The Noblewoman Marooned on the Isle of Demons

Summary

---

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.

---

Transcript

[Dana Schwartz]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

Guaranteed Human.

[Tide Commercial Voice]

Did you know Tide has been upgraded to provide an even better clean in cold water. Tide is specifically designed to fight any stain you throw at it, even in cold butter. Yep. Chocolate ice cream. Sure thing. Barbecue sauce. Tide's got you covered. You don't need to use warm water. Additionally, Tide pods let you confidently fight tough stains with new coldzyme technology. Just remember, if it's gotta be clean, it's gotta be tied.

[Carolyn (Patient Testimonial)]

I'm Carolyn. I have metastatic breast cancer. I was concerned after my diagnosis. Cascali gives me more life for living. Since I've been prescribed, I've seen a daughter get married. I now have a grandchild and another one on the way.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

Kasqali ribociclib 200 milligram tablets with hormone therapy is for adults with HR positive HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer do not take with tamoxifen. In a clinical study at 80 months, women taking Cascali plus letrozole lived over a year longer versus letrozole alone. Individual results may vary. Cascali may cause serious skin reactions, liver problems and low white blood cell counts that may result in serious infections. Life threatening lung problems and abnormal heartbeats can occur. Your doctor should test your heart and blood before and during treatment. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening cough, chest pain or dizziness before taking Kasqali. Tell your doctor all your medical conditions, medicines you take, and if you're breastfeeding, pregnant or planning to be as it can harm an unborn baby. Common side effects include nausea, headache and tiredness. Real patient compensated for her time. Learn [e-mail].

[IBM AI Commercial Voice]

So you're telling me that the AI that's meant to make everyone's job easier to manage just adds more to manage? On top of the thousands of apps the IT department already manages? Funny how that works. Any business can add AI. IBM helps you scale and manage AI to change how you do business. Let's create Smile to business IBM.

[Dana Schwartz]

Welcome to Noble Blood, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and Mild from Erin Menke, Listener discretion advised.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

A speck appeared on the horizon. It hovered there tantalizingly, tauntingly, as a young, emaciated woman stumbled out onto the frigid shoreline, staring at it.

[Dana Schwartz]

Was the speck a figment of her desperate imagination?

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Perhaps a trick of the pale light? Or just another cruel test from her harsh island purgatory?

[Dana Schwartz]

Since being marooned on an expedition to.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

The new world in 1542, Marguerite de Laraque de Roberval had lost count of.

[Dana Schwartz]

All the dots and flecks and specks that she had prayed would grow into the familiar shape of ships on the horizon.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

And yet, as she squinted intently this.

[Dana Schwartz]

Speck grew, details emerged.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

It was a ship. It had to be a ship. But this instantly brought up more tricky questions. What were the vessel's origins? Had the same vengeful captain who had.

[Dana Schwartz]

Condemned Marguerite to her tragic fate finally.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Decided to return to rescue her?

[Dana Schwartz]

Or was it merely an unknowing craft?

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Of the rare few sailboats that had actually appeared in the distance, none had.

[Dana Schwartz]

Ventured close enough to instill any true hope of rescue before they had blended.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Back into the dark sea and gray sky, disappearing forever.

[Dana Schwartz]

And why would they come close? Marguerite's small island had little to offer besides hardship and peril. And yet this boat was as near.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

As any she had seen in the months since she'd been stranded. Marguerite was now facing a very tough decision. Starting a huge fire was surely the best way to signal to the far off sailors. But that would mean Marguerite would use essentially all of her painstakingly stored and gathered firewood. If her signaling attempt failed, it would be nearly impossible for her to make it through the next few chilly weeks, let alone the upcoming winter.

[Dana Schwartz]

In addition to possibly wasting her collected.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Fuel, the effort of igniting a sizable.

[Dana Schwartz]

Enough bonfire on the windy, rocky beach.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Would be exhausting, with every last calorie counting. As a precious commodity, 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, losing every shred of hope and sanity.

[Dana Schwartz]

As the beasts and the elements finally broke her.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

It was morbidly absurd to consider how in her past life as a French noblewoman, she had so many servants and.

[Dana Schwartz]

Suitors and royal acquaintances.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

But if she died here on this island, no one would even know. Was the risk of fire worth the reward? To possibly see her homeland again? Or even to possibly just speak to another human? There was only one way to find out. Like countless times before, Marguerite got to work. I'm Dana Schwartz, and this is noble blood.

