Poussin et in arcadia ego. Mysteries of Poussin's painting Arcadian Shepherds

France in the era of Joan of Arc

The Hundred Years' War began in 1337 with an attack on France by the English king Edward III, who declared his rights to the French throne. Until 1415, the war went on with varying degrees of success: the French suffered severe defeats, but they still managed to keep a significant part of the country under control, and even at times recapture some territories. But in 1415, the situation for the French worsened sharply: civil strife in England ceased, and King Henry V of the new Lancaster dynasty began a decisive invasion of the mainland. In France itself, the internal situation was catastrophic, the country was formally ruled by the mad King Charles VI, and groups of Armagnacs and Bourguignons fought for real power in the country.

On October 25, 1415, French troops were defeated at the Battle of Agincourt. In 1416, the Burgundian Duke John the Fearless entered into an alliance with the English; he soon became the master of Paris and began to rule on behalf of the mad king together with the latter’s wife, Isabella of Bavaria. Dauphin Charles, the heir of Charles VI, only miraculously managed to escape to the south of the country.

To completely subjugate France, the British only had to unite occupied northern France with Guienne and Aquitaine, which they had long controlled in the south. The key point that prevented them from doing this was the city of Orleans, the operation to capture which began in 1428. The defenders defended bravely, but the outcome of the siege seemed a foregone conclusion.

Biography

Domremy - Chinon

The traditional date of birth of Joan is 1412, however, in the decree of Pope Pius X of January 6, 1904, adopted following the solemn meeting at which the matter of canonizing the Virgin was considered, the date was given as January 6, 1409/1408.

Joan of Arc was born in the village of Domremy on the border of Champagne and Lorraine into a family of impoverished nobles [ ] (according to another version - wealthy peasants) Jacques d'Arc and Isabella de Vouton, nicknamed Rome (Roman) because of her pilgrimage to Rome. Joan never called herself Joan of Arc, but only “Joan the Virgin,” specifying that in childhood she was called Jeannette.

At the age of 13, Jeanne for the first time, according to her assurances, heard the voices of Archangel Michael and Saint Catherine of Alexandria, as well as, it is believed, Margaret of Antioch, who sometimes appeared to her in visible form. After some time, they allegedly revealed to Jeanne that it was she who was destined to lift the siege of Orleans, elevate the Dauphin to the throne and expel the invaders from the kingdom. When Jeanne turned 16, she went to the captain of the city of Vaucouleurs, Robert de Baudricourt, and announced her mission. Having been ridiculed, Jeanne was forced to return to the village, but a year later she repeated her attempt. This time, the captain, amazed by her persistence, was more attentive, and when Jeanne accurately predicted the sad outcome for the French of the “Battle of the Herring” under the walls of Orleans, he agreed to give her people so that she could go to the king, and also provided him with men’s clothing - a chaperon, hook and shousse, and Zhanna until the end preferred to dress this way, explaining that in men's clothing it would be easier for her to fight and, at the same time, not cause unnecessary attention to herself from the soldiers. At the same time, two of her faithful companions, the knights Jean de Metz and Bertrand de Poulangis, joined Jeanne’s detachment.

In eleven days, having covered the distance through enemy Burgundian territory between Domremy and Chinon, at the end of February or beginning of March 1429, Jeanne arrived at this castle - the residence of the Dauphin Charles. The Dauphin took advantage of the fact that Jeanne wrote to him from Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois that she would definitely recognize him, and tested her by placing another person on the throne and standing in the crowd of courtiers. However, Jeanne passed the test, recognizing him. She announced to Charles that she had been sent by Heaven to liberate the country from English rule and asked for troops to lift the siege of Orleans. Then Karl and Zhanna stepped aside and talked for a long time in private, on what topic - this remained a secret. The courtiers noticed that Karl looked unusually happy after the conversation.

In Chinon, Joan amazed Charles VII and the young Duke of Alençon with her skill in horsemanship, her impeccable knowledge of the games common among the nobility: quinten (French. quintaine), a game of rings, - which required perfect mastery of weapons. During the acquittal process, Alain Chartier, secretary of Kings Charles VI and Charles VII, said the following about the interrogations conducted during the previous trial: “It seemed that this girl was brought up not in the fields, but in schools, in close contact with the sciences.” "

Karl, however, hesitated. He first ordered matrons to confirm Joan's virginity, then sent her to Poitiers, where she was to be interrogated by theologians, and also sent messengers to her homeland. After nothing was found that could cast a shadow on the girl’s reputation, Charles decided to transfer command of the troops into her hands and appointed her commander-in-chief. Leading French military leaders Etienne de Vignoles, nicknamed La Hire (in Old French ire means "anger, rage"), Poton de Centrale and Count Dunois, from last bit of strength who fought off English attacks in Orleans, were to come under her command. The Prince of Alençon became her chief of staff. Important role Such a bold decision was played by the fact that Jeanne, in the name of God, confirmed to Charles his legitimacy and right to the throne, which many doubted, including Charles himself.

Zhanna - military leader

After her appointment, armor was made for Jeanne (she received special permission from the commission of theologians from Poitiers to wear men's clothing), a banner and a banner. The sword for her was found in the church of Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois according to the command of Joan herself. According to legend, this sword belonged to Charlemagne.

The news that the army was led by a messenger of God caused an extraordinary morale surge in the army. The hopeless commanders and soldiers, tired of endless defeats, were inspired and regained their courage.

Trial and conviction

The trial began on February 21, 1431. Despite the fact that Jeanne was formally tried by the church on charges of heresy, she was kept in prison under the guard of the British as a prisoner of war. The process was led by Bishop Pierre Cauchon, an ardent supporter of English interests in France.

