Moving to Rome, the investigators delve into the reign of Caius 'Caligula' , an emperor whose brief rule was marked by legendary sadism and excess. The show questions if his descent into "monstrous" behavior was driven by pure madness or influenced by the brutal family legacy left by his predecessor, Tiberius.

In the fourth episode , titled "Monsters," the duo travels across the continent to separate myth from macabre reality, focusing on figures whose names became synonymous with evil.

In France, the episode explores the shocking fall of Gilles de Rais , a national war hero who fought alongside Joan of Arc. Despite his prestigious status, he was later convicted for the serial lust murders of dozens of children within his various castles. Bloody Tales of Europe

The team visits Slovakia to investigate the infamous Elizabeth Báthory , a Hungarian noblewoman accused of torturing and killing hundreds of young girls. Legends claim she bathed in their blood to retain her youth, but the episode examines whether she was truly a serial killer or the victim of a political conspiracy designed to seize her vast wealth.

This blog post explores the "Monsters" episode of National Geographic's Bloody Tales of Europe , a six-part docuseries where historian Dr. Suzannah Lipscomb and journalist Joe Crowley investigate the grimmest chapters of European history.