King Francis I of France was eager to keep pace with his more.

[Dana Schwartz]

Nautically successful European rivals. And so he authorized a transatlantic colonizing exploration to New France in 1542. According to reports and legends from European explorers, the regions he was eyeing now, parts of Canada were supposed to be wonderfully fertile lands.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Rumor had it there were even stashes of gold, silver and gems to be found. Francis I chose Jean Francois de la Roque de Roberval to lead an exploratory mission. Many sources point out that Roberval severely lacked seafaring experience, but the ambitious nobleman.

[Dana Schwartz]

Was a viceroy and a close friend of the king's.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

It's possible that the expedition, or at least its destination, was actually largely Roberval's idea, given that he had purportedly mismanaged.

[Dana Schwartz]

His assets and hoped that the discovery.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Of fresh resources would renew his fortunes. Finding willing participants for the mission was.

[Dana Schwartz]

A challenge, though the hazards and high mortality rates of such colonizing ventures, even the better organized ones, were no secret among the French working classes. And even if one didn't die at sea or at a bare bones settlement.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

There was an extremely high chance of.

[Dana Schwartz]

Suffering through diseases like scurvy.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Nevertheless, through some combination of persuasion and force, Roberval eventually gathered sailors, soldiers and artisans, the latter group being mostly former.

[Dana Schwartz]

Inmates, and set sail.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

One other key passenger who joined the adventure was was Marguerite Delaroque.

Depending on the account, Marguerite was either Roberval's sister or niece. Regardless, the two were apparently close, but.

[Dana Schwartz]

Even a tight familial bond and a.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

General thirst for adventure fail to entirely.

[Dana Schwartz]

And convincingly explain the young noblewoman's decision to want to join such a fraught endeavor.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Marguerite's motivation makes much more sense when considering another crucial her romantic prospects. Practically all versions of the story agree that Marguerite was pursuing a passionate relationship with a man during the voyage. The identity of Marguerite's male lover remains a mystery, but all signs point to him being a sailor or skilled laborer. The timeline of the romance also appears hazy. It's possible that Marguerite was initially trying to escape an arranged marriage at court and then fell in love while at sea. Some scholars have suggested that Marguerite's mysterious lover was a distant admirer and he volunteered for the expedition in order to woo her. Another highly plausible explanation explanation is that the lovebirds already had some existing relationship before deciding to embark on the expedition, an expedition that they saw as an opportunity to enjoy greater romantic freedom regardless.

[Dana Schwartz]

Of their class differences.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Whatever the case, Marguerite and her man supposedly had quite the secret intimate relationship.

[Dana Schwartz]

Romance, which is truly impressive considering the cramped confines of a 16th century ship.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Fortunately for Marguerite, she supposedly had an older, loyal maid named Damien with her. Sources vary when it comes to Damien's.

[Dana Schwartz]

Involvement and feelings on the ethics of.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

The romance, but several sources assert that she helped the infatuated couple stuff sneak around, and there was certainly plenty of time for plotting trysts since the trip was long and the ship stopped for a while when first reaching Newfoundland. However, secrecy could only last so long word reached Captain Roberval and he reportedly grew furious. He became dead set on punishing Marguerite. And like so many legendary pirates and infamous captains, he chose to maroon his detainee on a desolate island.

A natural question is why Robervalt would dole out such a harsh punishment to a noble family member. Historians offer several reasons. One is that he worried that Marguerite's indiscretions with a commoner could damage their family's reputation. A second explanation is that Roberval was an exceedingly pious man. He may have feared that Marguerite's unmarried affair was an affront to God and that failing to penalize her would invite vengeful consequences on the entire mission and.

[Dana Schwartz]

Crew, many of whom were already highly.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Superstitious about their ocean bound fates. Several modern historians claim a third and more sinister greed. Roberval supposedly had dire money problems when leaving France. But he shared certain lavish properties and other valuable assets with Marguerite. He stood to be the one to solely inherit those properties if she was removed from from the equation. But as the logic goes, he didn't want to jeopardize his claims by directly killing her and inviting accusations of financially motivated foul play. So he may have played up his righteous need to punish Marguerite in order to obscure his more cynical, premeditated schemes. We may never know the extent extent of Roberval's rationale, but his final decision was clear. He selected an island on which to deposit Marguerite, as well as the woman he saw as complicit in Marguerite's indiscretions. Damien. However, Roberval apparently underestimated the power of love because in some dramatic tellings, Marguerite's partner was to be marooned on another island. But he jumped overboard and swam to be with Marguerite as she was being abandoned first. In other versions of the story, Marguerite realized what her fate would be and negotiated with Roberval to at least leave her and her partner together. A particularly stirring recap of the events even claim that Marguerite threatened Roberval at gunpoint, demanding that if she were to serve such a severe sentence that she should be able to serve it with her beloved co conspirator. Details on which virtually all reports seem to agree are that the stranded trio were left with four long guns, some ammunition and a few other meager tools and supplies. But survival was still clearly a long shot. The conditions were harsh and the island was allegedly so infested with evil spirits that it was named the Isle of Demons.

