Maid of Orleans, is amazing to such an extent that some doubt: did everything really happen like that? Without a doubt it was. There is a lot of evidence about this in historical sources: chronicles, letters, court records, preserved in both France and England.
Entire libraries have been written about Joan of Arc. scientific works And literary texts. Anatole France wrote about Jeanne; extremely subjective, but no less interesting for that – Voltaire. And the controversy surrounding the identity of the amazing French heroine does not subside.
Her life in history is less than 3 years - quite short term. However, these 3 years made her immortal.
She was amazing. Absolutely wrong though created at times school textbooks impression as if she had defeated the British. No, not only she, but France as a whole did not defeat the British in the Hundred Years' War in those years. This happened later. It is also not true that Joan of Arc led the popular movement. No, nothing like that happened. She was the king's commander.
She was presumably born on January 6, 1412. As always in the Middle Ages, the date of birth is inaccurate. But it is tragically indisputable that this very young girl was burned on May 30, 1431 in the square in Rouen.
After her death, scandalous rumors arose repeatedly, impostors appeared who called themselves after her. This is natural. Zhanna - too pure, too light image, seemingly perfect. And people, as you can see, have a base need in nature - to throw a lump of dirt into this purity.
Sadly, the great Voltaire was the first to throw dirt. It seemed ridiculous to him - a girl (a virgin in more accurate translation from Latin), a symbol of purity, surrounded by soldiers. However, if you look more closely at her life, everything can be explained.
Zhanna comes from the village of Domremi. She is a peasant and shepherdess by origin. Her last name is Dark; the spelling d'Arc, indicating nobility, appeared later. Some of those who attack Joan today simply do not want to acknowledge the historical role of a man of the people. That is why her peasant origin has been repeatedly questioned. Versions arose that she was the bastard daughter of the depraved Queen Isabella, sent to the village as a baby.
Meanwhile, during the rehabilitation process of Joan of Arc, a lot of evidence was collected. Eyewitnesses reported on her childhood, youth, and how she took part in all village holidays, when girls danced in circles.
Zhanna was born during Hundred Years' War, three years before the renewal of this great confrontation between the two leading Western European kingdoms. Officially, the war had been going on since 1337. Several events occurred major battles- and all were unsuccessful for the French. 1340 - defeat of the French fleet at Sluys, 1346 - defeat of the French army in the foot battle of Crecy, 1356 - victory of a smaller English detachment under the command of the Black Prince Edward over the army of the French king at Poitiers. French army she fled in disgrace, the king was captured. The feeling of national shame grew stronger in the country.
Immediately after the Battle of Poitiers, the idea of a man from a simple background who should bring salvation appeared among the people. In one of the chronicles there is a story about a certain peasant who crossed all of France. The fact is that an angel appeared to him in a dream and ordered him to go to the king and tell him not to accept the battle at Poitiers. Amazingly, the peasant was actually able to reach the king and ended up in his tent. The king listened and said: “No, I am a knight! I can’t cancel the battle.”
1360 - the most difficult peace for France was concluded in Bretigny: according to it, approximately half of the French lands were under English rule. There was a threat to the very existence of the French kingdom and Valois dynasty- a subsidiary branch of the Capetians, who ruled the country since the 9th century. This ancient, stable, strong, once strong kingdom could simply disappear!
So, France practically no longer exists. At the same time, many of the major feudal lords recognized Henry V as the future king of France. Some became his allies, such as the Duke of Burgundy.
Meanwhile, the girl Zhanna was growing up in her village. She was 13 years old when she first heard the voices of St. Catherine, St. Margaret and St. Michael, who began to convey to her the will of God related to the salvation of the country. The fact that she heard voices is not at all unique. There is such a phenomenon - medieval visionaryism.