The English government did not at all hide its involvement in the trial of Joan of Arc, nor the importance it attached to this trial. It covered all associated costs. Surviving and published documents from the English treasury in Normandy show that these expenses were considerable.

In the hope of breaking the will of the prisoner, she is kept in terrible conditions, the English guards insult her, during the interrogation on May 9, the tribunal threatened her with torture, but all in vain - Zhanna refuses to submit and admit guilt. Cauchon understood that if he condemned Jeanne to death without getting her to admit guilt, he would only contribute to the emergence of an aura of martyrdom around her. On May 24, he resorted to outright meanness - he presented the prisoner with a ready-made bonfire for her execution by burning and already near the bonfire he promised to transfer her from the English to the church prison, where she would be provided with good care, if she signs a paper renouncing heresies and obedience to the Church. At the same time, the paper with the text read to the illiterate girl was replaced by another, on which there was a text about the complete renunciation of all her “misconceptions”, on which Zhanna put an end to it. Naturally, Cauchon did not even think of fulfilling his promise and sent her back to her previous prison.

A few days later, under the pretext that Zhanna put on again men's clothing(the woman’s was taken from her by force) and thus “fell into her former errors” - the tribunal sentenced her to death. On May 30, 1431, Joan of Arc was burned alive in the Old Market Square in Rouen. They put a paper miter on Jeanne’s head with the inscription “Heretic, apostate, idolater” and led her to the fire. “Bishop, I am dying because of you. I challenge you to God’s judgment!”- Zhanna shouted from the height of the fire and asked to give her a cross. The executioner handed her two crossed twigs. And when the fire engulfed her, she shouted several times: "Jesus!". Almost everyone cried with pity. Her ashes were scattered over the Seine. The museum in the city of Chinon contains remains that allegedly belong to Joan of Arc, although, according to scientists, these relics do not belong to her.

After death

The conviction and execution of Joan of Arc did not help the British - they were never able to recover from the blow she dealt.

In September of the same year it happened most important event- the final reconciliation of France and Burgundy, who concluded the Treaty of Arras against the British. The very next year Richemont entered Paris with an army. The decisive French offensive was delayed for several years by intrigue and rebellion at the royal court.

In 1449, the French launched an offensive in Normandy, which ended in victory on 15 April 1450 at the Battle of Formigny. Normandy was taken by the French.

On July 7, 1456, the judges read a verdict, which stated that every point of accusation against Joan was refuted by the testimony of witnesses. The first trial was declared invalid, one copy of the protocols and indictment was symbolically torn in front of the crowd gathered. good name Joan's was restored.

The image of Joan of Arc in culture

Memory of Joan of Arc

Notes

Her name was spelled differently until mid-19th century [ Pernu R., Clain M.-V. Joan of Arc. pp. 220-221]. She herself wrote her name as Jehanne (see www.stjoan-center.com/Album/, parts 47 and; the same is reported in Pernu and Clan).
It is traditionally believed that we are talking about Saint Margaret of Antioch, however, as V.I. Raitses notes in the book “Joan of Arc. Data. Legends. Hypotheses" (L.: Nauka, 1982. - Series " Scientific biographies"), no intersections between her life and cult and the life of Jeanne can be detected. The researcher, noting that Jeanne, in his opinion, did not distinguish between these two women, refers to the legend of “Margarita, called Pelagius,” set out in the “Golden Legend” of Jacob Voraginsky under the date October 8. The Golden Legend was never taken seriously by theologians, but it was one of the most read (and, as a result, very famous in oral retellings) books in the XIV-XVI centuries. It says that Margarita was very beautiful girl, but was brought up in such great good behavior and chastity that she even avoided the gaze of men. Wooed her noble youth, the parents agreed to the wedding, but Margarita, having decided to preserve her virginity, cut her hair and wore men's suit and under the name of her brother Pelagia took refuge in a monastery, was subjected to unjust persecution there, but patiently endured all the trials and ended her life in holiness, revealing her secret only before death. In 1455-1456, on the eve of Jeanne’s rehabilitation, several authoritative theologians wrote special treatises on the justification of Jeanne, collecting all the information about holy women who, for some reason, had to wear men’s clothing. “Margarita-Pelagius” is not mentioned by them, since she was never canonized, and her biography

Joan of Arc (1412 - 1431) was a national heroine of France who successfully commanded French troops in the Hundred Years' War. She was burned at the stake by the British as a heretic. Subsequently, the church canonized her, having previously rehabilitated her. In this article you will get acquainted with her biography and learn about interesting facts from her life

The date of birth of Joan is considered to be 1412, however, in the decree of Pope Pius X on the canonization of the Virgin, the date is January 6, 1409, which is most likely more plausible. Joan of Arc was born in the village of Domremy in the family of wealthy peasants Jacques d'Arc and Isabella Romeu. She never called herself Joan of Arc, but only “Joan the Virgin.” As a child, everyone called her Jeanette

House of Joan of Arc in Domremy. Nowadays there is a museum of the same name

Painting "The Vision of Joan of Arc" (artist Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1879)

When the heroine turned 17 years old, she went to the captain of the city of Vaucouleurs Baudricourt and told about her great mission. Naturally, he ridiculed her and Zhanna had to return to the village, but a year later she repeated her attempt. For the second time, the captain was struck by the young girl’s persistence. Jeanne predicted the defeat of the French at Orleans and he agreed to provide her with soldiers, as well as male military equipment. Subsequently, D'arc always dressed this way, citing the fact that it is much easier to fight in men's clothing. Such clothing, in addition, does not cause unhealthy attention among soldiers. Together with Jeanne, two of her faithful companions went to fight - the knights Jean de Metz and Bertrand de Poulangy

In March 1429, Jeanne arrived to the Dauphin, announcing that she had been sent higher powers in order to liberate the country and asked for troops in order to lift the siege of Orleans. She surprised everyone with her knowledge of military affairs and horse riding. The secretary of Kings Charles VI and Charles VII said about her: “It seemed that this girl was brought up not in the fields, but in schools, in close communication with the sciences.”

