Dame Alice Kyteler (; – after 1324) was an Irish woman of Flemish descent, and was one the first recorded people condemned for witchcraft in Ireland.Davidson, Sharon (2004). The Sorcery Trial of Alice Kyteler: A Contemporary Account (1324). Asheville, North Carolina.: Pegasus Press.Wright, Thomas (1843). "A contemporary narrative of proceedings against Dame Alice Kyteler: prosecuted for sorcery in 1324, by Richard de Ledrede, bishop of Ossory". The Camden Society—via Internet Archive She is believed to have fled the country to either England or Flanders, but there is no record of her after her escape from persecution. Her associate Petronilla de Meath was flogged and burned to death at the stake on 3 November 1324, after being tortured and confessing to the heretical crimes she, Kyteler, and Kyteler's followers were alleged to have committed.
Life The Kyteler name is associated with Kyteler's Hall, now known as Kyteler's Inn, in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Alice was the only child of a Flemish family of merchants who settled in Ireland in the mid-to-late thirteenth century. She was married at least four times, to William Outlaw, Adam le Blund, Richard de Valle, and Sir John le Poer.McAuliffe, Mary (2001). "From Alice Kyteler to Florance Newton: Witchcraft in Medieval Ireland". The History Review XII: 39-40 First husband (c. 1280–1285): William Outlaw, wealthy merchant and moneylender from Kilkenny. Son: William Outlaw, was mayor of Kilkenny in 1305. Daughter: Rose? Second husband (by 1302): Adam le Blund of Callan, moneylender. Had children from a previous marriage Third husband (by 1309): Richard de Valle, a wealthy landholder of County Tipperary. After de Valle's death c. 1316, Kyteler took proceedings against one of her stepsons, Richard, for the recovery of her widow's dower. This act incited the suspicion and anger of her stepchildren, as they would have received the money had she not intervened. Fourth husband (c. 1316–1324): Sir John le Poer.
In 1302, Kyteler and her second husband were accused of homicide, by her kinsman William le Kiteler (also William de Ketiller) and his accomplice after they stole £3,000 from Alice and Adam, but Edward I himself helped ensure that matter was resolved in Alice and Adam's favour. She incurred local resentment because of her vast wealth and involvement in moneylending, as well as her stepson Richard de Valle's resentment about her receiving her widow's dower. In 1324, this stepson brought his complaint to Richard de Ledrede, the Bishop of Ossory, who twisted it into an elaborate Satanic conspiracy, due to his training under Pope John XXII in Avignon, thereby creating a remarkable precursor to much later European witch trials.
Seven formal charges were brought against Kyteler. She was accused of: Denying the power of Christ and of the Church. During this period, renunciation of faith was interpreted as a shift in worship to the devil.Neary, Anne (1983). The origins and character of the Kilkenny witchcraft case of 1324. Royal Irish Acad. OCLC 249567325. Sacrificing animals to her supposed demon-lover, Robert or Robin son of Art. Asking demons for advice on witchcraft. Having a sexual relationship with the incubus Robin Artisson. It was alleged that Robin Artisson often took the form of animals or an Ethiopian when engaging with Kyteler. Holding coven meetings and burning candles in the church at night without permission. This group included: Robert of Bristol, Petronilla de Midia, Petronilla's daughter Sarah, John/Ellen'Syssok Galrussyn, Annota Lange, Eva de Brownstown, William Payn de Boly, and Alice Fabri.Ledrede, Richard (2004). The Sorcery of Alice Kyteler: A Contemporary Account (1324). Asheville, North Carolina: Pegasus Press. p. 28 Making dark magic-based powders and ointments or potions, from multiple alarming ingredients, including but not limited to body parts of unbaptized children, worms, a skull, and chicken innards. It was alleged that said potions were used to corrupt her husbands. Bewitching and killing her husbands to take their money for herself and her son, William Outlaw.
Before sentencing, Kyteler along with Petronilla de Midia's daughter Sarah escaped. There are no records of her life after her escape. Her date of death is unknown, along with the location of a burial site.
Accusers and their motives
Husbands Kyteler's first three husbands did not raise accusations against her regarding witchcraft or her responsibility for the deaths of her other husbands. Ledrede alleged that her last husband, John le Poer, raised suspicions toward her once he became ill from her poisons, but le Poer may have lived for decades after 1324 and his kinsman Arnold le Poer was one of Alice's primary defenders, opposing Ledrede at every turn.
The phrase 'poisoner' was tied to being a witch because of the connection of herbalism and witchcraft.
