Charles VI - The French King Who Was Made of Glass | History Documentary

Charles VI - The French King Who Was Made of Glass | History Documentary.
King Charles VI of France was born in 1368 in the middle of the longest conflict in European history - the Hundred Years War.
His reign was dominated by bouts of mental illness and at one point he believed he was made of glass and he took to wearing iron reinforced clothing and refused to let anyone touch him.
His doctors diagnosed a “strange and hitherto unheard of disease” and they tried all sorts of cures including drilling a hole into his skull.
In the power vacuum created by his illness, his uncles and later his brother tried to exploit his weakness and seize power for themselves. It was even rumoured that his wife was a visitor to his brother’s bedchamber!
In this video, I’ll be exploring the fascinating world of 14th Century France, the world of “The Last Duel” and of the Shakespeare history plays and of a much-maligned monarch who signed away his kingdom to the English.
Books:
Froissart, J. tr. Joliffe J (2001) Chronicles. Penguin.
Green, V. (2016). The madness of kings. The History Press.
Tuchman, B. W. (2011). A distant mirror: The calamitous 14th century. Random House.
Academic References:
Alger, S. (2001). The Politics of madness: government in the reigns of Charles VI and Henry
VI (Doctoral dissertation, University of Tasmania).
Ashrafian, H. (2016). Charles VI of France and Henry VI of England: Familial Sarcoidosis in the Hundred Years War. Sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and diffuse lung diseases: 33(4), 416-417.
Bark, N. (2002). Did schizophrenia change the course of English history? The mental illness of Henry VI. Medical hypotheses, 59(4), 416-421.
Bona, J. R., Fackler, S. M., Fendley, M. J., & Nemeroff, C. B. (1998). Neurosarcoidosis as a cause of refractory psychosis: a complicated case report. American Journal of Psychiatry, 155(8), 1106-1108.
Bourgeois, M. L., Haustgen, T. (2003, July). La folie (maniaco-dépressive) de Charles VI (1368-1422). In Annales Médico-psychologiques, revue psychiatrique (Vol. 161, No. 5, pp.370-376).
Elsevier Masson.
González-Darder, J. M. (2019). Cranial Trepanation during the Middle Ages. In Trepanation, Trephining and Craniotomy (pp. 95-107). Springer, Cham.
Pfau, A. N. (2008). Madness in the realm: Narratives of mental illness in late medieval France. University of Michigan.
Speak, G. (1990). An odd kind of melancholy: reflections on the glass delusion in Europe (1440-1680. History of psychiatry, 1(2), 191-206.
Wester, J. P., Statius van Eps, R., Stouthamer, A., Girbes, A. R. (2000). Critical illness onychomadesis. Intensive care medicine, 26(11), 1698-1700.
Copyright Disclaimer
The primary purpose of this video is educational. I have tried to use material in the public domain or with Creative Commons Non-attribution licences wherever possible. Where attribution is required, I have listed this below. I believe that any copyright material used falls under the remit of Fair Use, but if any content owners would like to dispute this, I will not
hesitate to immediately remove that content. It is not my intention to infringe on content ownership in any way. If you happen to find your art or images in the video, please let me know and I will be glad to credit you.
Images
Wikimedia Commons
British Library
Public Domain or used on Fair Use basis for education purpose
Music
Fleurdelis, Grodno (Creative Commons)
• Fleurdelis - medieval ...
Studio des frühen Musik - Public Domain via Wikimedia commons
Animuccia: Introit - Resurrexi et Adhuc Tecum Sum: The Tudor Consort: Creative
Commons 3.0 Via Wikimedia commons
Video produced by Professor Graeme Yorston and Tom Yorston.

[@annwilliams6438]

After having a bunch of doctors holding me down and drilling holes in my skull I would also made sure that no one touched me again! Talk about feeling delicate….

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Good point!

[@MjLeem]

the glass part makes somewhat sense, being mentally unstable but somewhat cognitive of whats going on yet confused deeply, and being so sick and weak you would feel as if you would break or not able to right yourself if you go down, and considering what resources are available at the time it makes sense even if used as a comparison told in a delusional stake. imagine trying to communicate that you feel tho you are as weak as glass but are not mentally capable to verbally distinguish a comparison from a literal statement

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Interesting interpretation.

