Outlander has a number of real-life characters
Outlander, the popular historical drama series, is known for featuring real-life figures such as the Duke of Sandringham (Simon Callow) and Bonnie Prince Charlie (Andrew Gower). However, fans may be surprised to learn that Geillis Duncan, portrayed by Lotte Verbeek, is also based on a historical figure.
Introduced in season one, Geillis forms an unlikely friendship with Claire Fraser (Caitríona Balfe), who later discovers that Geillis, like her, is a time traveller. Both women are falsely accused of witchcraft by Laoghaire MacKenzie (Nell Hudson), leading to a trial.
Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) manages to save Claire, but Geillis is left to fend for herself. She secures her own rescue by blackmailing Dougal MacKenzie (Graham McTavish) after becoming pregnant with his child.
Geillis reappears in the West Indies in season three and again in season seven. Diana Gabaldon, the author of Outlander, based Geillis Duncan on a real 16th-century maidservant from North Berwick, Scotland.
The Brooklyn Museum reports that the real Geillis was accused of witchcraft by her employer, deputy bailiff David Seton, who became suspicious of her healing abilities. After observing and examining her, Seton subjected Geillis to illegal torture, reports the Scottish Daily Express.
Tragically, she confessed under further torture and was subsequently executed.
Despite this, she implicated many other innocent people as witches during her torture ordeal, leading to further trials and executions in what would become the North Berwick witch trials, sanctioned by King James VI. This dark period was also explored by British historian Lucy Worsley in her programme The Witch Hunts.
The show examined how these events triggered the start of the witch hunts. Worsley began her investigation in North Berwick, where the trial of healer and midwife Agnes Sampson set the precedent for witch hunts for the next century.
The series featured shots of historical texts bearing the name ‘Geillis Duncan’. According to Superstition, Information for the People, vol. 1 by William Chambers and Robert Chambers, one of Agnes’ confessions stated that Geillis had led a dance at the Auld Kirk of North Berwick. These real-life accounts were incorporated into Outlander, with Claire witnessing Geillis performing a pagan dance.
In the books, Geillis also made a blood sacrifice to travel through time and alter history to ensure the Jacobites’ victory.
Outlander is streaming on MGM+ via Prime Video now