Joan of Arc is the national heroine of France. Who is Joan of Arc: what did she do and why did they burn the famous Maid of Orleans
Despite the entire array of research information on the subject of Joan of Arc, whose appearance in world history was incredibly brief, but exceptionally bright, we have hitherto more we don't know than we know about the Maid of Orleans. The date of birth is hypothetical - traditionally called 1412, but in the papal decree, after Jeanne's canonization, another date is recorded - 1409, and perhaps this is more plausible, since the Catholic Church very scrupulously works with documents relating to the issue of canonization of one or another. another person.
Not a single lifetime portrait of Jeanne, if any, has survived - the only drawing, dated May 10, 1429, belongs to the pen of the impressionable secretary of the Parliament of Paris, when truly sensational news came to the city that the Dauphin's supporters had lifted the siege from the city of Orleans. Of course, Mr. Secretary could not see Jeanne personally, if only because Paris was under the rule of the Anglo-Burgundians, which is why he gave free rein to his imagination - in the not very skillful drawing we see a long-haired woman in a pleated skirt, with a sword and a banner, while Jeanne wore men's clothes and had a short haircut, as numerous witnesses from her circle report to us in a friendly chorus.
The surviving descriptions of appearance are no less stingy. Jeanne's hair was dark, her eyes were brown, and she was tall - for those times, of course. A 2005 study by the University of Tübingen, “The standard biological of living in Central Europe during the last 2000 years,” based on measurements of 9,447 skeletons from 314 graves, including general burials, indicates that the average height of a person in the 14th–15th centuries was 167 cm for men and 157 cm for women, that is, the “tall” Joan of Arc could well have been 170–175 centimeters tall.
The central question is the personality of the Maid of Orleans, which we can perceive exclusively through the prism of the memories of her contemporaries and documents from both the indictment and the subsequent rehabilitation process. Moreover, there is one significant “but” here - the court documents are not a detailed transcript of Jeanne’s statements, but bureaucratic records that rather reflect the attitude of representatives of the church court towards the accused than convey to us the thoughts of the Virgin. Doctor of Historical Sciences and modern Russian medievalist Olga Togoeva accurately formulated the essence of the problem:
“It’s much more difficult to understand who she really was and who she thought she was. It seems to me that we will never know the answers to these questions, we will not see Zhanna “in action”, we will not hear her own words. Documents that have survived from the 15th century cannot give us a complete picture of how she herself assessed her own actions and, above all, the choice that she made, leaving her home and family, the usual village way of life, refusing marriage and devoting herself entirely to the cause of war.” .
Even more questions are raised by Jeanne’s circle and the historical figures who sympathized with, helped and guided her. Among them were very strange, if not sinister, characters who could hardly be imagined among those close to the future saint. Let's get to know some of them.
...He was young, handsome and incredibly rich. By the time he met Jeanne, Gilles de Montmorency-Laval, Baron de Ré, was 24 years old - by medieval standards, this is the age of heyday and entry into maturity. On his father's side, Gilles de Rais was the great-nephew of one of the greatest commanders of the Hundred Years' War, Bertrand Du Guesclin. He inherited a fantastic fortune, the area of his land exceeded that of the Duke of Brittany, and the family controlled almost half of the saltworks in Brittany and, accordingly, received fabulous income from the export of this incredibly valuable product at that time.
“Gilles de Laval, Monsieur de Ré” (artist Elio-Firmin Feron, 1835)
It can be said that Gilles de Rais for some time supported the “Bourges king” at his own expense and financed military operations, since the Dauphin Charles’s finances were extremely bad, and the baron was, although not the most convinced, but still an Armagnac who did not spare funds for the senor. Finally, thanks to his grandfather and guardian, Jean de Craon, Gilles de Rais received an excellent education. He read at least Latin and ancient Greek and was fond of collecting books, amassing a rich library - a rather rare phenomenon for the chivalry of the 15th century, with its morals coarsened by decades of war. At the same time, he showed himself to be an excellent military man, an impeccable knight and an absolutely fearless person.
