American Horror Story’s Real-Life Inspirations, Ranked by Accuracy

Delphine LaLaurie was a wealthy New Orleans socialite who became infamous for her monstrous cruelty. In 1834, a fire broke out at her mansion on Royal Street. When neighbors rushed in to help, they discovered enslaved people being held in horrific, tortured conditions in an upstairs chamber. The discovery caused an uproar, and an angry mob forced LaLaurie to flee the city. Coven uses her real name, her home, and her well-documented reputation for brutality. Then it adds immortality and a fictional, centuries-long feud with Marie Laveau.