Something Wicked #11: La Quintrala

The Three Ravens Podcast

On this week's bonus episode, Martin takes us back to colonial South America for a tale of mass murder, witchcraft, sex, torture, and Jesus's ghost peering disappointedly down upon the sinful...

Part of the "Something Wicked" series, we start by chatting through the ancient history of the western coast of South America, from the Nazca, Inca and Mapuche through to the arrival of Spanish conquistadors and their subjugation of indigenous populations.

Out of this heady patch of history, we then explore the salacious legends of Chilean aristocrat Catalina de los Ríos y Lísperguer, better known to the world as La Quintrala – a flame-haired beauty with a reputation as a witch, seductress, and mass murderer who, to this day, is seen as a scion of familial evil.

With her story encompassing several different flavours of murder, the torture and killing of hundreds of enslaved people, government corruption, bewitchment, earthquakes, private militias and more, it's a legend that beggars belief. And for good reason, as, despite what you might read about La Quintrala on the internet, there's a massive gap between what the historical record tells us she did and the narratives we know today, all of which paint her as a sex-crazed monster, sadist, and Devilish bogeyman feared in Chile and Peru alike.

The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

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