[@toscadonna]

He may have had a head or neck injury. One of the weird things I experienced after I broke my neck and jaw was the everything felt like paper to me. Sheets, clothes, table clothes, seats, etc. Everything felt hard to me like I was sleeping under paper sheets, paper clothes, blankets, etc. It was from nerve damage to my spinal cord.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Interesting theory, thank you.

[@margaretchabaud9700]

That doesnt sound like fun. Hope you came good

[@holton345]

I was diagnosed as a manic-depressive in 1968. Despite this, I have never invaded England. Just sayin'…

[@professorgraemeyorston]

The benefits of modern medication!

[@charlesadams41]

Yet...😅

[@reggiebosanquet1525]

I can assure you it is not worth invading England today.

[@DidierDidier-kc4nm]

@@reggiebosanquet1525 Neither France i can assure you!

[@CS-ys4sy]

​@@reggiebosanquet1525 they do have that Bubble & Squeak, possibly worth invading for.

[@THINKincessantly]

NOW THAT! Is how to tell a historical tale based in truths

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@damionpauliano1]

What a hidden gem 💎 great channel

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@indigocheetah4172]

Thank You , Professor Yorston, well researched , with excellent sound , editing and narration. Your channel is a gem and I am surprised that there are not more subscribers. I look forward to each episode. Many thanks , Cherie .

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Many thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying them.

[@fizzao1342]

I find it fascinating that the glass delusion is specific to the Middle Ages.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks Fizza, me too! Delusions often incorporate the latest innovations in technology - nowadays it is microchips in the brain - so I wonder if it was the increasing numbers of stained glass windows being put into cathedrals and churches at this time that led to the glass delusion - not sure how that related to buttocks, though!.

[@ad6417]

Shortly after drones became a thing, my elderly aunt became obsessed with the idea that drones were spying on her through her bedroom window.

[@SamBrickell]

@documentarydetectiveiii5217 Absolutely true, but probably not in order to spy on this guy's elderly aunt. (At least not yet anyways.)

[@californiadreamin8423]

@@professorgraemeyorston. Hello. I’ve always considered that our Henry V1 inherited his mental condition via his Grandfather, which you briefly touch on. I’m surprised that this has not been investigated further, as in both cases Civil War was the consequence, the Wars of the Roses in England. Have you investigated this inheritance possibility ?

[@cattymajiv]

Paranoia , at least now, is almost 100% reserved to right wing fanatics. Both things are the result of a single cause, along with Trumpism and several other related things, like being extremely gullible. But what is the cause of this mass delusion? I wish I knew! What on earth could cause almost 1/2 of the adults in a single geographic area to loose their minds?! Has Putin had moles poison the water? I have no idea. I do know he would if he could. Poisoning is 1 of his favorite things.

[@judew.5872]

As I was watching, I was amused at how many doctors come up with different diagnoses looking back almost 600 years ago. I was pleased to hear you say that it was possible that he was bipolar. Charles VI has fascinated me for many years. Having known three people with bipolar disorder, his symptoms fit quite well. Untreated, it is a very devastating disease. The fact that his grandson, Henry VI was also known to be "mad" makes sense since bipolar disorder can be inherited. The age Charles was for his first episode also fits the age when it usually makes its first appearance.

[@jamellfoster6029]

And don't forget his great great grandson Henry VIII- grandnephew of Henry VI.

[@CieraMychele]

1:44 Can't even fathom diseases/ pandemic that HALVES the population of a country... The repercussions to something like that are almost immeasurable. Especially after living through a pandemic ourselves it's fascinating. Thank goodness for modern medicine

[@professorgraemeyorston]

It is the improvements in food production and sanitation that have had a greater effect on reducing the mortality of infectious diseases.

[@kenyapressley6706]

blame china, twice-over: black death, sars, corona virus weaponization. oops, thrice!

[@TheCandiceWang]

The covid pandemic is ONGOING. Wear a Respirator mask.

[@snowmiaow]

And it didn't slow population growth much.

[@es9340]

Great channel, thank you! Greetings from Vienna, Austria.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Wilkommen!

[@allisonhogg5131]

Have you done King George III, Henry VI and Caligula ? Fascinating videos I love them.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks Alison, they are all on the to do list!

[@allisonhogg5131]

@@professorgraemeyorston Wonderful.