Karl still hesitated, but after all the checks (the matrons checked her for virginity, messengers found out about her in her area, theologians conducted interrogations) he still entrusted her with the army and the operation to liberate Orleans. In addition, Jeanne, in the name of God, confirmed to Charles his legitimacy and rights to the throne, which many doubted

For Joan of Arc, special armor is made (since she received permission from theologians to wear men's clothing), a banner and a banner. She was given the sword of Charlemagne himself, kept in the church of Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois

Charlemagne

Her next destination was Blois, where the army was already waiting, at the head of which Jeanne launched an attack on Orleans. The news that the army was led by a messenger of God inspired the soldiers and motivated them to heroic deeds. As a result, in 4 days D'Ark completely liberated Orleans, since the British were forced to lift the siege. Many military leaders considered this task completely impossible...

Military operations resumed in the spring of 1430, but proceeded rather slowly. The royal courtiers constantly tried to build all sorts of intrigues, as a result setting up a betrayal, because of which Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians. King Charles decided not to take any action to free Joan, and the Burgundians sold her to the British and transported her to Rouen

The photo shows the tower in Rouen in which Jeanne was imprisoned

The trial began at the end of February 1431. Formally, Jeanne was tried by the church, charged with heresy, but in prison she was kept under the guard of the British as a prisoner of war. Moreover, the trial was headed by Bishop Cauchon, a supporter of the interests of England, and the government of this country itself did not hide its interests in this matter. The British even paid all the legal costs and expenses associated with the case, which were quite significant.

Interrogation of Joan of Arc

Trying to break the will of the prisoner, she was kept in terrible conditions, constantly insulted and threatened with torture - but all this was to no avail, Zhanna did not plead guilty. The death penalty without an admission of guilt, she would have created an even greater halo of a martyr around D "Ark, so the judges resorted to deception by slipping a paper renouncing heresies, which the illiterate girl had to sign, supposedly in exchange for a pardon. In fact, because of her illiteracy, she gave signature under the complete renunciation of all his errors

"Joan of Arc". Triptych

A few days later she was accused of having put on men's clothes again, when in fact they had taken away her women's clothes. As a result, the tribunal had no choice but to sentence the girl to death. On May 30, 1431, Joan of Arc was burned alive in the Old Market Square in Rouen with “heretic, apostate, idolater.” “Bishop, I am dying because of you. I challenge you to God’s judgment!” - Jeanne exclaimed and asked to give her a cross, and when the fire engulfed her, she shouted: “Jesus!” The ashes were scattered over the Seine, and her remains are allegedly kept in the Chinon Museum. But according to research, these relics do not belong to Joan of Arc

After the end of the war in Normandy in 1452, Charles VII initiated a process in order to acquit Joan. All documents were studied, all witnesses were interviewed, as a result of which everyone came to the conclusion that the execution was illegal. In July 1456, the judges read a verdict that completely exonerated the executed girl, restoring her good name

August 29th, 2013

A depiction of Joan of Arc, painted between 1450 and 1500. A lot has been written about her scientific research, and despite this - or perhaps precisely because of this, the controversy surrounding her fate not only does not subside, but, on the contrary, flares up with increasing force.

The official life story of the Virgin of Orleans dates back to the time of the Great french revolution and is described in detail in school textbooks. Joan of Arc was born in the village of Domremy, in Lorraine, in the family of the farmer Jacques d'Arc (Jacques or Jacquot d'Arc, around 1375–1431) and his wife Isabelle (Isabelle d'Arc, née Isabelle Romee de Vouthon, 1377– 1458) around 1412.

It was a difficult time for France. The Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) had been going on for more than seventy years, and during this time the French had lost most territory of the kingdom. In 1413, a revolt broke out in Paris. In 1415, the British landed in Normandy with an army under the command of a talented commander - the young King Henry V (Henry V, 1387–1422). In the autumn of 1415 it took place famous battle at Agincourt, as a result of which the entire flower of the French aristocracy was captured. The country has begun Civil War between the Burgundians and the Armagnacs, while the British, meanwhile, captured one territory after another. In 1420, a peace treaty was even concluded in Troyes, according to which the French throne was inherited by English king Henry V. But in 1422 he died suddenly, and a new round began in the Hundred Years' War.

At the age of 13, Jeanne began to have “visions” - she heard “voices”, talked with saints who called on her to go save France. The girl believed with all her heart in her unusual destiny. The saints who appeared to her hinted at a well-known prophecy, according to which one woman destroyed France, and another woman, and a virgin, would save the country.

The poor daughter of a plowman at the age of 17 leaves her father’s house, gets to Chinon, where the young King Charles VII (Charles VII, 1403–1461) was at that time, tells him about her destiny. He, believing her, gives her a detachment of knights to subordinate. This is how Zhanna's career begins. There will be battles, victories, the liberation of Orleans, after which she will receive the nickname Maid of Orleans. Then - captivity, accusations, interrogations and death at the stake in 1431. Everything seems to be simple and clear.

However, for several decades now official version systematically disputed by some historians, mainly French, pointing to certain incomprehensible moments in the biography of Jeanne. Why do chroniclers hesitate to name the date of the virgin’s execution? President Hainault, superintendent on the staff of Queen Marie of Leszczynska (1685–1770), who had access to French chronicles, gives the date of execution as June 14, 1431. English chroniclers William Caxton (1422–1491) and Polydore Virgil (1470–1555) claim that the execution took place in February 1432.