Descriptions and sketches from explorers of that era depict the Isle of Demons as a beautiful but wild place. It had striking coastlines and alluring vistas, but was essentially uninhabited Due to its fairly remote location and dangerous animal predators. One sailor who claimed to have spotted the relatively small island from afar, Put it.

Wild beasts come to the shore Unafraid of the sight of men. Tribes native to the mainland of what is now Canada and other surrounding islands Supposedly sent occasional hunting parties to the Isle of Demons and had vast knowledge of its ecosystem, But European settlers generally feared them. The entities that European travelers feared most, however, Were those which inspired the island's sinister name, that is, the alleged demons. European colonists and cartographers of the time Certainly had a habit of picking dramatic or unpleasant sounding names for islands in that region. Two neighboring islands were the Isle of Fire and the Isle of Rats, Terrible as both of those sound. Unfortunately for Marguerite, she was stranded on the scariest island of them all. According to one account, the demons on her island Visibly show themselves and make attempts to lead men astray. And principally appear as remembered figures which have been drowned in some violent adventure. Despite being trapped in a honeymoon of nightmares, Marguerite, her romantic partner and her maid did their best to make do. They built a simple cabin shelter and gathered fruits and edible vegetation. They attempted to hunt wild game with their guns. Some historians claim Marguerite's partner taught her to shoot, While others suggest that she was probably already a proficient shooter, Having trained with Roberval during royal hunting expeditions in the forests of France. In case you haven't noticed, Details about what exactly occurred in this story Are difficult to establish definitively. The two main sources we have from the 16th century that tell Marguerite's story Are both embellished for the sake of dramatization. And sometimes they're slightly contradictory. But in almost every version of the story, the castaways were supposedly tormented by the island's evil spirits. In the words of one 16th century writer, the spirits cries were so loud at night that it seemed that there were more than 100,000 men together.

And to make it all exponentially more difficult, Marguerite was pregnant.

Simply staying warm and finding enough food Required tremendous effort. Marguerite's devoted partner seemingly did his best to provide for his beleaguered group. But apparently, after roughly eight months on the island, he died. The exact cause remains unknown, but several modern historians suggest it was a combination.

[Dana Schwartz]

Of fatigue, poor nutrition, and water contamination.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

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. As if the strenuous labor and emotional toll wasn't enough. Marguerite allegedly still had to guard her partner's graveside to keep animals from unearthing.

[Dana Schwartz]

And devour devouring his body.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Supposedly, her faith in God fortified her. But all of this was a truly devastating blow. And yet Marguerite could not simply give herself over to mourning. She soon gave birth to a son, possibly the first baby to have ever been born on the Isle of Demons. Rather than entering a world of luxury and being celebrated as a new noble heir, the baby was thrust into immediate and constant danger. Likewise, Marguerite must have had little time to celebrate or to recover from the baby's arrival. She had to simultaneously nourish her baby and protect him from wolves, wolverines and bears. An early embellished account of Marguerite's marooning specified that she had such amazing aim that she shot three bears in a single day. One of them was supposedly white as an egg, a claim that has prompted several scholars to analyze whether it's possible that she could have legitimately killed a polar bear again by then. She ostensibly had ample shooting skill. And evidently polar bears did sometimes float south to the Gulf of St. Lawrence on Arctic ice floes. So while perhaps improbable, that daring feat is actually within the realm of possibility. While not attempting to slay apex predators, Marguerite and Damien watched for passing ships. They hardly saw any, however, as the one weeks continued to pass. Similarly, no mention of any encounters with tribes native to the area pop up in any of the most studied sources. Then, not long after Marguerite gave birth, Damien died. Several writers have estimated that she was already well past 60, so her death was not necessarily surprising. If anything, it was amazing that she had made it so long, apparently assisting Marguerite as best she could. Once again, Marguerite had to dig a grave and fashion a makeshift cross. But once again, Marguerite had no time to idly mourn. With no one left to share the workload nor help protect her infant son, every daily chore and survival decision fell to Marguerite. Soon the burden became too great. And once again, Marguerite suffered a devastating loss. Tragically, her baby passed as well.