[@reggiebosanquet1525]

Henry VI inherited all the problems of Charles VI of France. His daughter Katherine married King Henry V.

[@lilitheden748]

Your diagnosis of bipolar disorder is very plausible. Being bipolar myself I must say that the symptoms of the king are somewhat similar to the ones I experienced when I was still undiagnosed and had no medication to help keep the mood swings under control. It must have been difficult for the king to understand what was going on and it seems that he suffered from a more severe case of bipolar disorder.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I suspect even harder at a time when mental illness was so misunderstood.

[@juliegellert1364]

Love your videos! Bipolar disorder, severe with psychotic features makes a lot of sense. Alternatively, I also wonder about schizoaffective disorder. After all these centuries, it would be hard to parse that out.

[@kimsherlock8969]

I thought possibly in utero some disadvantage of genetics inherited from parents via interaction A transmission of Gonnerrea or syphilis during the months of the embryo growing .

[@haplessasshole9615]

@@kimsherlock8969 I can see where you and @juliegellert1364 could get those ideas. I also wonder about his years of sport and jousting. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in erratic behavior. He could more easily have gotten some STI from one of his many amorous encounters. It would explain the bouts of officially "unknown" physical ailments.

[@judew.5872]

​@@kimsherlock8969I haven't checked for myself whether syphilis was unknown then but it was mentioned that it hadn't spread in Europe yet. OTOH, the symptoms of congenital syphilis is well known and doesn't fit.

[@kimsherlock8969]

Syphilis in the later stages mirrors leprosy. Leprosy has been documented in history Scorned as diseased and to be avoided in case of catching it . There are other forms of disease that can attack the bones and flesh Tropical ulceration, certain insect bites can course loss of limbs .

[@mimsydreams]

I feels like more than just Bipolar. Forgetting his wife, his own name, and renouncing his throne... I wouldn't be suprised if there were more than one mental and physical diagnosis, just all bundled together and causing this.

[@josephsolowyk7697]

That was extremely interesting! First time watching one of your videos thank you.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@islandrona3458]

I totally agree with you. My mum had manic depression ( bipolar disorder) and I said half way through it sounds like bipolar, especially when you said his wife was the main focus of some of his delusional thinking as this was the same with my mother. In the hight of her manic stage she would deluged everything on to my father and everything was his fault. It’s a very difficult illness and must have been awful for him and those around him, with no medication available at that time to control his Illness. Very interesting thank you for excellent content.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you for sharing your experience of what can be a devastating illness.

[@StacyL.]

I think your diagnosis is spot on. I thought maybe syphilis or schizophrenia might have been in play here but bipolar definitely fits a lot better than those other two illnesses.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you agree.

[@nledaig]

Manic, depressed and psychotic. I agree with the likelihood of heat stroke for the episode where he turned on his retinue. It's actually a frightening look at the Middle Ages where life for everyone was pretty nasty and brutish. He lived during a very violent time where humanity was surrounded by an environment of great instability.. How did the surgeons seal the trepanned skull?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Good question, but it is not clear how the operation was performed in this era.

[@nledaig]

@@professorgraemeyorston In Patrick O Brian's seafaring novels he describes a naval surgeon trepanning an injured seaman and stitching the skin over a coin to cover the hole. As a boy I would stare for long periods at my local minister who had been in a tank regiment and had been terribly wounded. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the metal plate in his head glinting in the sun behind the pulpit.

[@snakey319]

@@professorgraemeyorston hey were doing it in the mesoAmericas too.

[@itsfine9136]

Egyptians were doing it thousands of years ago

[@judew.5872]

There was no need to seal the trepanned hole. The bone will regrow from the edges and depending on the size made, can be completely covered over. If there's no initial infection that kills the patient, having a "hole in your head" causes no problems. In cultures where trepanning was more common, skulls are frequently found with even more than one hole and show good bone regrowth, indicating the patient lived for many years and didn't die as a result of trepanning. When a person has their skull trepanned, it exposes the dura mater that lies just under the bone. Dura mater is Latin for "tough mother" and it is a tough, very fibrous membrane and not easy to cut through. In times past, trepanning was usually done by carefully scraping the bone away to protect the skull's contents rather than quickly drilling a hole.

[@blue_moon6490]

As someone that lives with bipolar disorder, I think you are spot on!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Than you.