Such a good fellow was presented to the court of the Dauphin approximately in 1427, when Georges de La Tremouille, to whom Baron de Re was a distant relative, became constable of France (more precisely, what was left of France after the Treaty of Troyes). What followed is well known - a rapid court career, participation together with Joan of Arc in the Affair of Orleans and the Battle of Pathay, the coronation of the Dauphin in Reims, the title of Marshal of France at the age of 25. However, in 1432, the political and military star of Gilles de Rais set, he retired to his domain, where he was engaged in writing and even theater - he commissioned the “Orleans Mystery” to be written, praising the exploits of Jeanne and, of course, her comrades. Then he surrounds himself with alchemists and magicians, allegedly engages in witchcraft and demon worship, and in 1440 he is put on trial on charges of serial murder, sodomy, witchcraft and, as they usually wrote in the protocols of the Inquisition, “other innumerable abominations.” The verdict was guilty, Gilles de Rais was executed in Nantes on October 26, 1440, a decade after his farewell to Jeanne...
The second of Jeanne's closest associates, the Gascon Etienne de Vignolles, Seigneur de Coucy, nicknamed La Hire ("Anger"), was the complete opposite of the sophisticated and educated Gilles de Rais, who - just imagine - read books! Perhaps there was no more repulsive character in the circle of the Dauphin Charles: according to all reports of contemporaries, the only characteristic that applies to La Hire is that of an inveterate hanged man. It was Vignolles, according to legend, who came up with a wonderful aphorism, completely in the spirit of his character: “If God were a soldier, he would also rob!”
La Hire could neither read nor write, was distinguished by a phenomenal talent for foul language, had a completely unbridled and ferocious character, was ugly in appearance, had a strong limp - he was left disabled after an absurd incident when a chimney collapsed on him in one of the dirty inns, breaking his right leg in several places. The classic type of robber knight! After the burning of Joan in Rouen, La Hire took personal revenge on the Bourguignons, piling up literally piles of corpses over the course of several years. In the spring of 1429, with the appearance of Jeanne in Chinon, this grunt was about forty years old - and such a respectable age, taking into account the incessant battles, means one thing: he was a very high-class professional.
Portrait of La Hire (artist Louis-Felice Amiel, 1835)
The mystery of Joan of Arc’s personality lies in the fact that the Virgin almost instantly managed to charm such different people as Gilles de Rais and La Hire. If Dunois, Alençon or Poton de Centrale, who walked with Jeanne to Orleans, were generally ordinary people for their era, then this couple stands out especially clearly against the general background - especially considering what we know about Baron de Rais and Etienne Vignolet. La Hire turned out to be one of the first who recognized the Virgin as a divine sign, a symbol, and believed in her completely sincerely - and this thug, we note, can hardly be called an impressionable and sensitive person.
Jeanne forced Vignolles to go to confession, although he treated church rituals without much reverence; finally, Jeanne, who was completely intolerant of foul language and blasphemy, forgave him for the most vulgar ambiguity - the Virgin swore by the staff of her banner, La Hire adopted this manner and also began to swear by his “staff.” The fact that Jeanne had a serious influence on this violent type is undeniable, but it is absolutely incomprehensible how and why the mercenary, for whom killing a person was as simple as blowing his nose, unconditionally believed her and humbled his creepy temper. More precisely, he believed in the Virgin, which, however, did not stop him from later mercilessly releasing the guts of the Burgundians as a bloody vendetta for Jeanne.
La Hire and Poton de Centrale (miniature
XV
century)
An even more complex situation arises with Gilles de Rais in light of his further activities and the charges brought against him. A good education then included a mandatory course in theology, and in general, the Breton baron should have had a good understanding of religious subtleties, being able to distinguish a fraudster from a potential saint. Moreover, Gilles de Rais's fascination with the occult and alchemy (fully proven by witnesses) implied that the young man was interested in Hermetic knowledge from his youth, and therefore, he was attracted to everything connected with the “otherworldly.” Is this not the secret of his infatuation with Jeanne, in which, however, like La Hire and the others, there was not the slightest shade of sexuality?
Well, if we assume that all the horrors that Gilles de Rais allegedly committed in the next decade (those who wish can inquire about the terrifying details of the charges in his case on their own) are at least a quarter real, then what happens? Jeanne, whom even skeptics do not deny a greater or lesser gift of clairvoyance, failed to discern the monster in him? Therefore, she is not such a saint after all? Or vice versa - ten years later Gilles de Rais became the victim of a falsified accusation? By the way, the latest version also exists and is discussed in detail by researchers.