Medieval Catholic Church and Richard Ledrede As the primary actors during the investigation of Alice Kyteler, the church had the most influence on the outcome of her and her alleged followers' trial. At the time of this trial, the church in Ireland had a secure relationship with the judicial system. The sentence of repentance and self-betterment for Kyteler's son William Outlaw depicts this relationship as religious acts were available means of reform from convictions.
Across Europe during the Middle Ages, it was common to sentence heretics to acts of religious reformation before a death sentence was brought into discussion. The belief was that heresy was comparable to an illness, which could be transferred to others as well as be cured.Barry, Jennifer (2016). "Diagnosing Heresy: Ps. -Martyrius's Funerary Speech for John Chrysostom". Journal of Early Christian Studies. 24. However, the option for reform was not offered to Kyteler or Petronilla after she confessed, which was highly unusual for the time. Additionally, William Outlaw failed to produce a confession for the heretical crimes but did apologize for his attacks against Ledrede before the trial. Outlaw received leniency in his sentence due to his apology to Ledrede, which suggests a degree of personal pride of the bishop likely was present during the sentencing of the other heretics in this case, as they did not make specific apologies to him.
Kyteler's potential motives
Money Kyteler's husbands were all notable wealthy men. When each of them died she received a large sum of their money. She may have married her husbands for love, but Kyteler's speed in remarrying and the speed of her husband's deaths after marriage seem suspect, although it was the fourteenth century. This was also considered to be the likely motive from the perspectives of Ledrede and her stepchildren.
Relationship values in Ireland Another potential motive was that Kyteler's personal needs were restrained due to patriarchal values in Ireland during her time. There were two approaches to marital laws in Ireland due to discrepancies between the Anglo-Normans and the Gaelic Irish. For both groups, there were limited reasons divorce or an annulment would be approved, which included the prolonged absence of one partner, breakage of a pre-marriage agreement or contract, and impotence, among others.Cosgrove, Art. "Medieval Marriage in Ireland". History of Ireland: Ireland's History Magazine. Retrieved March 2022. It is possible that Kyteler wanted to leave her husbands but did not meet any of the annulment-worthy complaints, and so resorted to murder instead.
Open displays of sexuality were highly scorned in medieval Ireland. It was considered sinful to take part in or even think of committing such acts, including masturbation. During the investigation of Kyteler's room, a pipe with ointment was found in her nightstand. It has been argued that this item was a dildo. This item being on Kyteler's nightstand suggests that she was comfortable going against the sexual standards of her time.
Trial Richard de Ledrede, Bishop of Ossory, sought to uphold the laws of the church and morality and seek out heretics as soon as he arrived in Kilkenny. When the case of Alice Kyteler was presented before him in 1324, he began his larger project of addressing witchcraft.
Ledrede made initial attempts to have Kyteler arrested, and Kyteler called on the assistance of powerful friends. The bishop wrote to the Chancellor of Ireland, Roger Utlagh (Outlaw), demanding that she be arrested. Using the decretal Ut Inquisitiones (1298), designed to protect the faith, Ledrede demanded that secular powers concede to church wishes, and this point of law became a thorny issue throughout the trial. Kyteler was related by marriage to the Chancellor (he was probably her first husband's brother) and he asked the bishop to drop the case. The chancellor demanded that Kyteler be excommunicated for at least 40 days before the trial, which caused a delay in the proceedings. This allowed Kyteler to flee to Roger Utlagh. Ledrede accused Utlagh of harbouring heretics, but a commission cleared him of any wrongdoing. The bishop then charged Kyteler and her son, William Outlaw, with the crime of heresy. William was a powerful man and was related to many in the ruling classes. He called upon his friend, Sir Arnold le Poer, a Senior Official in Dublin and seneschal of Kilkenny, who had de Ledrede thrown in prison in Kilkenny Castle.
Ledrede, despite his limited political connections compared to his captors, was released from prison after he ordered the diocese be placed on an interdict. He would not allow any religious ceremonies to occur until he was released. On Ledrede's release, he renewed his efforts to have Kyteler imprisoned. Kyteler and her accomplices were accused of and investigated on the seven accounts.
After some months of stalemate, one of Kyteler's associates, Petronilla de Meath, was tortured and confessed to participating in witchcraft. Her confession detailed her involvement, along with Kyteler's, in six out of seven of the above-listed crimes. One example she gave was rubbing ointment on a stick to fly."Petronilla de Meath". Brooklyn Museum. Retrieved March 2022 It would seem, although her testimony was likely forced and unreliable, that the accusers gained most of their information from this confession. Although the testimony did implicate Kyteler in performing heresy, questions concerning Petronella's credibility came to light, especially when examining the contents of her confession. In Ledrede's retelling of Petronilla's confession, he writes: