In this episode, we examine the turbulent life of King Charles VI of France, a monarch whose reign tragically shifted from promise to chaos. Ascending to the throne at age 11 in 1380, Charles was initially nicknamed "the Beloved" after freeing himself from the control of his corrupt uncles,. However, his legacy was forever altered in 1392 during a military expedition in the forest of Le Mans, where a sudden bout of delirium caused him to attack his own men,.

We discuss the harrowing details of Charles’s mental illness, which plagued him for the rest of his life. Listeners will learn about his psychotic episodes, including the "glass delusion"—where the King believed he was made of glass and inserted iron rods into his clothes to prevent shattering—and times when he could not recognize his wife or children,. We also recount the horrific  ...