysteria.
• The Royal Hunt: How the King of France waged war against a single animal.
• The Suspects: Was it a super-sized wolf, an escaped hyena, a prehistoric cryptid, or something supernatural like a werewolf?
• The Human Element: Darker theories suggesting a serial killer was using an animal as a weapon.

Join us as we trek into the 18th-century French wilderness to find the truth behind the legend that still haunts folklore today.Press play to confront the Beast. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unexplained-history--6429156/support. 🎧 Unexplained History explores the myths, mysteries, and misunderstood moments that shaped our world. Hosted by Tom Mackenzie and Don Masterson. New episodes every week. Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen — and uncover the stories history tried to forget. More at The Unexplained Company This episode includes AI-generated content.