Here it would be interesting to mention the conclusion given by the commission of theologians in Poitiers, where Jeanne was sent shortly after her appearance in Chinon:
«… In her, Zhanna, they found nothing evil, but only goodness, humility, virginity, piety, honesty, simplicity. The owners with whom she lived, Jean Rabaté and his wife, confirm that every day after dinner she spent a long time on her knees in prayer, and sometimes prayed at night, and that she often went to the home chapel, where she prayed for a long time».
What is characteristic is that this recording was made not by reverent admirers of Jeanne like Gilles de Rais or La Hire, but by people whose sphere of professional activity included the obligation to give to the state authorities a clear and not requiring double interpretation description of the girl from Domremy - these were bureaucrats who were not prone to sentimentality , many of whom participated in the inquisition processes and were well aware of their personal responsibility in the event of a mistake. But even here we see an unusually unanimous opinion - the Virgin Joan represents almost the ideal of Christian service. It was impossible to deceive these seasoned specialists, who ate ten dogs in the field of determining possession and knew exactly the criteria of good and evil in terms of church law of the 15th century. Does this mean that Jeanne’s “magic” had an impact on them too?
Let's use Occam's principle - the simplest and most rational explanation of a certain phenomenon is the most correct. Whether the Dauphin or Messrs. de Re, Vignolles, Dunois or Alençon, the priests in Poitiers encountered unalloyed purity of faith, without the slightest shadow of guile or pretense. Sincerity always inspires trust and sympathy, especially since the “mass unconscious” of French society of that period longed for a miracle, a miracle, a mystical deliverance. We superimpose all this on the religious mentality, on the imaginary or true visions of Jeanne, and we get the Virgin of Orleans, “Lady Hope,” as the French researcher Regine Pernu designated this phenomenon.
Prayer of Joan of Arc (artist Zoe-Lauré de Chatillon,
XIX
century)
After a short visit to Poitiers, Jeanne is transported back to Chinon, and from the Dauphin's court to Tours. Following is the order of Charles de Valois: “...make armor for the Virgin suitable for her body”, that is, take measurements and forge armor to Jeanne’s size. Archiving in the 15th century was no worse developed than it is now, and the surviving treasury records report that for the armor the armorer Jean Dupuis received 100 full Tours livres - taking into account inflation, a very respectable amount. The gold content of the Tours livre was 8.27 g of pure gold or approximately 490 g of silver, that is, Joan's armor cost the Dauphin 820 g of gold. At the same time, the famous banner of Joan of Arc was ordered, worn on a spear shaft. Problems arose with weapons - back in Vaucouleurs, Captain Robert de Baudricourt gave the Virgin a very ordinary sword, for defense against a possible attack on the road. However, Jeanne demanded that a messenger be sent to the town of Saint-Catherine-de-Fierbois, where she stopped on the way to Chinon. We quote the chronicles:
“...She knew from her voices that the sword was there, and she had never seen the person who went for the said sword. She wrote to the priests of the church of this town: rejoice that I will have the sword, and send it to me. The sword was buried shallowly and, as it seemed to her, behind the altar; however, she did not know exactly whether it was behind or in front of the altar. She also said that as soon as the sword was found, the priests of this church should clean it, and the rust would immediately disappear; and the gunsmith from Tours went to get the sword.”
A distinctive feature of the blade was the five crosses engraved on it - anyone familiar with medieval heraldry will immediately determine what kind of sign it is: the coat of arms of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, founded in 1099. The symbolism is obvious - Jeanne was going on her Crusade. Another of the numerous and inexplicable oddities that accompanied the appearance of the Virgin.
Soon Jeanne goes to Blois, where the royal army was gathering and where her comrades who believed in the mission of the Virgin were waiting for her, including Gilles de Rais and the intemperate La Hire...
To be continued
Joan of Arc is the most prominent figure in the entire history of the Hundred Years' War (which took place in the 14th and 15th centuries between England and France). Despite the large number of publications about this intelligent and courageous person, there are many inconsistencies in her biography. But be that as it may, it was under her command that the French won several victories and, in the end, drove the British out of their territory.