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. Especially as she was then, truly alone. Would the noblewoman turned survivalist be too heartbroken to continue? Was she destined to suffer the same dire fate with no one to bury her? Would she become a scant meal for the stalking carnivores? No. Marguerite kept fighting. Per some sources, it was late autumn and winter was coming. She overcame sickness, cold and the loss of her guns as protection once her gunpowder ran out. Possibly even worse than all of the physical threats Was the mental torment Marguerite was coping with. Terrible loneliness. With no one to talk to nor to find comfort from, she was reportedly besieged by anxiety, depression and paranoia. She believed animals were demons in disguise. And envisioned evil phantoms relentlessly trying to cast spells upon her. Although to be clear, the inner workings of Marguerite Ted can't be known for sure. This information comes from a 16th century historian named Andre Thavette who claimed to have interviewed Marguerite. But we don't know for sure whether he actually did. Through some combination of resourcefulness, faith and.

[Dana Schwartz]

Stubborn survival instinct, Marguerite kept working. She set traps, stored food for winter and made clothing out of hides. It's tough to ascertain whether she held out any legitimate hope of a rescue.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Contemporary 16th century writers seem pretty certain.

[Dana Schwartz]

That she had given up on the idea of Roberval returning. Clearly, he thought he had resigned her to her fate. And unbeknownst to Marguerite, he had actually headed back to France after a disastrous colonization attempt. But would any ship at all sail by and rescue her? Finally, after Marguerite had been living on the island for a little over a year, according to a particularly thorough study, A tantalizing speck appeared on the horizon. Marguerite decided to use all of her.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Firewood to build a huge fire. She ignited the blaze.

[Dana Schwartz]

She ran along the shore desperately shouting and flailing. As it turned out, the ship was a fishing vessel and she certainly caught the fisherman's attention. But whether they would come to her rescue was a different matter. Because by then, Marguerite herself came across like a demon. Emaciated, filthy and covered in hides, she apparently made the cod fishermen extremely wary of going ashore and encountering her.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

They thought she could very well be.

[Dana Schwartz]

An evil spirit intent on tricking them. Especially since they were from Brittany and she was yelling in their native French. Again, Marguerite's life now hung in the balance. Would the former noblewoman be able to lure the fishermen to her aid? Or had she become too feral and unrecognizable, A deranged representation of her demonic island?

Ultimately, the fisherman's curiosity won out. The fishing boat captain ordered a scouting party to shore. And Marguerite led the stunned fishermen back to her shelter to show them how she had survived. They were reportedly gobsmacked at her bravery and determination upon learning of her noble heritage. It's also fairly probable that they envisioned a reward if they rescued her and reunited her back with her wealthy family in France.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

But was that what Marguerite wanted after.

[Dana Schwartz]

All, even after hoping to be saved for so long. When the time came, she allegedly had second thoughts. She became reluctant to return to her extravagant lifestyle and noble obligations. In several tellings of the tale, while the fishermen rowed Marguerite back to their ship, she expressed a sudden desire to stay on the island so she could live out her solitary life until she.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Died in the same place as her loved ones. Nevertheless, eventually Marguerite did decide to return.

[Dana Schwartz]

To France with the fishermen.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Records are a bit hazy.

[Dana Schwartz]

After that she seemingly opted for a quiet life, and it's unclear whether she ever saw Roberval again or sought any justice for the fact that he had stranded her. Roberval seemingly suffered plenty of self inflicted punishment, however, he led another failed miserable attempt to colonize and loot New France. Then he ultimately died in a riot between Protestants and Catholics. A friend of his who became one of the chief chroniclers of the whole story at one point tried to rename the Isle of Demons for his friend Roberval. But fittingly this idea didn't gain traction and the group of island that supposedly included Marguerites became known for a while.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

As the Ile de la Demoiselle, or.