Doubters of veracity official biography Historians of Joan of Arc were divided into two directions: bastardism and survivalism.

The ideologist of the first movement was Robert Ambelain, a very freemason high degree dedication. He drew attention to the fact that the honors given to the Maid of Orleans at the French court did not in any way correspond to her official status as set out in the traditional biography. So, for example, Jeanne was given a whole retinue; she was allowed her own banner; she was dressed in expensive knightly armor with golden spurs; the size of the ransom for her corresponded to the ransom for a person of royal blood. Moreover, the coat of arms of the Maid of Orleans has the same colors and symbols as the coat of arms of Charles VII. Isn't it too much for a simple peasant woman? Wasn't Jeanne really of royal blood?

Ambelain's guess was confirmed in 1934, when historian E. Schneider discovered interrogation protocols of the Maid of Orleans in the Vatican archives. Among them is a report from two Franciscan monks who interviewed residents of the village of Domremy, where Joan of Arc was allegedly born. They all unanimously argued that the heroine of France was not a peasant woman at all, but none other than the daughter of Isabella of Bavaria and her husband’s brother Louis of Orleans. In editions of the book “History of the Royal Household” until the middle of the 18th century there is evidence that Isabella and Louis actually gave birth to a girl named Jeanne on November 10, 1407. In later editions, suddenly not only did this child's name change, but also his gender. For some reason, the girl Zhanna became the boy Philip. It is obvious that the History of the Royal House was edited by the Bourbons so that there could be no doubt about the veracity of the official biography of the heroine of France.

Thus, most likely, Joan of Arc was indeed of special royal blood, and not a rootless peasant, and was the sister of Charles VII and Queen Catherine of England. Henry VI Lancaster is, accordingly, her nephew.

In such a situation, the question arises: could such close relatives stubbornly insist during the trial of the Maid of Orleans on her burning, as follows from the official biography of Jeanne’

This is where the Survenists take over the baton from the bastardists, who openly say: the heroine of France was not burned. At the same time, they point out obvious inconsistencies in the official version.

Firstly, Jeanne was executed without a sentence from a secular court, which was completely unacceptable at that time.

Secondly, there is no direct evidence that it was the Maid of Orleans who was led to the stake: the face of the executed woman was covered with a cap. The execution took place “behind closed doors” - only English soldiers were present.

Moreover, the official date of Jeanne’s execution turns out to be more than arbitrary. Various documents indicate four different dates: May 30, June 14, July 6, 1431, as well as February 1432.

Zhanna’s strange and dizzying career itself raises many doubts. Medieval society was strictly class and hierarchical. For everyone in it, their place was determined among the Oratores - those who pray; Bellatores - those who fight, or Aratores - those who plow. Noble boys were trained to become knights from the age of seven, while peasants were treated like animals. How could it happen that a commoner was given command of a detachment of knights? How could knights, raised from birth as warriors, agree to be commanded by a peasant woman? What should be the answer to a poor peasant girl who stands at the gates of the royal residence and demands a meeting with the king in order to tell him about her “voices”?

Jeanne was received in Chinon by the king's mother-in-law Yolande d'Aragon, duchess d'Anjou, 1379–1442, Charles VII's wife Marie d'Anjou (1404–1463) and the king himself. She was brought to the court at the expense of the treasury, accompanied by an armed escort, which consisted of knights, squires, and a royal messenger. Many nobles had to wait days for an audience with the king, but the “peasant woman” was allowed in to see him almost immediately.

The Bulletin of the Society of Archeology and the Lorraine History Museum reports that “in January 1429, on the square of the castle in Nancy, Jeanne, on horseback, took part in a tournament with a spear in the presence of the nobility and people of Lorraine.” If we take into account that fighting in tournaments was possible only for the nobility, that shields with the emblems of the combatants were displayed around the lists, then the appearance of a peasant woman on it does not fit into any framework of that society. In addition, the length of the spear reached several meters, and only specially trained nobles could wield it. At the same tournament, she amazed everyone with her ability to ride a horse, as well as her knowledge of games accepted among the nobility - kenten, a ring game. She was so impressed that the Duke of Lorraine gave her a magnificent horse.

“Joan of Arc at the Coronation of Charles VII” 1854
Artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres

During the coronation of Charles in Reims, only Joan's standard (white, strewn with golden lilies) was unfurled in the choir of the cathedral. Joan had her own court staff, including a maid of honor, a butler, a page, a chaplain, secretaries, and a stable of twelve horses.

The stories about the honors shown to her on various occasions seem to contradict the assumption of her plebeian origin. Probably Robert Ambelain (1907–1997) - famous French writer, famous for his connections with modern secret societies Masonic and Martinist sense - was the first who decided to connect her nickname "Orléans", under which she appears, for example, in Voltaire's poem "The Virgin of Orleans" (La Pucelle d'Orleans), with another famous "Orléans" - the Bastard of Orleans (Le Batard d'Orleans, 1403–1468).

The Bastard of Orleans, or Jean Dunois, was the illegitimate son of Duke Louis of Orleans (Louis de France, Duc d'Orleans, 1372–1407) and Mariette d'Enghien. In his book “Drames and secrets of history” (“Drames et secrets de l’histoire, 1306–1643”), published in Paris in 1980 and translated into Russian in 1993, Ambelain proves that it is precisely the belonging to the Orleans dynasty that indicates nickname of the warrior.

Then the ease with which Jeanne was accepted at court, and the honors that were shown to her, and the fact that she took part in knightly tournaments and commanded knights, can be explained.

