Noble Blood – "The Noblewoman Marooned on the Isle of Demons"

Host: Dana Schwartz
Podcast by: iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild
Release Date: December 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This gripping episode of Noble Blood explores the incredible true story of Marguerite de la Roque de Roberval, a 16th-century French noblewoman who was cast away on the fearsome "Isle of Demons." Dana Schwartz unpacks the blend of legend and fact surrounding Marguerite’s ordeal, examining her motivations, the trials she faced, and the lasting historical intrigue of her survival story. The episode probes themes of betrayal, love, endurance, and the blurred lines between folklore and documented history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Marguerite’s Marooning: Setup and Survival

• Opening Image: The episode opens with vivid narrative imagery as Marguerite, desperate and emaciated, spots a potential rescue ship on the horizon (02:14–05:14).
• Schwartz sets the stakes: should Marguerite risk all her firewood signaling a ship, possibly dooming her survival if her bid fails?
  • “Was the risk of fire worth the reward? To possibly see her homeland again? Or even to possibly just speak to another human?” (05:31, Dana Schwartz)
• Motivation for Joining the Expedition: Although Marguerite was either Jean-François de la Roque de Roberval’s niece or sister, her participation stemmed largely from an illicit romance with a lower-class lover (08:31–09:43).

2. Why Was Marguerite Abandoned?

• Punishment for Love: Marguerite’s affair was discovered, leading Roberval to maroon her—potentially to protect family honor, appease superstitions, or for financial motives (10:57–13:55).
• Historical Theories:
  • Concern for family reputation.
  • Religious piety and fear of God’s punishment.
  • Financial gain (Roberval standing to inherit Marguerite’s assets if she died).
• “We may never know the extent of Roberval's rationale, but his final decision was clear. He selected an island on which to deposit Marguerite…” (13:55, Schwartz/Narrator).

3. The Isle of Demons: Harsh Realities and Supernatural Terrors

• Description of the Isle as both beautiful and perilous—home to wild beasts and, according to legend, tormented by evil spirits (14:04–16:37).
• Historical Context: Europeans often named Canadian islands with frightful monikers (Isle of Fire, Isle of Rats, Isle of Demons).
• Vivid period accounts claim “the spirits’ cries were so loud at night that it seemed there were more than 100,000 men together” (16:57, Quoting 16th-century writer).

4. Marguerite’s Ordeal: Loss, Survival & Grief

• Timeline of Tragedy:
  • Marguerite’s partner dies after about 8 months, possibly from “fatigue, poor nutrition, and water contamination” (17:43, Dana Schwartz).
  • Marguerite gives birth to a son, likely the island’s first infant.
  • Marguerite’s maid, Damien, also dies; Marguerite loses her infant soon after (18:17–21:05).
  • “Somewhere on the Isle of Demons, three makeshift crosses marked three graves of three different sizes. Even centuries later, Marguerite's grief over burying her loved ones comes across as nearly unfathomable.” (21:05, Narrator)
• Despite crippling grief and isolation, Marguerite survives, enduring winter, hunger, and profound loneliness (21:05–23:03).

5. Rescue and Aftermath

• After more than a year of isolation, Marguerite risks all to signal a passing ship (23:03–23:43).
• Her appearance—“emaciated, filthy and covered in hides”—makes the fishermen wary, fearing she is a demon herself (24:20, Dana Schwartz).
• Ultimately, curiosity wins out; Marguerite is rescued. Yet she hesitates to leave, gripped by attachment to the land where her loved ones are buried (24:51–25:51).
  • “When the time came, she allegedly had second thoughts. She became reluctant to return to her extravagant lifestyle and noble obligations.” (25:24, Schwartz)
• Marguerite returns to France but seemingly does not confront Roberval or seek justice. He later dies violently in France.

6. Legacy, Doubt, and Artistic Inspiration

• Some scholars question the tale’s veracity, though multiple contemporary sources corroborate the essentials.
• The real Isle of Demons’ location is debated, but several Quebec and Newfoundland islands claim the story.
• Marguerite’s ordeal has inspired novels, plays, and a feature film (“A Survivor’s Tale”)—her story compared to modern survival challenges (28:25–29:42).
• “Even by modest estimations, that stay was still less than a third of Marguerite's stretch.” (29:42, Narrator)

7. Marguerite’s Life Post-Rescue

• The most detailed accounts suggest Marguerite settled as a schoolteacher in Nantran, France, beloved by noble families for her wisdom and resilience (29:51–30:11).
• Final note: modern science speculates the ‘demons’ Marguerite described were likely massive, unfamiliar flocks of migratory birds whose nighttime cries could be terrifying (36:11–37:06).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Survival and Hope:
  “Every last calorie counting. Such exertion could easily prove fatal if it were done in vain. And yet, what were Marguerite’s alternatives? More grueling months spent gradually wasting away…” (04:50–05:14, Narrator & Dana Schwartz)

• On Love Transcending Class:
  “Whatever the case, Marguerite and her man supposedly had quite the secret intimate romance, which is truly impressive considering the cramped confines of a 16th century ship.” (09:45–10:00, Narrator & Schwartz)

• On Loss:
  “Marguerite had to bury her beloved while in the late stages of pregnancy...with Damien’s help, she reportedly tried to dig a deep enough grave. But the cold, hard ground made this a grueling task.” (17:47–18:15, Narrator)

• On Rescue:
  “As it turned out, the ship was a fishing vessel...But by then, Marguerite herself came across like a demon. Emaciated, filthy and covered in hides, she apparently made the cod fishermen extremely wary...” (23:43–24:20, Schwartz)

• On Returning to Society:
  “When the time came, she allegedly had second thoughts. She became reluctant to return to her extravagant lifestyle and noble obligations.” (25:24, Dana Schwartz)

Key Timestamps

• 02:14 – Introduction to Marguerite’s marooning and her desperate hope for rescue
• 06:01 – Background: France’s colonial ambitions and Roberval’s mission
• 08:31 – Marguerite’s relationship and the decision to join the expedition
• 10:57 – Discovery of Marguerite’s romance and rationale for her abandonment
• 14:04 – Description and mythology of the Isle of Demons
• 17:11 – Marguerite’s pregnancy and sequence of tragic losses
• 23:03 – Spotting a ship: Final gamble for rescue
• 24:51 – Marguerite’s ambivalence to leaving the island
• 28:25 – Cultural legacy and artistic adaptions
• 29:51 – Marguerite’s life as a schoolteacher post-rescue
• 36:11 – Rationalizing the "demon" shrieks as migratory birds

Conclusion

Dana Schwartz delivers a haunting and empathetic portrait of Marguerite de la Roque, a noblewoman driven by love and condemned to the wilds for it. The episode explores not only survival against the elements, but also the depths of human grief, resilience, and the enduring impact of myth-making on history. Ultimately, Marguerite’s survival story is both an epic tragedy and a testament to stubborn endurance—her legend living on in art, scholarship, and the rugged Canadian landscape itself.