[@reggiebosanquet1525]

The disorder was passed through his daughter Katherine of Valois who married King Henry V of England. Their only son Henry VI had a terrible psychiatric disorder but this version was severe depression and virtual inactivity for months on end. So no highs, just constant lows. It led to the loss of nearly all the English territory in France except for the port of Calais. It also resulted in the destruction of the Plantagenet dynasty and the rise of the Tudors. This in turn had a dramatic effect on English and world history, as the Tudors laid the foundations of the British Empire and ultimately the United States. And all for one marriage where the father, Charles VI of France, passed psychological disorders to the Kingdom of England, with dramatic consequences we still live with today.

[@susellis493]

15:56 Dang, Professor. You're a nice cool drink of water on a hot day!!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks Sus, I'm glad you're enjoying the videos!

[@suzetteperkins1089]

Very very enjoyable

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@tomtash8883]

Very interesting Prof!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you liked it Tom and Tash!

[@katblack7625]

I first was thinking encephalitic/inflammatory & autoimmune. (Thinking his Autonomic System was affected with Glass business 😅) and you ended with Noel! Instant fan

[@cynthiaahern9081]

My grand daughter is Bi-polar and I worked in the mental health field at a drop-in center to help the homeless mentally ill. I thought that the king was Bi-polar early on in the video. It is just too textbook and true to the symptoms/behaviors of Bi-polar disease.

[@BlueInk912]

😊Thank you. Dr Yorston Thoroughly captured by the visuals.. Gasp/horror/beauty/smile (at glass bottom being turned into.. 🤫 No spoiler am i. Great stuff! Loved the intro scenery.. Where?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks Marianna, the intro was filmed in Bergerac in the Dordogne in France. A beautiful city with a lovely historic centre, that changed hands several times in the 100 years war.

[@richardstone3473]

throw in Cap Gras to the mix. I am a retired psych nurse of 40 years experience. Only come across Cap Gras twice.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Have you watched my video on Capgras syndrome - some research has found that it is not as rare as was once thought - but it depends on the population studied.

[@richardstone3473]

@@professorgraemeyorston only came across your presentations today. So will now def watch your Cap gras vid.

[@hildahilpert5018]

Never heard of this syndrome.

[@richardstone3473]

@@hildahilpert5018 it is very interesting. Invasion of the Body Snatchers territory

[@complimentary_voucher]

There are plenty of boring organic causes of this kind of stuff. He would have fallen off his horse plenty of times during his youth and banged his head=contrecoup etc. His early fever, probably some form of meningitis, was accompanied by a low grade sepsis that made his extremities shed and scarred his brain. The hallucinations, confusion, mood disorders etc are textbook sequelae. My pick is organic/physical brain damage.

[@toscadonna]

I was thinking the same. I had a parachute accident that broke my neck and jaw. For several years after that, everything felt like paper to me. Sheets, clothes, blankets, whatever felt like paper, and it was so uncomfortable to me. Nothing felt soft enough to me, and it was from nerve damage to my spinal cord.

[@deeh5126]

It is interesting to hear about "friendly fire" occurring so far in the past.

[@kidmohair8151]

Henry VI as a grandson of the Glass King, in my mind, inherited some sort of mental fragility. I would go on to say, that I think his descendants, the Tudors, all displayed highly mercurial temperaments as well.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

His illness was very similar to that of Charles VI, and Catherine of Valois may well have passed on some instability.

[@kidmohair8151]

@@professorgraemeyorston which brings up the "inherited" card of mental fragility. and that is a can of worms, is it not...

[@NoMoreUsernamesSucks]

that opening music had my cat going bonkers

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Hopefully he/she recovered their sense!

[@adagietto2523]

Fascinating as always, thank you very much.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks Adagietto, always nice to know someone appreciates it!

[@adagietto2523]

@@professorgraemeyorston By the way the trepanning that Charles was subjected, as a supposed cure for mental illness, is a very interesting subject, I don't if you might consider doing a programme about it some time.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

@@adagietto2523 Great idea, it is a fascinating subject with a complex cultural history. I'll add it to the list!