So, Jeanne’s father was Duke Louis of Orleans, which was also known to representatives of the dynasty (supporters of this version claim that in this case Joan of Arc was born in 1407). Jeanne’s rich wardrobe was paid for by Duke Charles d’Orleans (1394–1465), and the Bastard of Orleans, addressing her, called her “Noble Lady.” But who is Jeanne’s mother in this case? Following Ambelain, Etienne Weil-Reynal and Gerard Pesme believe that this is most likely Isabella of Bavaria (Isabeau de Baviere, 1371–1435), wife of Charles VI, mother of Charles VII. She long years was the mistress of Louis d'Orléans.

Charles VI, nicknamed the Mad (Charles VI le Fou, 1368–1422), could not stand the sight of his wife. She lived separately in the Barbet Palace, where Louis was a frequent guest. He was called the father of at least two of Isabella's children - Jean (born in 1398) and Charles (born in 1402). Jeanne's birth took place in this very palace, and she was immediately sent to her nurse Isabella de Wouton. It is also clear why the child had to be hidden. It was necessary to protect the girl, since her father, Louis d'Orléans, was killed by assassins just a few days after Jeanne's birth.

Here again we can highlight a fact that refutes the prevailing opinion that Zhanna was just a peasant woman. The daughter of a man named Jacques d'Arc and a woman named Isabella de Vouton simply had to be a noblewoman - the prefix “de” in the surname indicates noble origin. Representatives of the d'Arc family were in the royal service even before Joan was born. That is why this family was chosen to raise Jeanne.

How else can one substantiate the statement about her noble origin? The coat of arms given to her by Charles VII. The royal charter says: “On the second day of June 1429... the lord king, having learned about the exploits of Jeanne the Virgin and the victories won for the glory of the Lord, endowed... the named Jeanne with a coat of arms...”. According to Jean Jacoby's description in the book “La noblesse et les armes de Jeanne d'Arc”. Paris, 1937), the coat of arms was “a shield with an azure field, in which two golden lilies and a silver sword with a golden hilt, point up, crowned with a golden crown.” Golden lilies were considered the flower of France, in other words, a symbol of “princes and princesses of the blood,” which is also confirmed by the open gold Crown on the coat of arms of Joan. The king doesn’t even mention giving Jeanne a noble title, which means she already has it. With his coat of arms, he makes it clear that he considers Jeanne a princess of royal blood.

If we consider everything said to be true, then Zhanna will have to admit stepsister King of France Charles VII, half-sister of the Dukes of the Orleans dynasty - Charles and Jean Dunois, half-sister of Queen of England Catherine de Valois (1401–1437), sister of Charles VII, aunt of King Henry VI of England (Henry VI, 1421–1471) . In these circumstances, Joan's execution at the stake in Rouen in 1431 seems unthinkable.

It was impossible to burn a girl of such high birth on charges of witchcraft. The question of why this performance was needed is too complex and is the topic of a separate article.

Now we are talking about something else, about Jeanne’s life after... her official execution. To understand how Jeanne was able to avoid execution, it is worth turning to the description of this sad event: “In the Old Market Square (in Rouen), 800 English soldiers forced the people to make room... finally, a detachment of 120 people appeared... They surrounded the woman, covered... with a hood to the very chin..." According to historiographers, Jeanne’s height was about 160 cm. Considering the double ring of soldiers around her and the cap on her face, it is not possible to say with certainty what kind of woman she was.

Joan of Arc at the siege of Orleans. 1429

Doubts that d'Arc was burned become practically proven if we consider: she is not mentioned in the accounting books of those executed by the Inquisition. In other words, it turns out that the secular authorities had nothing to do with the burning of Jeanne, since they did not sentence her, and the Inquisition also had nothing to do with it, since, according to the documents, it did not execute her. Thus, the burning of the Maid of Orleans simply did not happen!

In an effort to confirm their guesses, revisionist historians were able to find documents from which it is clear: five years after the alleged execution, a woman appeared in Lorraine, identified by many as Joan of Arc. Among these were comrade-in-arms commanders and King Charles himself. On November 7, 1436, this person married the Comte de Armoise. Moreover, in 1438-39 she took part in the fighting in Aquitaine. A year later she went to Orleans, where she met Charles VII. Finally, Joan of Arc, married to de Armoise, retired from military and political affairs in 1440. The heroine went to Zholny Castle, where she lived until her death in 1449. She died under mysterious circumstances, just shy of 42 years old.
The real story of Joan of Arc raises many questions, and the main one is: why did her closest relatives put her on trial, achieve her execution, and then, apparently, save her by staging the execution?

It turns out that the answer to this question must be sought in events that occurred long before the birth of the Maid of Orleans herself.

As you know, the first rulers of France were the Merovingians. Related to them was the dynasty of the Aymerings of Septimania, which originated from certain Jewish princes. From the Aymering family were the brothers Godfrey of Bouillon and Baldwin of Flanders. They were the ones who organized crusades. In 1099, the brothers created the knightly order "Priory of St. Sion" with the aim of restoring the Merovingian dynasty in Western Europe and especially in France. As a subsidiary structure of the Order of Zion, the Order of the Templars was established in 1118. But soon friction begins between the orders, and they become independent, nevertheless maintaining strong ties with each other.

After the fall of the Crusader state in Palestine, both orders moved to Europe. The Zionists settled in Orleans, and the Templars settled in Paris, who turned out to be such resourceful businessmen that they entangled the whole of Europe in a financial web. Here it was almost impossible to find a monarch who did not owe the Templars a significant amount of money. Needless to say, in a similar situation they determined policy in Europe. This could not please the Zionists, who wanted to run everything themselves. In 1307, they finally broke relations with the Templars and began to strengthen their opposition to them. It was the members of the Priory of St. Zion who encouraged the French king Philip IV the Fair to defeat the Templar Order. In 1314, Grand Master Jacques de Molay, Prior of Normandy Geoffroy de Charnay and other major functionaries of the order were executed. However, the Templars were not completely destroyed, they went underground and managed to save their untold treasury by transporting it in 18 galleys to England. Moreover, they did not forgive either France or the Zionists for the defeat of their organization and began to take revenge.

