1781: Gaspard de Besse, social bandit
October 25th, 2015 Headsman
The French robber Gaspard de Besse was broken on the wheel in Aix-en-Provence on this date in 1781.
From a cave in the Esterel Mountains looming over the French Riviera, Gaspard raided the ample traffic wealthy merchants sent to and from the Mediterranean and Italy. He established a Robin Hood-esque “social bandit” profile by dint of his targets and populist provocations like, “the two scourges of Provence are the mistral and the parliament!”
Legend holds that he was unfailingly courteous in his raids and never killed those he preyed upon.
No surprise, he did not enjoy a like deference once one of his gang betrayed him. Hopefully amid the limb-shattering blows of the executioner he could console himself with the prospect of posterity’s renown.
On this day..
- 1944: Zainal Mustafa, resister - 2020
- 1974: Walkiria Afonso da Costa, the last Araguaia guerrilla - 2019
- 2009: Two Somali spies - 2018
- 1704: "French Peter" - 2017
- 1770: William Linsey, resolutely bent upon working wickedness - 2016
- 2014: Reyhaneh Jabbari - 2014
- Feast Day of Saints Crispin and Crispinian - 2013
- 2006: Danny Rolling, the Gainesville Ripper - 2012
- 330 B.C.E.: Philotas, Alexander the Great Companion - 2011
- 1769: Nicolas de Lafreniere and four others for the Louisiana Rebellion - 2010
- 1415: French prisoners at the Battle of Agincourt - 2009
- 2007: Five young men - 2008
Entry Filed under: 18th Century,Arts and Literature,Broken on the Wheel,Capital Punishment,Common Criminals,Crime,Death Penalty,Execution,France,Gruesome Methods,History,Outlaws,Public Executions,Theft
Tags: 1780s, 1781, aux-en-provence, gaspard de besse, october 25, social bandits