[@adagietto2523]

@@professorgraemeyorston It's amazing that this really alarming procedure should be so ancient, already being so in classical antiquity; I remember reading about it in a treatise on head wounds in the Hippocratic corpus, in which it is advised that it should be taken slowly and the drill be cooled down to prevent it from overheating, I think by dipping it in water!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

@@adagietto2523 Some archaeologists have suggested that as many as 10% of prehistoric skulls have signs of trepanning in some cultures - unbelievable! I guess if they were doing that many they would need to cool down the drill bit!

[@lisagagnon1747]

Very Interesting, Thank you!✨

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ebriggs3498]

Glad I came across this. Just watched Henry V last night (again). Of course, Paul Scofield doesn’t act mad as the French King in that play/movie, only sad and terrified at the loss of his daughter and kingdom to young Hal.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@jilltagmorris]

❤🎉😊🎉❤ Love ALL YOUR CONTENT

[@susanstein6604]

I’m amazed the idea of humors persisted for so long even during the Enlightenment.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

It is still with us in phrases such as choleric, melancholic, sanguine ...

[@direfranchement]

Why are you amazed?

[@jamellfoster6029]

This is part of the reason Henry VIII was bonkers. Charles VI was his great great grandson.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I think Henry VIII was a different type of "bonkers", more like the standard power corrupted madness of kings and emperors.

[@jamellfoster6029]

@@professorgraemeyorston true. But he had the crazy genes.

[@Smoker2110]

The trajectory and described symptoms of his illness is textbook untreated bi polar.

[@clairemora7715]

Correct me if i am wrong but wasn't he suffering from porphyria or one of the many "royal" disease? That would account for both mental and physical symptoms. In my unprofessional opinion, the bones made of glass could be because the disease literally leads to weakened bones and tissue. Many people associated fragility with glass.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

The porphyria hypothesis for royal madness comes in much later with George III of Great Britain and colonies.

[@clairemora7715]

@@professorgraemeyorston not what I've heard. The mysterious skin ailments and hereditary "madness" that plagued the tudor royal line was introduced by Charles "the mad" through his daughter's passing on the bloodline. Her father allegedly had quite a severe form of porphyria. The hypothesis does hold shape as a few (that have been tested) descendents of the tudor lineage carry passive genes for it.

[@rckoala8838]

You can see a portrayal of him by Alex Lawther in the film "The Last Duel".

[@feralbluee]

thank you much for talking about the history of a country besides England. it was very interesting. i am not a history person per se, but very intetedtrd in the personal life of leaders in history and how that effected decisions and the events which ensued. a bio of Peter the Great was fascinating until the author started talking about battles, etc. so, i wonder if you could research people from other countries - like the Medicis or Catherine the Great, the Spanish Queen who kept her husband’s corpse. . . i like your well thought out diagnoses and your logic. thanks again. do have a good day :) 🌷🌱

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, I do enjoy researching the less familiar names and all of the ones you've mentioned are on my radar - I just need a few more hours in the day!

[@meeeka]

His English grandson, Henry IV, also had the glass delusion.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

He certainly inherited his grandfather's mental illness.

[@Michaelkaydee]

3:36 "A strong carnal appetite" 😂😂😂

[@professorgraemeyorston]

That's what they called it!

[@noreenclark2568]

Thanks for the history on Charles the sixth I've heard very little on him

[@tony.h321]

Very interesting. I wonder why his maladies only struck in adulthood though? If he had bipolar disorder, wouldn't he have showed signs sooner? Otherwise, found it particularly interesting and amusing that some people back then who thought they were made of glass, were also afraid of glaziers being out to get them and melt them into windowpanes.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

The average age of onset today is 25, it can start in the teens or later.

[@snowmiaow]

Bipolar often manifests in the 30's

[@umwha]

How does him stating he’s not married, not king, not Charles and had no children sounds like depression?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

These could be nihilistic delusions, which occur in severe depression.

[@MjLeem]

heavy metal poisoning? would explain the hair loss and mental episodes

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Interesting possibility.

[@hulagirlhere]

His response to his wife sounds somewhat like Capgras syndrome….

[@mmeeddddddozzzzzzz3421]

I beg to disagree on the syphilis. It was found in a pair of twins that died at Pompeii. They had congenital syphilis as they were really young. Mary Beard reported on it. It's also been found in skeletons in Europe from the 1200s. He did like to have a lot of sex and therefore syphilis is a distinct possibility.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

There are other treponemal diseases that cause similar bony changes, so the matter is still being debated by archaeologists.