A few months after the execution of de Molay, the offenders of the Templars, Philip the Fair and Pope Clement V, died under mysterious circumstances. Then all of Philip’s male descendants went to the next world. As a result, a struggle for power began in France between the Valois dynasty and the English kings, who wanted to seize the French throne. In the end, the Valois prevailed. But the English king Edward III, incited by the Templars, who had agreed to the accession to the throne of the Valois dynasty, retracted his words. This became the reason for the Hundred Years' War. In fact, it was unleashed by the Templars who went underground. They, burning with revenge against France, financed the English army from the order's treasury they had exported.

Obviously, the Zionians knew very well the background of the Hundred Years' War and tried to counteract the Templar underground.

The fighting proceeded with varying degrees of success, but France was devastated for a whole century by the British and the Burgundians who joined them, whose dukes were related to the last Master of the Templar Order.

On last stage During the Hundred Years' War, France, more than ever, needed national hero. It seems that the grandmaster of the Priory of Saint Sion from 1418 to 1480, Rene of Anjou, took up the preparation of this. Apparently, being the illegitimate daughter of royalty, Joan of Arc was brought up in the village of Domremy, which, being part of the order lands of the Zions in Lorraine, was under their careful supervision. The idea of making her a hero-liberator came to the grandmaster in the late twenties of the 15th century. It is precisely established that the first meeting of Jeanne and Rene of Anjou took place in the winter of 1429, and literally a few months later rumors spread throughout the country about a Lorraine peasant woman to whom the Savior himself appeared and predicted the liberation of France from the invaders. The propaganda machine of the Zionists and Charles VII quickly turned it into national heroine, instrument of justice liberation war in the hands of the Lord. If you look at it, it’s easy to see that the troops led by the Maid of Orleans fought no better than the French armies led by other military leaders. This is once again confirmed by her capture at the Battle of Compiegne.

When Jeanne found herself in the hands of the Burgundians, her closest relatives on both sides of the front were faced with the question: how to save the woman, because it was unlikely that her brother, Charles VII, and sister, Queen Catherine of England, wanted her dead. Only the Templars who had gone underground insisted on the heroine’s execution. The French were unable to buy it from the Duke of Burgundy, who, being a descendant of Jacques de Molay, simply did not make a deal with them. Therefore, her sister, Queen Catherine of England, took up the task of rescuing Jeanne. She easily bought her relative from the Burgundians, but she couldn’t just let her go. If she did this, the underground Templars would best case scenario they would have deprived the English army of funding, and in the worst case, they would have easily sent the British queen to the next world, as they did with Philip the Fair.

To get around all these obstacles, Catherine started a fake trial and a fake execution of Joan of Arc. In fact, the Maid of Orleans was released. The scam of the English queen was revealed only a few years later, and the Templars reached Joan in 1449; In any case, this is evidenced by the mysterious circumstances of her death. The Templars did not go into open conflict with Catherine at that time, since England continued to regularly torment France, which they hated, with their money for another four years. Catherine's son, Henry VI, had to settle accounts with the behind-the-scenes puppeteers. It is possible that it was at the instigation of the Templars that the War of the White and Scarlet Roses broke out in the British kingdom, during which Catherine’s son was deposed in 1461, and six months after a short restoration, in April 1471, he again lost power, was taken into custody and killed under mysterious circumstances in the Tower of London.

The opinion that another woman was burned instead of Jeanne was shared by many chroniclers and famous people, both contemporaries of Jeanne and those who lived later. In one of the chronicles stored in British Museum, the following is literally said: “In the end, they ordered her to be burned in front of all the people. Or some other woman who looks like her.” And the rector of the Cathedral of St. Thibault in Metz writes five years after the execution: “In the city of Rouen ... she was raised to the stake and burned. That’s what they say, but the opposite has since been proven.”

The materials of the trial prove even more convincing that the Maid of Orleans was not burned. Advocate General Charles du Lye, back in the 16th century, drew attention to the fact that in the documents and protocols of interrogations of the virgin there was no death sentence or official act certifying the execution of the sentence.

But if the Maid of Orleans was not burned at the stake, then what was her future fate?

In 1436, five years after the fire in Rouen, an entry appears in the documents of the noble des Armoises family: “The noble Robert des Armoises was married to Jeanne du Lys, a virgin of France... November 7, 1436.” The surname du Lys was borne by the sons of Jeanne's official father.

And in the summer of 1439, the Maid of Orleans herself came to the city she had liberated. She now bore her husband's surname - des Armoises. She was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of townspeople, which included many people who had seen her before. Another remarkable entry appeared in the city account book about the payment to Jeanne des Armoises large sum money - 210 livres “for the good service rendered to the city during the siege.” The heroine was recognized by those who knew her well four years ago - her sister and brothers, Marshal of France Gilles de Rais (1404–1440), Jean Dunois and many others.

Jeanne died in the late summer - early autumn of 1449 - it is from this period that the documents testifying to her death date back. Only after this did her “brothers” (meaning the sons of Jacques d’Arc) and her official mother (Isabella de Vouton) begin to be called “brothers of the late Joan of the Virgin” and “Isabella, mother of the late Virgin.”

This is what one of the most common today looks like alternative versions origin of the heroine of the Hundred Years' War.

Another version says that Joan of Arc is Marguerite de Chandiver, illegitimate daughter King Charles VI and his last mistress Odette de Champdivers (1385/89–1424/25). The king raised his daughter as a warrior for self-defense, since his two sons were destroyed in the struggle for the throne by supporters of Duke Louis of Orleans. And since Charles VII was an illegitimate son and could not claim the throne, a play about the “intervention of God’s powers” was needed.