Childhood
Zhanna was born in the village of Domremy into a family of wealthy peasants; besides her, the family also had four children. Zhanneta was no different from her peers, she grew up as a cheerful, kind and sympathetic girl, willingly helped around the house, herded cattle, and knew how to sew and spin flax. She didn't go to school and I couldn’t read or write. Since childhood I have been very pious As soon as she heard the bell ringing, she knelt down and began to pray.
Putting on a man's dress, the 16-year-old girl hit the road. Upon arrival at the place, the king gave Jeanne a test and after the young peasant woman passed it, she was assigned a military detachment.
Jeanne at war
Joan of Arc was not an experienced military leader, but natural intelligence and observation helped her defeat the enemy near Orleans. The message about the lifting of the siege on the city inspired the French, and they won several more victories and liberated the southwest of the country from the British.
A year later, the French under the command of Jeanne won a victory at Poitiers. This cleared the way, and the Dauphin and his army were able to enter Reims. On July 17, 1429, the coronation of Charles VII took place, Jeanne was next to him all this time.
In September 1429, the French attempted to liberate Paris but failed. During the battle, Joan was wounded, and the king ordered his army to retreat.
Zhanna remained with a small detachment and nevertheless entered the city.
Captivity and execution of Saint Joan
The popularity of the Maid of Orleans among the peasants grew every day, which greatly frightened Charles VII and his entourage.
On May 23, 1430, betrayed by her compatriots, she was captured by the Burgundians. Zhanna tried to escape twice, the second attempt almost cost her life: she jumped out of the window. Later in court she will be accused of attempted suicide. The king did nothing to free the girl, although according to the customs of the Middle Ages he could ransom her.
Then The Burgundians sold Joan to the British for 10 thousand livres, who handed it over to the clergy.
The trial, led by Pierre Cauchon, began on February 21, 1431 and lasted more than three months. They tried to accuse Jeanne of heresy and connection with the devil. By proving her guilt, the British could prove that Charles VII was ruling France illegally. But it was not easy to blame an illiterate commoner. The court was never able to obtain a confession of heresy from her.
Trying to break her will, her captives were kept in inhumane conditions and intimidated with torture, but she did not admit her guilt. Then she was accused of something that did not require proof - wearing men's clothing.
Cauchon knew that if he sentenced the girl to death without proof of her guilt, he would create the crown of a great martyr around her. Therefore, he resorted to meanness: they built a fire in the square and near it the bishop announced: if Jeanne signed a paper renouncing heresy, she would be pardoned and placed in a church prison, where conditions of detention would be better.
However, the illiterate peasant woman was given another paper, in which it was written that she completely renounced her errors.
Zhanna was deceived and again returned to prison for prisoners of war. Here they took away her women's clothes by force, and the girl had to put on a man's dress. This meant that Jeanne had committed the crime again, and the court sentenced her to be burned at the stake.
On May 30, 1431, the 19-year-old French heroine was executed in Rouen on the Old Market Square, and her ashes were scattered over the Seine.
By order of Charles VII, a quarter of a century after the execution of Saint Joan, another trial took place. 115 witnesses were interviewed who knew Joan of Arc during her lifetime. All charges were dropped from her and her feat was recognized.
In 1920, after almost 5 centuries, The Catholic Church canonized the Virgin of Orleans.
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Joan of Arc is the daughter of a simple peasant, who became a symbol of the liberation of France from English influence during the Hundred Years' War and was burned on charges of witchcraft.
This time was not easy for France: as a result of the intrigues of Queen Isabella of Bavaria, a humiliating settlement agreement was signed, according to which Henry V was recognized as the only legitimate ruler of the country. In fact, France completely lost its independence, and the Dauphin Charles VII could not do anything due to his small age and insufficient funds in treasury and lack of court support. A legend spread throughout the country that a fallen woman had destroyed the country, but the holy virgin would free her.
Liberator Mission
The biography of Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans) is quite well known. She was born in the village of Doremi, which is located on the border between Champagne and Lorraine, on January 6, 1412. The girl was very pious, and at the age of 12 she dreamed of the first message from St. Michael, who revealed to Joan of Arc her true destiny - to become the savior of France.
