Charles the Mad: France’s King of Glass & the Ball of the Burning Men

Step into the haunted halls of medieval France as we unravel the chilling story of King Charles VI — remembered as Charles the Mad. From delusions that he was made of glass to violent psychotic breaks, his reign blurred the line between superstition, curses, and mental illness. And at the infamous Ball of the Burning Men, fire turned celebration into catastrophe when nobles became human torches before the royal court. Was France’s king cursed, bewitched, or simply broken by his bloodline? Join us for this bizarre October tale of madness, fire, and fate.

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Pintoin, Michel (the Monk of St. Denis). The Chronicle of the Monk of Saint-Denis. Edited and translated by L. Bell. New York: University Press of America, 1992.

Monstrelet, Enguerrand de. The Chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet. Translated by Thomas Johnes. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849.

Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Charles VI.” Accessed September 2025. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-VI-king-of-France

Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Bal des Ardents.” Accessed September 2025. https://www.britannica.com/event/Bal-des-Ardents

BBC History Extra. “The Mad Monarchs of Europe.” Accessed September 2025. https://www.historyextra.com

History Today. “The Ball of the Burning Men.” Accessed September 2025. https://www.historytoday.com