Marquis de Sade

Donatien Alphonse François de Sade, better known as the Marquis de Sade (pronounced "saad"; June 2, 1740 – December 2, 1814), was a French aristocrat and writer of philosophy-laden and often violent pornography, as well as some strictly philosophical works; much of his writing was done while in prison. His name is the source of the word sadism.

Scandal and imprisonment

Shortly after his wedding, he began living a scandalous libertine existence and repeatedly abused young prostitutes and employees of both sexes. His wife later joined him in the abuse of employees and prostitutes. His wayward behavior also included an affair with his wife's sister. Because of these scandals, he was imprisoned. He was sentenced to death in 1772 but later reprieved. His mother-in-law obtained a lettre de cachet, and in 1777 he was imprisoned again, in the dungeon of Vincennes. There he met the fellow prisoner Comte de Mirabeau who also wrote erotic works, but the two disliked each other immensely. In 1784, after an escape attempt, de Sade was transferred to the Bastille in Paris.

Related Topics:
Prostitutes - 1772 - Lettre de cachet - 1777 - Vincennes - Comte de Mirabeau - 1784 - Bastille - Paris

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On July 2 1789, he reportedly shouted out of his cell to the crowd outside, "They are killing the prisoners here!", causing somewhat of a riot. Two days later, he was transferred to the insane asylum at Charenton-Saint-Maurice (now Saint-Maurice, Val-de-Marne) near Paris. (The storming of the Bastille, marking the beginning of the French Revolution, happened on July 14.) He was released from Charenton in 1790 and his wife obtained a divorce soon after.

Related Topics:
July 2 - 1789 - Saint-Maurice - Val-de-Marne - Storming of the Bastille - French Revolution - July 14 - 1790

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~