Visions and voices from above are quite real for the man of the Middle Ages, with his inability and unwillingness to separate the heavenly, otherworldly life and the here, earthly life by impassable boundaries. For him, all this is whole, one. For example, at the court of the Dauphin Charles, who did not go into exile, but settled in the southwest of France, all sorts of sorcerers and prophets were willingly accepted and loved. In general, this figure is not so unusual for the era.
Legally, the king of England already ruled in France. But the French did not obey! The Dauphin Charles declared that he was the rightful heir, and his supporters crowned him at Poitiers. This was not the traditional coronation, which, according to centuries-old tradition, is held in Reims Cathedral, where the sacred oil for anointing kings is kept. And yet, the hopes of those to whom the already born concept of “France” was infinitely dear rushed to Charles. The not entirely legitimate king became the center of patriotic forces.
And so the 16-year-old girl Jeanne in May 1428, accompanied by a distant relative, came to the commandant of the nearby fortress of Vaucouleurs Baudricourt and said that she needed to go to the Dauphin Charles, because she had an order from God. First, she must meet with the Dauphin and gain the right to lift the siege of Orleans. Secondly, to achieve the coronation of the heir in Reims. God's will- recognize the legitimacy of its origin. It was impossible to provide him with more moral support at that moment. After all, for him main question– whose son he is, king or not.
At first, Baudricourt refuses, considering it all complete nonsense. But the girl was still standing under his windows in a red dress (it seems that she had the only one).
Afterwards the commandant of the fortress listened to her again. She spoke simply, but there was something brilliant in the clarity of her answers, in her conviction. And Baudricourt may have heard that at the Dauphin’s court they love prophets. This gave him a chance: what if he would be noticed if he could help this girl. Although it is possible that he really believed her. Something extraordinary emanated from her - thousands of people soon became convinced of this.
Jeanne was given escorts, and she went to see Charles, who was given an audience. There were many people in the hall where she was taken. Karl wanted her to be able to determine who the Dauphin was here.
And she recognized him. How could this happen to a simple peasant woman?
Be that as it may, a short conversation took place face to face between the Dauphin and Jeanne. And after that he agreed to have her checked special commission, who will make sure that she is not a messenger of Satan.
A commission of theologians gathered in Poitiers and talked with Jeanne. They also checked that she was a virgin. This was especially important. IN mass consciousness there was an idea: a woman would destroy France, and a girl would save it.
Where does this idea come from? The country is monarchical, moving towards absolutism, the role of the royal entourage is growing. People associated several stories from the Hundred Years' War with bad influence women for kings.
The wife of Charles VI is Isabella of Bavaria. A foreigner, which is no longer good. The husband is crazy. Ideal behavior of the wife in this case is hardly possible. It is difficult to say whether she was so depraved or simply politically chose the Duke of Orleans as her supporter. The Treaty of Troyes was also inspired by Isabella. She was able to persuade her husband to sign this terrible document. And the rumor kept saying: women are ruining France.
And the girl will save you. These ideas have biblical origins: the Mother of God is a symbol of purity and innocence.
At the very difficult moments Christians turn to her image of life. By the time Jeanne appeared at the court of the Dauphin Charles, there were already a lot of records about the Virgin in the chronicles. People were expecting her to appear. This is a case of mass emotional belief - a manifestation of the “collective unconscious,” as representatives of the French historical Annales School called it.
Jeanne led the lifting of the siege of Orleans. She fought fearlessly. A small figure in light armor, which was made especially for her, was the first to storm the small fortresses around Orleans. The British besieging the city settled in these fortresses (they were called bastides). Zhanna was the perfect target for them. During the capture of the bastide of Turel, she was wounded; an arrow hit her right shoulder. Jeanne fell, to the delight of her enemies.
But she immediately demanded that the arrow be removed and rushed into battle again. And yet her courage is not the main thing. Her opponents, the English, are also medieval people. They believed that the Virgin was capable of performing miracles. There are many records of such “miracles”. So, when Joan of Arc with a small guard was heading to the court of the Dauphin, it was necessary to cross the river, but he rose strong wind. Zhanna said: we need to wait a little, the wind will change. And the wind changed its direction. Could this happen? Certainly! But people explain everything as a miracle, which they always want to believe in.
