Alice Kyteler was born around 1260 into a wealthy Flemish merchant family that had settled in Kilkenny, Ireland. The Kytelers were prominent figures in trade and finance, establishing considerable influence in the region. Alice grew up surrounded by privilege and was known to possess both charm and cunning.

Over her adult life, she married four men—each of them prominent, wealthy, and significantly older. Her first husband, William Outlaw, was a successful Kilkenny merchant and moneylender. Together they had at least one confirmed child, William Outlaw Jr., who would later become the mayor of Kilkenny. Following William’s death, Alice married Adam le Blund, another moneylender, with whom she was once accused of homicide—though the matter was resolved in their favor, reportedly with the help of King Edward I of England.

Her third marriage to landholder Richard de Valle ended around 1316, and her legal pursuit of her widow’s dower from his estate caused severe resentment among her stepchildren. She married a fourth time to Sir John le Poer, whose declining health later became central to accusations of witchcraft.

Throughout her marriages, Alice amassed a fortune. She was active in moneylending and estate management, which was unusual and controversial for a woman at the time. Her independence, wealth, and assertiveness made her a target for both family enemies and ecclesiastical authorities.

The true crime legend surrounding Dame Alice Kyteler began in 1324 when her stepson, Richard de Valle, brought complaints to the Bishop of Ossory, Richard de Ledrede. He accused her of poisoning her husbands and engaging in heretical witchcraft. These allegations quickly evolved into one of medieval Europe’s earliest witch trials.

Ledrede, newly appointed and zealous in his duties, charged Kyteler and several associates with heresy, witchcraft, and consorting with demons. Seven formal accusations were presented, including sacrificing animals to demons, creating dark potions from macabre ingredients, and sexual relations with a demon named Robin Artisson—an incubus said to appear as an Ethiopian man or black animal.

Kyteler was also accused of killing her husbands to inherit their wealth and using potions to manipulate or poison them. One charge described a bizarre ointment and flying stick, suggesting flight through magical means. The charges were reinforced by testimony obtained under torture from her maidservant and confidante, Petronilla de Meath.

Petronilla, after severe flogging, “confessed” to witnessing and assisting in diabolical acts. Her account included demon summoning, sexual rituals, and potion-making using children's remains—clearly designed to shock and validate the bishop’s heresy claims. It remains unclear how much of her testimony was true and how much was coerced.

Despite the weight of these accusations, Kyteler managed to escape arrest with the help of her politically connected allies. Her son William Outlaw was sentenced to religious penance but spared the harshest penalties. Kyteler herself fled—most likely to England or Flanders—and vanished from the historical record. Her ultimate fate, place of death, and burial remain unknown.