[Dana Schwartz]

Isles of the Young Lady. Among modern scholars, Marguerite's story has sparked plenty of debates. Some have questioned whether the entire tale might have been a fabrication, especially considering how many of its heightened tragic elements fit neatly with French tastes in literature at that time. However, while various versions probably almost certainly contain exaggerations, analysis of reports made by several observers, including the pilot of Roberval's ship, do appear to corroborate the fundamental narrative of Marguerite being marooned, surviving her harsh isolation, and eventually returning to her homeland. In addition, there has been a fair amount of debate on over which island the Isle of Demons actually was. Most historians agree that the island is one of the many in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, either close to the coast of Canada's Quebec province off the northeast edge of Labrador, or near the northern tip of Newfoundland. Two such sparsely populated islands, Harrington harbor island and Queerpon island, have even leaned into the story as a tourist attraction, offering accommodations and tours of locations where Marguerite purportedly stayed.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Over the years, Marguerite's dramatic ordeal has.

[Dana Schwartz]

Captivated many artists and writers. The first published account was actually by another Marguerite queen, Marguerite de Navarre, in her 1558 short story collection the Heptameron. Since then, Marguerite's exploits have been adapted into many other forms, novels like the 2025 novel Isola, poems, plays, songs, and a recent feature film called A Survivor's Tale. To fans of the reality television competition series alone, Marguerite's unforgiving environment might also sound familiar. The show, which documents the struggles of.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Solo survival experts attempting to make it.

[Dana Schwartz]

As long as they can in the wilderness, has used several locations in Canada, including a northern area of Labrador.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

For comparison's sake, the record for the.

[Dana Schwartz]

Longest stay on the series stands at 100 days, a feat that came with.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

A $1 million prize. Even by modest estimations, that stay was still less than a third of Marguerite's stretch.

[Dana Schwartz]

As for Marguerite herself, while many chronicles were hazy about the later portions of her life, a few were more specific.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Several detailed explorations of Marguerite's journey conclude somewhat cathartically with her settling into the.

[Dana Schwartz]

Town of Nantran, France, and living for many years while working as a schoolteacher. Noble ladies in the area were reportedly.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

More than happy to send their daughters.

[Dana Schwartz]

To learn from such an intrepid and worldly woman.

That's the indomitable story of Marguerite de Laroque. But don't fly off After a brief sponsor break, there's one more very intriguing detail to share about the cacophonous demons populating the Isle of Demons.

Here's the thing about being a great gift giver. When you find something that's truly perfect for everyone on your list, you almost.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Don'T want to give it away.

[Dana Schwartz]

That's what happened with my Quinter. Everything is so soft and well made. I'm seriously tempted to keep it all for myself. I mean really, the answer is I just buy myself the sweaters. The exact same sweaters that I'm also giving to my sisters and my mom and my mother in law and my sisters in law. Quint's pretty much has your whole list covered. Mongolian cashmere sweaters for $50 when you'd normally pay $200 or more. The kind of sweaters you wear on repeat. Then there's denim that goes with everything. Silk tops and skirts, cashmere beanies and scarves down jackets that actually keep you warm. The Italian wool coats. Absolute top of my list. They look designer, feel luxurious, and are made with premium materials. But like everything at Quint's, the price won't make you panic. We're talking way less than other brands charge. I can't tell you how much I love my cashmere sweaters. I literally have three sweaters from quince, one V neck, one crew neck, one turtleneck. It's just like my go to everyday sweater. I wear it constantly and I can totally see every everyone on my list being happy with this cashmere sweater. Find gifts so good you'll want to keep them with quint Go to quint.comnoble for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N c e.comnoble to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quint.comnoble I'm Carolyn.

[Carolyn (Patient Testimonial)]

I have metastatic breast cancer. I was concerned after my diagnosis. Cascali gives me more life for living since I've been prescribed, I've seen a daughter get married. I now have a grandchild and another one on the way.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

Cascali ribociclib 200 milligram tablets with hormone therapy is for adults with HR positive HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer do not take with tamoxifen In a clinical study at 80 months, women taking Cascali plus letrozole lived over a year longer versus letrozole alone. Individual results may vary. Cascali may cause serious skin reactions, liver problems and low white blood cell counts that may result in serious infections. Life threatening lung problems and abnormal heartbeats can occur. Your doctor should test your heart and blood before and during treatment. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening cough, chest pain or dizziness before taking Cascali. Tell your doctor all your medical conditions, medicines you take and if you're breastfeeding pregnant or planning to be as it can harm an unborn baby. Common side effects include nausea, headache and tiredness. Real patient compensated for her time.

[Sophie Cunningham]

Learn [e-mail] this is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability and concentration issues, it may be due to osa. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on osa.com this information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company.