This is how the myth of virgin who will save the country. This role was played by Margarita de Chandiver. Later, the image of Joan of Arc began to bother both Margaret and Charles VII - the constant supremacy of a woman over the army was unnecessary. Therefore, a plan was developed for Jeanne’s disappearance. Instead of Margarita de Chandiver, a completely different woman was burned at the stake. And Margarita - Zhanna lived long life and was buried in the basilica of Notre-Dame de Clery near Orleans.

But both versions we mentioned are similar in one thing: Jeanne’s life is much more complex and interesting than they try to convince us from school.

Official science does not recognize the arguments of supporters of alternative versions. But one way or another, the question of the origin of Joan of Arc remains open: it is not at all easy to dismiss the facts that speak of her noble origin.

[ Ilya Muromets - epic hero or a real person? or here are some interesting ones The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -

E that post about the martyr Saint Joan, how can one not remember her, and even on the day of her execution...
However, perhaps there was no execution at all... but on May 30 official history considers the day of the burning of Jeanne d'Arc, a simple peasant woman who is still known throughout and is especially revered in France as a national heroine.

Jeanne was one of the commanders of the French troops in the Hundred Years' War. Captured by the Burgundians, she was handed over to the British, condemned as a heretic and burned at the stake on charges of heresy and witchcraft. Almost five hundred years later (in 1920) it was ranked Catholic Church to the saints...

The Lord gave the people 4 promises through Joan: that the siege of Orleans would be lifted, that the Dauphin would be dedicated and crowned in Reims, that Paris, captured by the British, would be returned to the rightful king of France, and that the Duke of Orleans, who was then captured by the British, would return to his homeland. All this seemed incredible, but it came true exactly.

Her image was glorified in various artistic and literary works- including Voltaire and Schiller. Many scientific studies have been written about her, and despite this - and perhaps precisely because of this, the controversy surrounding her fate not only does not subside, but, on the contrary, flares up with increasing force.

The official history of the life of the Virgin of Orleans has existed since the time of the French Revolution and is detailed in school textbooks.

Joan of Arc was born in the village of Domremy, in Lorraine, in the family of the farmer Jacques d'Arc (Jacques or Jacquot d'Arc, around 1375-1431) and his wife Isabelle (Isabelle d'Arc, née Isabelle Romee de Vouthon, 1377- 1458) around 1412.

It was a difficult time for France. The Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) had been going on for more than seventy years, and during this time the French managed to lose most of the territory of the kingdom.

In 1415, the British landed in Normandy with an army under the command of a talented commander - the young King Henry V.

In the fall of 1415, the famous Battle of Agincourt took place, as a result of which the entire flower of the French aristocracy was captured. A civil war began in the country between the Burgundians and the Armagnacs, while the British, meanwhile, captured one territory after another.

House of Joan of Arc in Domremy. Nowadays it is a museum.

The poor daughter of a plowman at the age of 17 leaves her father's house, gets to Chinon, where the young King Charles VII (Charles VII, 1403-1461) was at that time, tells him about her destiny. He, believing her, gives her a detachment of knights to subordinate. This is how Zhanna's career begins. There will be battles, victories, the liberation of Orleans, after which she will receive the nickname Maid of Orleans. Then - captivity, accusations, interrogations and death at the stake in 1431... it seems that everything is simple and clear.

However, for several decades now, the official version has been systematically challenged by some historians, mainly French, pointing to certain incomprehensible moments in Jeanne’s biography.

Chroniclers hesitate in naming the date of the virgin’s execution. President Hainault, superintendent on the staff of Queen Maria Leszczynska, names the date of execution as June 14, 1431. English chroniclers William Caxton (1422-1491) and Polydore Virgil (1470-1555) claim that the execution took place in February 1432. Big difference.

Zhanna’s strange and dizzying career itself raises many doubts. Medieval society was strictly class-based and hierarchical. For everyone in it, their place was determined among the Oratores - those who pray; Bellatores - those who fight, or Aratores - those who plow.

The tower in Rouen, where Joan was interrogated, and the monument at the site of her burning.

Noble boys were trained to become knights from the age of seven, while peasants were treated like animals. How could it happen that a commoner was given command of a detachment of knights? How could knights, raised from birth as warriors, agree to be commanded by a peasant woman? What should be the answer to a poor peasant girl who stands at the gates of the royal residence and demands a meeting with the king in order to tell him about her “voices”? Were there a lot of cunning blessed ones with voices at that time? Yes, that's enough!

Jeanne in Chinon was received by the king's mother-in-law Yolande d'Aragon, duchess d'Anjou, 1379-1442, Charles VII's wife Marie d'Anjou (1404-1463) and the king himself. She was brought to the court at the expense of the treasury, accompanied by an armed escort, which consisted of knights, squires, and a royal messenger. Many nobles had to wait days for an audience with the king, but the “peasant woman” was allowed in to see him almost immediately.

How do you like this Zhanna, nude... and with a Nazi salute? Its from French artist Gaston Bussiere (1862-1929).

Some researchers believe that Jeanne's father was Duke Louis of Orleans, which was also known to representatives of the dynasty (supporters of this version argue that in this case Joan of Arc was born in 1407). Jeanne's rich wardrobe was paid for by Duke Charles d'Orléans Orleans, 1394-1465).

But who is Jeanne’s mother in this case? Following Ambelain, Etienne Weil-Reynal and Gerard Pesme believe that this is most likely Isabella of Bavaria (Isabeau de Baviere, 1371-1435), wife of Charles VI, mother of Charles VII. She was the mistress of Louis d'Orléans for many years.