[@peterfireflylund]

Mary Beard is a rather unreliable resource on Roman history. If she said it sometimes rained in Rome, I would double check with other sources.

[@reggiebosanquet1525]

@@peterfireflylund I think that's a bit unfair. Mary Beard's academic credentials are strong enough. I personally am not a fan of her presentational skills, it's all a bit fluffy for me. But her academic training is strong enough to demerit your comment.

[@peterfireflylund]

@@reggiebosanquet1525 I don’t care about her “academic training”. I care about what she misrepresents on TV. Nullius in verbam, you know.

[@snowmiaow]

That doesn't sound right as syphilis was supposed to appear after Columbus came back

[@igor-yp1xv]

Very cool video! What's the spectacle at 7:38?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

It is a clip from the ballet Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Opera House

[@lindaross783]

I always felt sorry for Charles VI. Ill and England hammering on France at Agincourt. England just didn't know when to stay home. Henry VI had his grandfather's illness through Queen Katherine. Imo.

[@Justin.Martyr]

*1422; The Worst of French StuPudness was Over, when the DeMonic CharLes VI, Died!!!* *but, in 1789 France ReVerted Back to FuLL BLown StuPud Again, untiL 1815!!!!* *Thus StuPud France, gave the Saner EngLand, the Mastery of the WorLd!!!!* *& Joan of Arc Fought & Died for Nothing, but a Nation of IDIOTS!!!!*

[@professorgraemeyorston]

It was more about greedy families trying to increase their wealth.

[@frumtheground]

Totally far from being plausible, but what about Lupus? It's not super common obviously, but it can impact the brain enough to cause severe psychosis and/or psychotic episodes. There was actually a recent case of a women who inexplicably became paranoid before spiraling into a near catatonic state. This happened in the late 90s or so in her 20s. She was hospitalized without any improvement until as recent as the last year or two when a doctor took more interest in her condition and found it was Lupus. She was started on intense treatment of immunosuppressive drugs and anti inflammatories and after a few weeks her condition finally changed. She couldn't remember anything over the last 2 decades (still thought Clinton was still president) but vaguely recognized her family and other lost skills like writing were slowly starting to come back. It was pretty amazing and sad. Now there's a lot of people questioning how many other patients like her exist in the system that just weren't properly diagnosed. Probably not many, but still. I do think Bipolar or similar disorders you listed are way more likely and sound correct. Thank you for the very interesting video!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Yes, I agree lupus is a possible diagnosis, and that immunological causes of psychosis are under-recognised... but it is a matter of probability and common things are common!

[@jamellfoster6029]

His grandson, Henry VI & great great grandson, Henry VIII suffered from various forms of mental illness. Through Charles VI of France, the British Royal Family inherited the madness via Charles' great grandson, Henry VII.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I think those genes were as effective as any heavy cavalry in deciding the 100 years war.

[@76629online]

It was sorcery - no doubt in my mind. LMFAO!

[@cydkriletich6538]

Good lord, but it was awful to live back then, even in the best of situations and conditions. And to be ill in the way this poor man was must have been hellish! It seems to me that the first episode was triggered by a severe physical ailment. Who can if he ever fully recovered from the physical ailment that triggered his following episodes. There are many physiological conditions that can trigger the symptoms of mental health disease, and even today there are physical diseases and mental health disorders that have doctors, researchers, and scientists scratching their heads in wonder and not being able to diagnose. Whatever was wrong with him, I pity him and the many other people at that time who suffered horribly from chronic physical and/or mental health disorders. I don’t know what happens to our souls after we die, but if there is something that does, indeed, “happen,” I’ll bet for him it was a huge sigh of relief to be free from the tortures of the physical world.

[@monabale8263]

13:52; Tom Hiddleston, is this you?

[@andrewattenboroughtwothumb4697]

Another interesting ancestor on my mother’s side of the family

[@prissilou]

Don't you just love these medieval stories of he said/she said? Just for once, I would love to know what really happened. Braveheart gave one aspect, and other movies have as well, but they were from different times. I would love to be a fly on the wall....

[@moistititiititii]

Loved it but that start with the wind was annoying af.