Joan of Arc heard the voices of saints who inspired and convinced her that she was the virgin savior. On March 6, 1429, the future national heroine arrived at the luxurious Chinnon Castle, where the Dauphin Charles was staying with his court, and persuaded him to gather an army for the war with the British.
Convincing Charles VII to fight turned out to be a very difficult task, then the girl had to admit to the Dauphin that she was chosen from above and hears the voices of the saints. Under the influence of Joan of Arc, the Dauphin decided to undertake a military campaign to liberate Orleans, a city that blocked the British’s path to the south of the country.
Previously, several attempts had been made to push the British away from Orleans, because the city occupied a strategically important position and was located near Paris and Reims, where the coronation ceremony of the heirs to the French throne traditionally took place.
It is worth noting some interesting facts from the life of the great Jeanne, especially her gift of predicting events. This was the case with the famous “herring battle,” which the French lost due to the slowness of the Scots allies and the indecision of the French themselves to launch an independent attack on the British supply convoys. According to historical chronicles, Jeanne, at a reception with the Dauphin, was able to predict this event in detail, which reinforced her reputation as a holy seer.
The Battle of Orleans was incredibly fierce, Jeanne herself took part in the battles more than once. The last assault ended in a decisive victory for the French, and the humiliated British retreated, abandoning most of the looted goods in the barracks.
Betrayal and death
Jeanne became famous for her courage and determination, and her white armor became a symbol of French victory. The English nobility were poisonous, because huge financial losses from an unsuccessful military operation threatened to ruin the crown, and at the same time them:
- The vast fertile lands of the south of France, which had long been in the possession of England, were lost.
- The military indemnity that the treasury was counting on was completely lost to the British.
- Loan debts put the representatives of the dynasty in a very difficult position for a long time.
This state of affairs could not last long; Zhanna began to be slowly removed from participation in military councils. The Dauphin longed for Jeanne to fulfill her destiny - to attend his coronation in the main church of Reims and thereby confirm the legitimacy of his power.
At the end of the summer of 1429, an attack on besieged Paris began, but the poorly planned operation was doomed to failure, which, in fact, happened. The king's troops failed and hastily retreated, despite Jeanne's insistence not to give up their positions. At the same time, the king’s advisers began to secretly blame the Maid of Orleans herself for the defeat and weave intrigues, which allowed them to completely remove the people’s favorite from command.
In the autumn and winter of the same year, Zhanna actively participated in minor clashes with the enemy as part of a small detachment. In the spring of the following year, Jeanne is captured by the British, who were eager to take revenge on her for the shameful defeat at Orleans.
The last, most tragic stage in Jeanne’s life begins, because no one was going to judge her fairly - the British sentenced her to death in absentia for what she had done for her homeland. It should be briefly mentioned that Joan was put on trial by the English church, accused not only of heresy and wearing men's clothing, but also of witchcraft.
Joan of Arc defended herself with incredible resourcefulness; she managed to refute stupid accusations of heresy. Jeanne also refused to wear men's clothing and armor, making a corresponding vow, and therefore was sentenced to prison for the rest of her life. But this decision infuriated the British, and later the girl was again charged with witchcraft, and on May 28, 1431, she was sentenced to be burned alive in the central square of Rouen. On May 30, the terrible execution took place, attracting crowds of onlookers.
Canonization and role in history
The terrible death of Joan of Arc remained in the people's memory for a long time; tales and traditions were composed about the folk heroine, most of which have survived to our times. In 1455, a process for the rehabilitation of Jeanne took place, and in 1920 the church canonized her as a holy great martyr. Her two brothers were granted by the highest grace a noble title and lands, as well as some benefits in paying taxes.
Residents of Orleans remembered the feat of Joan of Arc, and May 8 began to be celebrated as the day of the liberation of the city from the English invaders. The great celebration still opens with a solemn procession through the city: it is led by a girl whose armor sparkles with silver, and she sits astride a white horse with a banner. In 1435, the play “The Mystery of the Siege of Orleans” was staged, which told in detail about the girl’s role in the victory over the enemies, about her mental pain for the dead and wounded during the battles.