The presence of Joan of Arc gave rise to unprecedented inspiration in the French army. The soldiers and their commanders (for example, the Duke of Alençon, who firmly believed in the mission of the Virgin) were literally reborn. They were able to drive the British out of the bastides, destroying the siege ring. Everyone knew what Jeanne said about the path that leads to the liberation of France: “Soldiers must fight, and God will grant them victory.”
Quite the opposite changes took place in the army. The British were shocked by the unexpected and such a rapid change in military happiness and began to believe in the divine will acting on the side of the French. Rumors spread that even at the beginning of the siege, God indicated to the British the need to leave the walls of the city by allowing the absurd death of the commander-in-chief, the famous commander Earl of Salisbury. The popular military leader, covered in glory, did not die in battle. He was killed by a cannonball during a skirmish near the walls of Orleans.
1429, May 8 - the siege of Orleans was lifted, the city was liberated. The first point of the order received by Joan of Arc from above has been completed.
From this time on, Joan of Arc was the official commander of the king. She is in her light armor, with a sword, which was miraculously found in the altar, with a white banner - a symbol of purity. True, in France White color also a symbol of mourning.
The second point remains. And Joan leads King Charles VII to Reims. The gates of cities occupied by the British are opened for her, the keys are taken out, crowds of people run out to meet her. If this does not happen, her army takes the fight. Jeanne was surrounded by commanders who believed in her - excellent warriors who had extensive experience. And these two forces united - spiritual and purely military.
The coronation took place in Reims. How many paintings have been written on this topic! Each era depicts this event in its own way. But, apparently, there is no doubt that Joan of Arc stood next to the king, now the legal Charles VII. She rode with him through the streets of Reims, and amid the cries of the crowd “Long live the Virgin!” sounded more often than “Long live the king!” Not every person can withstand this, especially someone like Karl, who longs for self-affirmation after for long years humiliation.
Probably, at this moment of victory and glory, Joan of Arc should have returned home. But she didn't want to. Her famous statement is: “I must fight to the end. It's noble." She sincerely believed in it. And she started taking Paris.
This is the beginning of the tragedy. Not because it was militarily impossible. Simply, by that time the king had already become hostile to her: he did not want Paris to be liberated by the hands of some peasant woman.
It is significant that Joan of Arc did not ask the king for anything for herself personally - only tax exemption for the residents of her native village. And even this privilege was not given forever: then the zoning was changed, the boundaries were clarified - and that’s it, the peasants from Domremi lost all their advantages.
For herself, Zhanna did not need anything - just to fight on. It should be noted that at this moment she moved on to that part of her activity that was not prescribed to her from above.
The battle for Paris took place. The British resisted desperately. According to one version, they heard rumors that Jeanne had lost her virginity and was no longer afraid of them. But the main thing is that at the height of the assault, the king gave the order to sound the all-clear signal. The generals could not help but obey the king's order. The assault failed, and Joan of Arc was wounded in the thigh. The enemies gloated: she is not invulnerable! But she never declared herself invulnerable.
After this failure, Zhanna felt that everything had changed, she was being forced out: they were not listening, they were not inviting her to the military council. And in April 1430 she left the court. She joined the army that recaptured castles and fortresses in the Loire River valley from the British.
1430, May 23 - near the city of Compiegne she was captured. The portcullis of the gate lowered in front of her as she returned to the city after a sortie. It fell into the hands of the Burgundians. In December they resold it to the British. It is not known for sure whether Joan of Arc was betrayed at Compiegne. But there is no doubt that she was betrayed earlier - near Paris, just as she was betrayed later, when they did not try to recapture or ransom it from the British.
The English decided to try Jeanne, accusing her of serving the devil. Charles VII was afraid to offer a ransom for her. Apparently, he assumed that she would waver, renounce, admit that she was from the devil. Then from whose hands did he receive the crown?