[Carolyn (Patient Testimonial)]

I'm Carolyn. I have metastatic breast cancer. I was concerned after my diagnosis. Cascala gives me more lives for living. Since I've been prescribed, I've seen a daughter get married. I now have a grandchild and another one on the way.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

Gaskale ribociclib 200 milligram tablets with hormone therapy is for adults with HR positive HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer do not take with tamoxifen In a clinical study at 80 months. Women taking Cascali plus letrozole lived over a year longer versus letrozole alone. Individual results may vary. Cascali may cause serious skin reactions, liver problems and low white blood cell counts that may result in serious infections. Life threatening lung problems and abnormal heartbeats can occur. Your doctor should test your heart and blood before and during treatment. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening cough, chest pain or dizziness before taking Cascali. Tell your doctor all your medical conditions, medicines you take and if you're breastfeeding, pregnant or planning to be as it can harm an unborn baby. Common side effects include nausea, headache and tiredness. Real patient compensated for her time.

[Sophie Cunningham]

Learn [e-mail] this is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snore loudly, or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability and concentration issues, it may be due to osa. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on OSA.com this information is provided by Lilly A Medicine Company.

[Coca-Cola Spanish Commercial Voice]

Para los grandes para los chicos par los bajos y los altos, los pacifistas, los valientes para los octimistas y los pecimistas, los quevalor and loyadentro para los que estanlejos los que noven de lejos, ilos que no vendeca para los introvertidos y los extrovertidos para los que pienzan ilos que hacen para los quenoso mostrado, el camino, coca cola, paratodos.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Many versions of Marguerite's story heavily lean.

[Dana Schwartz]

Into religious imagery and themes, particularly when it comes to descriptions of the island's demons and their habits. However, modern historians and biologists have suggested that Marguerite's recounting of the evil spirit's nightly shrieks could have a more earthly explanation. Massive flocks of migrating birds, specifically species that would have been vastly unfamiliar to European visitors. While perhaps not inherently as diabolical as the torment of demons as the film the Birds spotlights, such avian interactions can apparently still be the stuff of nightmares.

Noble Blood is a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and Mild from Aaron Manke. Nobleblood is hosted by me, Dana Schwartz, with additional writing and research by Hannah Johnston, Hannah Zwick, Courtney Sender, Amy Hite and Julia Milani. The show is edited and produced by Jesse Funk with supervising producer Rima Il Kayali and executive producers Erin Menke, Trevor Young and Matt Frederick. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Carolyn (Patient Testimonial)]

I'm Carolyn. I have metastatic breast cancer. I was concerned after my diagnosis. Cascali gives me more life for living. Since I've been prescribed, I've seen a daughter get married. I now have a grandchild and another one on the way.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

Gascali ribociclib 200 milligram tablets with hormone therapy is for adults with HRP positive HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer. Do not take with tamoxifen. In a clinical study at 80 months, women taking Cascali plus letrozole lived over a year longer versus letrozole alone. Individual results may vary. Cascali may cause serious skin reactions, liver problems and low white blood cell counts that may result in serious infections. Life threatening lung problems and abnormal heartbeats can occur. Your doctor should test your heart and blood before and during treatment. Tell your doctor if you you have new or worsening cough, chest pain or dizziness before taking Kaskali. Tell your doctor all your medical conditions, medicines you take and if you're breastfeeding, pregnant or planning to be. It can harm an unborn baby. Common side effects include nausea, headache and tiredness. Real patient compensated for her time.

[Coca-Cola Spanish Commercial Voice]

Learn [e-mail] Para los grandes, para los chicos, para los bajos y los altos, los pacifistas, los valientes para los octi mistas y los pecimistas los que valor and loyaventro para los que estan lejos, los que no vende lejos y los que no vendeca para los introvertidos y los extrovertidos para los que pienzan y los que hacen para los que nos monstrado El camino Coca Cola Paratodos.

[IBM AI Commercial Voice]

With.

[Venmo Stash Commercial Voice]

A moustache, a taco in one hand and ordering a ride in the other means you're stacking cash back.

[Narrator (Noble Blood Story)]

Nice.

[Venmo Stash Commercial Voice]

Get up to 5% cash back with Venmo stash on your favorite brands when you pay with your Venmo debit card from takeout to ride shares, entertainment and more. Pick a bundle with your go tos and start earning cash back at those brands. Earn more cash when you do more with stash Venmo Stash terms and exclusions apply. Max $100 cash back per month. See terms@venmo me stashterms this is an iHeart podcast.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

Guaranteed human.