The position of women in the Middle Ages was terrifying, and the wave of “witch hunts” that swept across Europe led to the burning of hundreds of thousands of innocent girls and women. The male world rarely forgives a woman’s free-thinking and desire for freedom, and d’Arc had to pay a high price for her feat. Author: Natalya Ivanova
In May, back in 1431, the national heroine of France, Joan of Arc, was burned alive. She was the commander-in-chief of the French army during the Hundred Years' War. Since then, her image has become very popular. Books were written about Jeanne, songs were composed and paintings were created. We also could not ignore this great woman...
Merlin's Prophecy
Jeanne d'Arc was born in one of the villages of France in 1412. She was raised in a family of peasants. According to some reports, her parents were very wealthy people. Jeanne also had a sister and three brothers.
Since childhood she was called Jeanette. Initially, she was very religious and always obeyed her father and mother unquestioningly. They say she was a fairly educated girl. Jeanne knew geography very well, successfully threw spears and generally knew how to behave at court.
The childhood of this legendary woman was in the so-called. Hundred Years' War. The northern regions of the state recognized the English monarch Henry VI as their ruler. And the southern part is Charles VII. He was considered the illegitimate son of King Charles VI. And that is why he could claim the crown of France solely as the Dauphin, and not at all the rightful heir to the throne.
In addition, a legend was passed down from generation to generation that only a virgin could save the country. According to legend, this prophecy was made by the legendary wizard Merlin. By this time, Jeanne d'Arc had long referred to herself as “Joan of the Virgin.”
Jeanne's Revelations
When Jeanne was thirteen years old, according to her, she began to hear some voices that called on the girl to save the country, namely to lift the blockade of Orleans, elevate the illegitimate king to the throne and ultimately finally expel the English from France. Over time, Jeanette finally convinced herself that she was called upon to help the country and people.
At the age of seventeen, she left her parents' home and went to a neighboring area. There was only one purpose for this visit - she wanted to inform the captain of the royal troops, Robert Baudricourt, about her mission - to save the country.
The brave warrior ridiculed her and sent her home. Nevertheless, after some time, Zhanna returned to the captain again with the same words. The girl was too persistent, and the captain finally helped her negotiate an audience with the Dauphin.
Sword of Charlemagne
In the early spring of 1429, Joan of Arc, whose (brief) biography became the subject of our review, went to the Dauphin, who decided to give her a serious test. When she appeared in the palace, he placed a completely different person on the throne, and he himself stood in the crowd of courtiers. Jeanette managed to pass this test, because she recognized the king.
Then the matrons checked her for virginity, and the messengers found out all the possible information about her in her area. As a result, the Dauphin not only decided to entrust his army to her, but also agreed to an army operation to liberate besieged Orleans.
The leader of the army was allowed to wear men's clothing and, accordingly, special armor was made. She was also presented with a banner. In addition, she was given the sword of Charlemagne himself, which was kept in one of the French churches.
Lifting the blockade of Orleans
Jeanne with combat troops went to Orleans. The French warriors, who already knew that the army was led by a messenger of God, were ready to fight.
As a result, in just four days the soldiers liberated the city. The Hundred Years' War was coming to an end. The siege of Orleans was lifted. This turned out to be a real event, which ultimately determined the outcome of this protracted war.
In addition, the French soldiers finally believed in the chosenness of their leader and from then on began to call her the Maid of Orleans. By the way, every year, on the eighth of May, the population of the city celebrates this day as the main holiday.
Meanwhile, Joan's army set off on a new campaign. The army acted with enviable speed and determination. As a result, the combat units took Jargeau, and a couple of days later a decisive battle took place with the British army. The French side completely defeated the invaders.
Bloodless campaign and coronation of the Dauphin
Jeanne's next campaign is called "bloodless" in history. Her army approached Reims. French monarchs are traditionally crowned in this city. On the way to Reims, the cities opened their gates to the army of the chosen one of God.
As a result, in the middle of the summer of 1429, the Dauphin was officially crowned, and Jeanette was honored as the liberator of the country. In addition, as a sign of gratitude and recognition of her services, Charles decided to give her and all her relatives a noble title.
After the ceremonial events, Jeanne Darc (a brief biography of this woman is in every history reference book) tried to convince the king to launch an attack on the French capital, which by this time was occupied by the British. Unfortunately, the assault on Paris was extremely unsuccessful. The commander-in-chief was wounded, the offensive was stopped, and the military units were disbanded.