The most difficult process lasted from January to May 1431. The investigation was headed by the French bishop Cauchon, translated from French as “pig”. Since that time, the word “cauchon” has been associated in France with the theme of national betrayal. An unjust church court found her guilty of heresy.
She was able to maintain her convictions, the belief that she was a messenger of God, although there was a moment when she wavered. She was ready to admit that she had sinned because she wore a man's suit. At the trial, she answered very cleverly, “being all the time among men, where it is much more decent to be in a man’s suit.”
More than 20 years later, in 1456, Charles VII, who continued to fight the British and went down in history as the Victor (by the 50s of the 15th century, the British were ousted from France), organized the process of rehabilitation of Joan of Arc. Now he had to cement the bright image of the Virgin in the memory of generations. Numerous witnesses were called and spoke about her life and her purity. The verdict was passed - to annul the conviction of Joan of Arc as unfounded. And in 1920, the Catholic Church canonized her.
Today we understand that it is during short life Jeanne's life took shape and the French nation rose to its feet. And also the French monarchy. And Voltaire did not like Jeanne precisely because he saw in her a desperate champion of the monarchy, not understanding that in the Middle Ages the king and the nation, the king and France were one and the same. And Joan of Arc forever gave us a beautiful luminous point of her life, unique, like a masterpiece of art.
From 1337 to 1453, France “raged” Hundred Years' War between France and England. This, of course, does not mean that for all 116 years people constantly fought and killed each other. Been going on for some time active actions, then they faded away, and the inhabitants of the warring countries received a respite for a couple of decades.
As a matter of fact, at that time the whole world lived in a similar way. Peaceful life was interrupted by military clashes, which gradually turned into quiet and peaceful times. Today the situation is almost the same. Military conflicts break out in one place and then in another. In this case, both military personnel and civilians die.
So there is no need to overdramatize that distant time, especially since it was a dynastic war, where various people fought for the throne. political forces. But, as always, it was the people who were at the extreme. During the Hundred Years' War, the population of France decreased by two-thirds. But people mostly died not at the hands of enemies, but from epidemics. What was the cost of the plague epidemic of 1346-1351? She destroyed half of the French, turning the country into a semi-desert.
In the 15th century, the inhabitants of France were so tired of the British claims to the French throne that the war became national traits struggle for independence. People are tired of constant strife and claims to the crown.
At the beginning of the second decade, a rumor spread throughout the country that France would be saved Virgin. When it would appear, where it would come from, no one could say. But many church ministers told the flock that the coming of the Virgin was just around the corner.
It is she who will put an end to the strife, murders and proclaim the man to whom the throne will rightfully belong as the king of France. She will also defeat the hordes of the British, and the people will finally receive the long-awaited and eternal peace.
Meanwhile, life went on as usual. People lived, died, were born. In 1412, in the village of Domremy, on the border of Champagne and Lorraine, in a rich peasant family a girl was born. They named her Zhanna. The child’s full name was: , since the baby’s father was Jacques d’Arc (1380-1431). The mother was Isabella de Vouton (1385-1458), who, in addition to Jeanne, gave birth to a girl, Catherine, and three boys: Pierre, Jean and Jacqulot.
Some meticulous people may be confused by the letter “d” in the name of a simple peasant girl. We are all accustomed to thinking that such a letter (apostrophe) was attached only to noble names. Let's remember d'Artagnan from " Three Musketeers" But the thing is that such a tradition arose only in the 17th century. During the period described given letter meant the prefix “from”. That is, Jeanne from Arc. Such a town existed in the 15th century. It was located just a few kilometers from the city of Chaumont, just in the Champagne region. Champagne itself, as we all know, is located in the northeast of France.