Charles VI, nicknamed the Mad (Charles VI le Fou, 1368-1422), could not stand the sight of his wife. She lived separately in the Barbet Palace, where Louis was a frequent guest. He was called the father of at least two of Isabella's children - Jean (born in 1398) and Charles (born in 1402). Jeanne's birth took place in this very palace, and she was immediately sent to her nurse Isabella de Wouton. It is also clear why the child had to be hidden. It was necessary to protect the girl, since her father, Louis d'Orléans, was killed by assassins just a few days after Jeanne's birth.

Here again we can highlight a fact that refutes the prevailing opinion that Zhanna was just a peasant woman. Some researchers believe that the daughter of a man named Jacques d'Arc and a woman named Isabella de Vouton simply must be a noblewoman - the prefix “de” in the surname indicates noble origin. But such a tradition arose in France only in the 17th century. During the period described, this letter meant the prefix “from”. That is, Jeanne from Arc, so not everything is so simple...

"Joan of Arc". Painting by Rubens.

Representatives of the d'Arc family were in the royal service even before Joan was born. That is why this family was chosen to raise Jeanne.

Coat of arms of Joan of Arc. Illustration (Creative Commons license): Darkbob/Projet Blasons

How else can one substantiate the claim about her noble origin? The coat of arms given to her by Charles VII. The royal charter says: “On the second day of June 1429... the lord king, having learned about the exploits of Jeanne the Virgin and the victories won for the glory of the Lord, endowed... the named Jeanne with a coat of arms...”. Golden lilies were considered the flower of France, in other words, the symbol of “princes and princesses of the blood,” which is also confirmed by the open golden crown on Joan’s coat of arms.

The king doesn’t even mention giving Jeanne a noble title, which means she already has it. With his coat of arms, he makes it clear that he considers Jeanne a princess of royal blood.

If we consider everything said to be true, then Jeanne will have to be recognized as the half-sister of King Charles VII of France, half-sister of the Dukes of the Orleans dynasty - Charles and Jean Dunois, half-sister of Queen of England Catherine de Valois (1401-1437), sister of Charles VII, aunt King of England Henry VI (Henry VI, 1421-1471). In these circumstances, Joan's execution at the stake in Rouen in 1431 seems unthinkable.

It was impossible to burn a girl of such high birth on charges of witchcraft. The question of why this performance was needed is too complex and is the topic of a separate article.

Now we are talking about something else, about Jeanne’s life after... her official execution. To understand how Jeanne was able to avoid execution, it is worth turning to the description of this sad event: “In the Old Market Square (in Rouen), 800 English soldiers forced the people to make room... finally, a detachment of 120 people appeared... They surrounded a woman covered... with a hood up to the chin..." It is only in the paintings of artists that she is with open face and in smart clothes.

According to historiographers, Jeanne’s height was about 160 cm. Considering the double ring of soldiers around her and the cap on her face, it is not possible to say with certainty what kind of woman she was.

The opinion that another woman was burned instead of Jeanne was shared by many chroniclers and famous people, both contemporaries of Jeanne and those who lived later. One of the chronicles kept in the British Museum says literally the following: “In the end, they ordered her to be burned in front of all the people. Or some other woman who looks like her.”

And the rector of the Cathedral of St. Thibault in Metz writes five years after the execution: “In the city of Rouen ... she was raised to the stake and burned. That’s what they say, but the opposite has since been proven.”

Another remarkable entry appeared in the city’s account book about the payment of a large sum of money to Jeanne des Armoises - 210 livres “for the good service rendered to the city during the siege.” The heroine was recognized by those who knew her well four years ago - her sister and brothers, Marshal of France Gilles de Rais (1404-1440), Jean Dunois and many others.

This is what one of the most common alternative versions of the origin of the heroine of the Hundred Years War looks like today.

There are more than 20 films based on the story of Joan of Arc. The first of them was filmed at the dawn of cinema, in 1898. By the way, have you watched the film “The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc”? The film is from 1999, but I recommend it, where Joan is played by Milla Jovovich.

But the French remember and love Jeanne... and it doesn’t matter whether she was burned or not, the people’s faith in her martyrdom can no longer be refuted. This is already a personality - a legend...

Monument to Joan in Paris.

Pictures and photos (C) from different places on the Internet.

Let's see how different people- art critics, scientists and even the king - reflected on the meaning of life over Poussin's painting " Arcadian shepherds" Nicolas Poussin. Arcadian shepherds (1638?) Louvre, Paris.

Erwin Panofsky, (r.) American art theorist of German origin.

First, let's try to explain the meaning of the phrase if it is pronounced by the deceased. Elegy (ancient Greek λεγεία) genre of lyric poetry; a late poem with the character of thoughtful sadness. (Wikipedia). “AND I WAS IN ARCADIA” - “once I was with you in Arcadia, but now I’m not, now I’m already dead.” “I was once happy - in a distant, cloudless childhood, but now I’m no longer there...” This understanding of the phrase created the Elegiac tradition.

So, what does the inscription “And in Arcadia I” mean when it is pronounced by death? In the bustle of life, we all forget that we are mortal, but suddenly we encounter death and learn about its existence. Mid-14th century Early XVII century Middle of the 17th century Middle of the 18th century End of the 18th century

And one more version: What we have in front of us is not Arcadia, but Tuscany or Liguria (actually existing regions of Italy). Before us are not Arcadian shepherds, but shepherds (?) of Tuscany or Liguria. There are three of them. Fourth figure - dead girl. It is she who answers: “And I am in Arcadia” - she died and ended up in a place where there is no grief or suffering. Remember, according to one of our versions, the unfortunate Marsyas, tortured and killed by Apollo, also ended up there - in pre-Olympic Arcadia.