Betrayal
Nevertheless, hostilities resumed again. This was in the spring of 1430. The leader of the army walked towards Paris, and along the way an important message arrived: the British had besieged the city of Compiegne, and its inhabitants asked for her help. And then Jeanne’s army decided to go to the besieged city.
At the end of May, as a result of betrayal, the commander-in-chief was captured. During the battle, Jeanne broke through to the gates of Compiegne, but the bridge was raised, and this cut off her escape route.
Having learned that Jeanne Darc (a short and tragic biography is outlined in our article) was captured, Karl did not take any action to free her. As a result, the prisoner was sold to the British. She was transported to Rouen, where one of the most ridiculous trials in history began...
Massacre
The trial of Jeanne began in the middle of winter 1431. The British government did not hide its involvement in the case and paid all legal costs.
The unfortunate girl was accused not only of witchcraft, but also of wearing a man's suit, etc.
Twice Jeanne Darc (a brief biography describes this episode from her life) tried to escape from prison. The consequences of the last escape were very disastrous for her. The girl almost died after jumping from the top floor. Later, the judge regarded this fact of flight as a mortal sin - suicide.
As a result, she was sentenced to death.
After the verdict, she turned to the Pope, but while the answer was coming from him, Jeanne was burned at the stake. It was May 30, 1431. The ashes of the unfortunate woman were scattered over the Seine.
Many did not want to believe in the death of the Maid of Orleans. Rumors spread that she was alive and had been rescued. Instead of Jeanne, another woman was burned at the stake, and d’Arc herself left France and got married. According to another version, the savior of France was the half-sister of Charles VII and escaped burning due to her high origin...
Rehabilitation
The trial of Jeanne and her brutal execution did not help the invaders at all. Thanks to her brilliant victories in the war, the British were unable to recover. In 1453, French units conquered Bordeaux, and some time later the Battle of Castillon finally put an end to this unbearable war that lasted a century.
When the battles died down, Charles VII initiated the process of acquitting the Maid of Orleans. The judges studied all kinds of documents, witnesses were interviewed. As a result, the court recognized that Jeanne’s execution was completely illegal. And a few centuries later she was canonized. This happened in 1920.
Memory
In addition to the traditional national day in honor of Joan - May 8 - an unnamed asteroid, which was discovered in the nineteenth century, was named after her. In the 70s, the so-called appeared. Joan of Arc Center. This institution contains all the documents that relate to her life and activities.
Of course, the story of Joan of Arc did not leave cinema indifferent. About 90 films were released about her.
Joan of Arc, whose film was first made back in 1908, is a true heroine. Even after many years, she remains on the brightest pages of history. Modern cinema also knows who Jeanne Arc is. Luc Besson's film "Joan of Arc" (1999) became one of the brightest and most notable. The main role was then played by the brilliant Milla Jovovich...
The famous historical figure Joan of Arc, whose biography (brief history) begins in the distant 15th century, is considered a symbol of freedom and masculinity. The girl was born in the village of Domremy around 1412 in the family of Jacques d'Arc and his wife Isabella. In addition to Jeanne, there were other children in the peasant family. Of all her brothers and sisters, the young heroine became best friends with her older sister Catherine, who later left married and soon died at a young age.
The house of d'Arques stood in the center of the village, very close to the local church. For some time, Jeanne's father held the elected position of dean of the community and, accordingly, the population of the village of Domremy valued and respected him. Many peasants listened to Jacques d'Arques as a sensible and wise person .
Joan of Arc: a short biography for schoolchildren
What kind of child was Zhanna? From early childhood, the girl became accustomed to feeling like a member of the family of a respected person and strived to live up to her father’s status. Young Zhanna helped her mother with housework, learned to cook and enthusiastically listened to her parents' stories about the beautiful maiden who would save their village. Throughout her life in Domremy, Jeanne saw the glow of numerous fires, the screams of fellow villagers and firmly believed that the Virgin of Orleans, whose arrival was predicted many centuries before, would liberate their native lands. According to legend, it belonged to a popular character in many legends and knightly stories. Joan of Arc firmly believed in all the predictions and legends of past centuries. A short biography for children includes key facts about the girl's biography. And these historical events are very reminiscent of the legends associated with the Maid of Orleans.
