Giulia Tofana is known as history’s most prolific female poisoner who created the deadly potion, Aqua Tofana. She may be responsible for the deaths of over 600 men in Italy during the 17th century. Yet, Giulia Tofana is also considered an empathetic hero in history who helped hundreds of desperate women escape their marriages.
But before we dive into Giulia’s life as an infamous poisoner, let’s discuss what living in 17th century Italy would have been like for a woman.
This was a time when divorce did not exist. Daughters were married off to whoever their parents chose. These marriages were usually advantageous for the daughter’s family and sometimes even considered part of a business transaction. To put it simply, most daughters became pawns with no autonomy or say in who they married or what happened to them.
The worst part? There was no legal way for a woman to escape her marriage. That is… until her husband’s death. Even if it was an abusive marriage, divorce was considered impossible. If a spouse was abusive, no one cared. Men saw wives as their rightful property, and they could do whatever they wanted with no real consequences.
This is also where traditions like a father “giving away” his daughter at her wedding and gifting a hefty dowry come from. Although, today that “dowry” has been replaced by a bride’s family paying for the wedding. Some of these traditions may seem sentimental to us now, but their origins are quite the opposite.
The Popularity of Poison
Have you ever heard the phrase that “poison is a woman’s weapon?” The discreet nature of poison made it a desirable weapon for many women in history. People considered poison to be an art form that required a careful knowledge of herbs, plants, and basic chemistry. It was also an easy weapon for women to conceal in the food they cooked, cosmetics, and jewelry. Another popular name for poison was “inheritance powder” because people often used them to speed up the inheritance process.
Now on to our merry murderess… Giulia Tofana.
Who was Giulia Tofana?
Giulia Tofana’s early life is a bit murky. She was born in the year 1620 in Palermo, Italy, and most historians believe that she grew up living with an abusive father. Her mother may have been Thofania d’Adamo, accused of murdering her husband, Francis, and executed in Palermo, Italy on July 12th, 1633. How did she supposedly murder her husband? Poison, of course.
Giulia Tofana would have been around thirteen years old at the time of her parents’ deaths. She spent most of her childhood in apothecaries, learning the art of herbal remedies, cosmetics, and medicine. This is also where she would’ve learned the art of poison. Her mother may have even passed down some of these poisonous recipes.
She is best known for creating an extremely effective poison called Aqua Tofana. A few drops of Aqua Tofana were “sufficient to destroy a man.”
Most of the ingredients of Aqua Tofana are known, but the precise recipe remains a mystery. Aqua Tofana mostly contained arsenic, lead, and possibly belladonna. And most importantly, this poison was a colorless, tasteless liquid. This made it easy to mix with water, wine, or soups served with meals.
How Did Giulia Tofana distribute Aqua Tofana?
Giulia opened and ran a store where she sold makeup, perfumes, and other cosmetics. This is where she also sold Aqua Tofana, disguised as a healing oil or perfume. She aided those women who sought to escape their abusive marriages. However, she didn’t sell to just any customer. She based her system solely on referrals from trusted clients and friends.
She also gave her clients clear instructions on how to use Aqua Tofana and, most importantly, what to do after it worked. The colorless, tasteless, and slow-acting qualities of Aqua Tofana made the poison impossible to detect. It only took only a few drops for the effects to begin.
The discreet nature of the poison made it incredibly effective. The victim usually started experiencing cold-like symptoms which only grew worse and worse over time. A doctor may visit and attempt to cure the ailing husband, but by the fourth dose, he was dead. And the husband simply looked like he died from illness… which was certainly not uncommon for the 17th century.
Giulia Tofana also coached her clients to cry, show emotion, and ask for a doctor’s examination of the body – all to avoid suspicion.
The Downfall of Giulia Tofana
Eventually, this whole operation backfired on Giulia when a scared customer confessed the secret to Papal authorities. Giulia quickly escaped to a church, which granted her sanctuary.
However, a rumor soon spread through Rome that she poisoned the water supply. Crowds of people rioted and demanded punishment for Giulia. As a result of the public outcry, authorities broke sanctuary, forced their way into the church, and dragged her in for questioning.
Under intense questioning and torture, she confessed to killing 600 men between the years of 1633 and 1651. However, this number could be greatly over-exaggerated (or even under-exaggerated). The widespread distribution of her poison, her clientele, and the actual number of deaths were impossible to accurately track. Plus… she gave this confession under torture.
They eventually executed Giulia Tofana in Rome, Italy in July 1659 along with her daughter and three assistants. After her execution, they threw her body over the walls of the church that had previously granted her sanctuary. Although, the hunt continued even after her death. In the following years, they managed to track down some of the women who successfully used Aqua Tofana, and authorities executed them as well.
Did Mozard Die From Aqua Tofana?
A fun fact about Aqua Tofana? Mozart believed he was poisoned by it.
Upon his deathbed, Mozart said, “I feel definitely that I will not last much longer; I am sure that I have been poisoned. I cannot rid myself of this idea… Someone has given me Aqua Tofana and calculated the precise time of my death.”
Although Mozart started this rumor, the popular claim is more legend than fact. Most modern studies surrounding Mozart’s death have led historians to believe that either strep or acute military fever were the real cause of his death.
Did you know Cleopatra probably poisoned herself… either with an asp or her own personal concoction?