The house where Joan of Arc spent her childhood
Life in a rich peasant family did not at all involve idle pastime. Zhanna from the very youth I knew hard work. She tended cows and fed pigs and chickens. The girl learned to ride a horse early, like any other French woman who lived in that distant time. She skillfully handled edged weapons. This was necessary for self-defense. After all, the war gave birth to a lot of motley public hanging around France.
As it says official version, from the age of 13, our heroine began to have visions. She contemplated the Archangel Michael, as well as the Great Martyr Catherine of Alexandria. Saint Margaret of Antioch also came to her. Allegedly, they all pointed out that it was Jeanne who was the Virgin who must save France from the invaders and establish eternal peace and harmony on earth. But this can only be done by force of arms. Therefore, the girl was endowed with the necessary providence capable of defeating the enemy.
Believing in her destiny, the young creature shared information with her parents and brothers. The father tried to dissuade his daughter from the holy mission, and the brothers expressed their readiness to follow Jeanne wherever she would lead them.
When the girl turned 17, she mounted a horse and, accompanied by her brothers Pierre and Jean, rode to the city of Vaucouleurs (Lorraine). Arriving at the place, our heroine appeared before the commander of the troops stationed in eastern France, Duke Baudricourt. She told him about her gift and asked for a recommendation to the Dauphin (heir to the throne) Charles.
Naturally, the Duke was incredulous at the assertion that the very Virgin who must save France was standing in front of him. Then Zhanna said: “Today is February 10th. Two days later, near Orleans, the British, with small forces, would defeat a large French detachment. You will learn about this in the morning on February 13, and in the afternoon I will come to you.” With these words, the girl left the surprised duke.
And indeed, on February 12, 1429, the Battle of Rouvray took place. On the one hand, a small English detachment took part in it, which carried food and ammunition to the troops besieging Orleans. On the other side was a rather strong French military unit. It attacked the British, expecting an easy victory, but everything turned out the other way around. It was the French detachment that suffered complete defeat, losing a third of its personnel.
When, at the appointed time, Jeanne appeared before the Duke, he no longer doubted her mission. He gave our heroine letter of recommendation and assigned a small armed detachment to her, since the road to the Dauphin was difficult and dangerous.
The pretender to the French throne was in Chinon. These are lands in northwestern France. They contain a city of the same name and a fortress, also called Chinon. It was in it that the residence of the Dauphin Charles was located, who entered into confrontation with English king Henry V.
To reach the goal of her journey, the savior of France needed most ways to drive through enemy territory. Therefore, an armed detachment came in handy.
The journey went well, and on March 7 the girl appeared before the Dauphin. There is a legend here. It says that Karl, having read the letter of recommendation from Duke Baudricourt, decided to test the supernatural abilities of our heroine.
When she was invited into the hall where the throne stood, the Dauphin mingled with the crowd of courtiers, and a completely different person sat in the crowned place. But Zhanna immediately recognized the trick. She found Karl among many people, although she had never seen him in person. After that, all doubts about her unusual abilities disappeared.
The Dauphin believed that the very Virgin who was supposed to save France had appeared to him. He made her commander over all his troops. People, having learned who would now lead them, were transformed. If earlier soldiers and their commanders behaved sluggishly and indecisively in a combat situation, now they were eager to fight the enemy.
The church ministers allowed Zhanna to wear men's clothing. They made special armor for her, since the girl was naturally smaller than the men in terms of her build.
At the end of April, the army led by Joan of Arc came to the aid of the besieged Orleans. At the same time, the morale of the soldiers was incredibly high. In the English army, depressed and panicky moods began to prevail. The British were frightened by the very thought that they would now fight with the messenger of God. This explains the incredible successes of the French, who had previously suffered one defeat after another.
Joan of Arc enters liberated Orleans
It took the Virgin only 4 days to defeat the completely demoralized enemy troops besieging Orleans. After this brilliant victory our heroine received the nickname - Maid of Orleans. It went down in history as a symbol of selflessness and devotion to its people.