[@goMANgo84]

I disagree with the diagnosis. I’ve practiced Neuropsychiatry 12 years and I can tell you bipolar disorder doesn’t have hallucinations and memory loss during the manic phase unless it’s bipolar with psychotic features. Typically Schizophrenia and some psychotic disorders are associated with auditory and visual hallucinations. It sounds like to me he more so had a syndrome in the psychosis family possibly from something he ingested. He could have also been a victim of Münchausen by proxy. I believe this most explains his symptoms and I believe that salt was the culprit. Maybe his cook used a lot of salt as a child in his food familiarize your self with the Lacey Spears case.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

There will always be a broad differential diagnosis of historical cases where information is patchy and potentially biased.

[@jonhatchell3917]

How can a hail storm decimate an army???

[@professorgraemeyorston]

By panicking the horses.

[@JamesMadisonsSpiritAnimal]

0:30 Yay blow your speakers out yay!

[@anthonytroisi6682]

Princess Alexandra of Bavaria believed she had swallowed a glass piano when she was a child.

[@kittymervine6115]

well, sometimes the treatments worked, even for a bit. Much like today, it is difficult to treat mental illness.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

In the past treatment was essentially about keeping someone safe until the illness went into a quieter phase.

[@inkerikavantera]

spiritual world brought me here. anybody else?

[@Michaelkaydee]

8:55 It's definitely not depression...

[@michaelluna475]

Can anyone tell me the name of the painting for the title shot? Is it an old painting or just made to look like one? I need to know more!

[@phyarth8082]

Piotr Tchaikovsky was made from glass and music is shattering and crystal clear :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

[@HarryWHill-GA]

Oddly enough, and he was certainly odd, Charles was my 16th Great-grandfather.

[@feltongailey8987]

Sadly, there was no DSM-V, to refer to then. Not certain what he may have suffered from. Manic depression? Possible.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Possibly, or schizophrenia - it certainly seemed to run in the family.

[@Scott_Inksmith]

Sounds like a dark souls or elden ring king. Cool stuff

[@tazmunster7646]

Reminds me of mad King George of England

[@fan2jnrc]

King Georges III was one of his descendants.

[@ThornOfSociety]

"Insisted on travelling in unusually hot weather, the chronicles even recalled that he was wearing a black tunic" So he was a goth...

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Got it in one!

[@goodtoGoNow1956]

4:13. Didn't he have relatives who had similar events of fever and lost nails and hair? Have any teams of forensic medical analysts done an analysis of the historical evidence and come to some conclusions?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

No, medical information from this period is scant and hard to interpret.

[@goodtoGoNow1956]

@@professorgraemeyorston Thanks. Nicely done history.

[@arghapirate2427]

love your content but my diner would have been a bit better without the fingernail pictures.

[@JamesAce]

Can it be prolonged leadpoisoning

[@jonnywatts2970]

That must have been one hell of a hailstorm if it was able to decimate an army. Like baseball size or bigger!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Good point! Maybe it panicked the horses and everyone was trampled to death.

[@jonnywatts2970]

@@professorgraemeyorston somehow I still don't see that being the case but who knows?

[@dipanwitadasgupta5221]

There is a profession called Forensic Neuropsychiatrist😮

[@caittails]

I feel terrible for the sufferers of this delusion…but the image of a glass man being chased through the village by a glazier who wants to melt him down is kind of hilarious. 😂

[@davidfl4]

I would just love to see biopics of these crazy medieval leaders all day. I’m just fascinated with how people were back then

[@Justin.Martyr]

*1422; The Worst of French StuPudness was Over, when the DeMonic CharLes VI, Died!!!* *but, in 1789 France ReVerted Back to FuLL BLown StuPud Again, untiL 1815!!!!* *Thus StuPud France, gave the Saner EngLand, the Mastery of the WorLd!!!!* *& Joan of Arc Fought & Died for Nothing, but a Nation of IDIOTS!!!!*

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, nay others you'd like to hear about.

[@guillaumedutoit5376]

...can it be genetic....

[@RenegadeContext]

The glass delusional sounds like a culture bound syndrome. Do you have a video on how culture bound syndromes start like the dancing disease or this glass delusion?

[@nialldoyle8206]

A very interesting observation. During the 1930 ‘ there was a common delusion about radio. In the 40’s and 50’s it was radar. Nowadays it’s aliens NASA the illuminati etc. it’s strange how culture overlays some mental illnesses.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I once wrote a paper on how common delusions reflect current events and scientific discoveries. I do have a video on the Dancing Plague. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3q5pYOZecdlZ7c

[@elleshanndriacnossosmidnight]

Your voice is rather like absolute oddities channel

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Some good videos on that channel, but there is no connection.