Joan of Arc: biography, summary
It is generally accepted that the year of birth of the young heroine is precisely 1412, however, the date of January 6, 1409 is indicated in the canonization document. She preferred to call herself “Joan of the Virgin” rather than Joan of Arc. In her early years, the young heroine was often called Jeanette by her family.
At the age of 13, Zhanna heard the voice of the Archangel Michael in her head, who told her to listen to his story and accept her fate. According to Michael's revelation, it was Jeanne who was the Maid of Orleans, and only she was able to free the besieged Orleans, thus expelling all opponents.
When the girl turned 17, she went to the city captain without hesitation. At that time, he was recognized as Vaucouleur Baudricourt, who ridiculed the girl’s story that she supposedly had to defend her native lands. However, Zhanna did not give up and the second time she was accepted into their ranks. The captain ordered several soldiers to be allocated to her after the girl predicted the defeat of the French at Orleans. Zhanna preferred to wear men's military clothing, arguing that in it she felt freer and stronger. Together with Jeanne, two of her best knights went to war - Jean de Metz and Bertrand de Poulangis.
Hostilities
The truly great heroine and martyr Joan of Arc, whose biography, a brief history of military affairs, begins with the siege of Orleans, was an unknown peasant woman. According to historical data, in March 1429, the young heroine arrived to the Dauphin, announcing that higher powers had determined her fate and predicted her victory. Therefore, she asked for an army in order to lift the siege of Orleans. The girl amazed everyone present with her extraordinary knowledge of military affairs and the intricacies of horse riding. Dauphin Charles hesitated for a long time, but after several days of deliberation he agreed to allocate an army to Jeanne in exchange for a promise that she had to confirm with higher powers his legitimacy and corresponding rights to the throne. Quite a large part of the population doubted that Charles was the rightful heir, which they were not afraid to express openly.
Further, after the king’s order, special armor and equipment began to be made for such a warrior as Joan of Arc. The biography, a brief history of the girl, is that throughout her life she defended her people, her lands and did everything in her power for this. She captivated many historians with her courage, masculinity and extraordinary faith in her victory.
Advance to Orleans
The next point in the course of hostilities was Blois, where Jeanne’s army was already waiting for her. The good news that their uprising was led by a girl sent by higher powers instilled confidence and courage in the warriors. Due to continuous attacks over 4 days, the young heroine lifts the siege of Orleans. Many military leaders of that time considered the mission to liberate Orleans from the British almost impossible.
Hostilities ceased until the spring of 1430. However, the royal courtiers disliked the young heroine and tried in every possible way to turn the public against her. After a long time, they finally succeeded. Thanks to the actions of the insidious courtiers, Joan of Arc was accused of treason, as a result of which she was captured by the British, where she was imprisoned in the tower of Rouen.
Trial
The trial of the heroine began in the last days of February 1431. According to the documents, Joan of Arc was tried by the local church, charging her with heresy and false testimony about higher powers. However, throughout the girl’s imprisonment, she was kept under the guard of the British as a prisoner of war. Bishop Cauchon of England did not hide his interest in the heroine’s case. just like the government of the country itself. The government of England fully paid all the costs and expenses associated with the Maid of Orleans. Joan of Arc, biography, whose short life depended on the decision of the British, fought to the last and believed in a higher power.
Interrogation and captivity
A short biography of Joan of Arc for grade 6 includes materials relating to her imprisonment in the tower of Rouen and some interrogations. During the entire time spent in captivity, the girl was mocked in every possible way, beaten and humiliated, thus showing their attitude towards her “false” prophecy. Most of the population of England considered her a false witness and a traitor to her homeland.
Execution of Joan of Arc
However, despite numerous tortures and threats, Joan of Arc did not break and did not admit her guilt. The sentence - death penalty - without an admission of guilt on the part of the accused, made the girl a martyr in the eyes of her people. Since the young heroine was illiterate, the judges decided to resort to deception, having slipped her documents for her signature supposedly about her release and return to her homeland. In fact, there was a certificate of complete renunciation of her predictions and an admission of guilt. Thus, the girl signed her own sentence.
On May 30, 1431, the girl was burned alive in the Old Market Square in Rouen. According to historical data, her ashes were scattered over the Seine. Joan of Arc, the biography whose brief history was completed so early, is a symbol of courage for many of us.