[@JamesKonzek-xr5zy]

Maybe and just what if.. maybe he was made of glass. 🤔

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Call me a doubter, but I think that is unlikely!

[@JamesKonzek-xr5zy]

@@professorgraemeyorston Lol

[@philsophkenny]

😮

[@neilreynolds3858]

Dementia from chronic poisoning? What kind of pleasures was he taking?

[@mindymorgan8479]

Please differentiate between bipolar 1 and bipolar 2. Because, one looses contact with reality. The other doesn't.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

The distinction is a very recent one, at the start of my career it was just manic depression.

[@justicevanpool9025]

your style of narration is a bit monotone and lacking in adequate emotion. It makes it a bit hard to follow you at times

[@williamcurtin5692]

The English bred more than their share of fighting kings; the French didn't. Their only good recourse was to introduce bummer genes into the English royal house. Voila Henry VI.

[@samabrahams7687]

Funny how the normans invaded us then we have a 100 years war a few hundred years later basically the french fighting the french ha ha

[@umwha]

Bi plolar dosent fit the glass delusion though

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Delusions can occur in mania, it would depend on the significance of being made of glass and whether this was mood congruent or not.

[@Sarappreciates]

A Mad king made of glass... sounds like a fairy tale. This fear was relatively LOGICAL for the dark ages. Biblical scripture states man was made of "dust" or "earth" - and so is glass. This makes actual sense from a medieval perspective. In fact, if you add religion and fairy tale lore, a lot of what they thought made perfect sense. People, animals and objects magically "miraculously" transforming into other stuff is kind of common. Before glass was commonplace, Finn McCool's mother was turning into a deer, and eating magical salmon could grant wisdom, and before that, Jesus could turn water into wine.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Delusions always come from somewhere - fears, beliefs, what people are told etc. It is how they react to the beliefs that is important.

[@Xzigalia]

I need this host to marry me and come with me wherever I go, politely explaining things.

[@coolrelax82]

They lobotomized him😢

[@snowmiaow]

Agree, bipolar all the way

[@jeromesullivan4015]

I subscribed because I never cared for the FROG Princes, anyway.. you kiss one and…

[@studiosandi]

Hey Republicans, pay attention this is what happens when you have an insane ruler.

[@dingodog5677]

Look at your dem leader before you carry on about other. Biden is the mentally Ill, started wars, delusional ranting and run by a bunch of criminal ideologue.

[@elfonzo18]

This king and president biden make me wonder

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Are you suggesting they might be delusional?🙂

[@bethwilliams4903]

Biden is, sadly, simply an old man with dementia. My father died from the same condition, although he never had access to the same medications that Biden routinely is treated with - it pains me to see the excessive efforts his immediate family puts the man through to maintain even a modicum of ‘normalcy’

[@paddyoak1]

Yes

[@Tawroset]

A supremely stupid remark, elfonzo. But what else can anyone expect from Magats...

[@mariamcgiver3664]

@@Tawrosetyes, extremely

[@debbiejohnson7862]

That's what incest and inbreeding will do for you!! I can't believe that it took them so long to figure out that inbreeding wasn't a good thing!! 😳😳😳

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Royals have been trying to keep the blood line pure for thousands of years.

[@TheRoundandround]

ANYONE WHO NEEDS TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AS "PROFESSOR" HAS SOME SELF-ESTEEM PROBLEMS...BESIDES BUYING INTO THE REQUIREMENT OF VALIDATION OF SELF TO THE PUBLIC.

[@naradaian]

Oh dear - you are not a happy camper….did you google him first….thought not

[@sanguinarium1614]

Not even three minutes and already two mistakes. First of all, we'll need to lose the habit of calling the French conquest a "Norman conquest." They had been French for two centuries. Lastly, the Hundred Years' War was not declared to regain Gascony but because of the King of England's claims to the French crown as the sole male descendant (through his mother) of King Philip the Fair. I'll save 14 minutes of my time and pass on the rest of the video

[@Justin.Martyr]

*They were StiLL Normans, & Only about 120-years Out!!!! MorRon!!!!*