In June, Joan of Arc carried out a brilliant Loire operation. The knightly castles located in the middle reaches of the Loire River were captured by the British. The French liberated them one after another. The final chord of the operation was the Battle of Pata on June 18, 1429. In this battle, the English army suffered a crushing defeat.
The authority of the Maid of Orleans reached unprecedented heights, and the British finally lost heart. It would have been a sin not to take advantage of such a favorable situation. Our heroine went to the Dauphin with a proposal to immediately leave for Reims.
In this city, located on the northeastern tip of France, all the monarchs of the state, starting with Louis I the Pious, were crowned. This historical event occurred in 816, and the tradition continued until 1825, when Charles X, the last representative of the senior branch of the Bourbons, ascended the French throne.
On June 29, 1420, the procession moved towards Reims. It turned into a victorious campaign across French soil, wounded and tired from many years of war. At the same time, the British did not offer resistance anywhere, and the cities opened their gates one after another and unconditionally recognized the power of Charles.
The ceremonial coronation took place on July 17 at Reims Cathedral. The Dauphin became King Charles VII. Many noble nobles were present at this ceremony, and the Maid of Orleans herself was near the king.
At the end of the ceremonial events, Joan of Arc suggested that Charles VII launch an attack on Paris. But he showed indecisiveness. Therefore, until the spring of 1430, practically no military operations were carried out. Everything was limited to minor military clashes with the British.
Captivity of Joan of Arc
In May, our heroine with a small detachment went to help the city of Compiegne, located in northern France. It was besieged by the Burgundians. Burgundy is a duchy in eastern France, and its inhabitants were allies of the British. They then took the city under siege.
As a result of a military skirmish, Jeanne was captured. Royal troops did not come to her aid, and the Burgundians sold the girl to the British for 10 thousand livres. The prisoner was transported to Rouen (the capital of Normandy), and on February 21, 1431, her trial began.
Joan of Arc's trial and execution
The inquisition process on the Maid of Orleans was led by a bishop Pierre Cauchon(1371-1442). He was an ardent supporter of the British. And although they tried to make the process purely ecclesiastical, it was clear to the child that Zhanna was not tried for crimes against the church, but how enemy of England.
What charges were brought against the girl? The most terrible: intercourse with the Devil and heresy. A total of 6 meetings of the church tribunal took place: February 21, 22, 24, 27 and March 1, 3.
The defendant behaved courageously and indignantly rejected all accusations. She completely refused to admit what the court charged her with. With indomitable conviction, Jeanne claimed to be a messenger of God.
The Inquisition Tribunal asked whether people had kissed her clothes and hands, thereby confirming that they believed in her unusual mission. To this the girl replied that many came and kissed her clothes, since she did not make them feel rejected, but, on the contrary, tried to support them in everything.
The sincerity and deep conviction of our heroine that she was right contributed to the fact that the accusations of intercourse with the Devil and heresy were never proven. But the inquisitors accused her of neglecting the authority of the Church and daring to wear men's clothing. The judges also agreed that the visions that visited the girl did not come from God, but from the Devil.
At the same time, it is surprising that the inquisitors did not torture Jeanne. This was unusual for that time. Any person accused of church crimes was subjected to terrible torture. Men, old people, women and children were tortured in the casemates. However, not a single sadist touched the Maid of Orleans. How can this be explained?
The thing is that this process was purely political in nature. The main prosecutor, Pierre Cauchon, sought first of all to portray the new king of France, Charles VII, in an unsightly light. If it could be proven that he received the crown with the assistance of the Devil's messenger, then the coronation could be declared invalid.
But Jeanne's confession had to be voluntary. At the same time, torture was completely excluded, so that people would not have even the slightest doubt about the sincerity of her testimony. However, the young woman stood firm in her positions and never gave the inquisitors any reason to doubt her sincerity and convinced faith in God.
The tribunal failed to break the will of the proud girl, failed to accuse her of terrible sins and atrocities. The only thing the Inquisition could do was to declare that the accused does not respect the Church, ignores its norms and rules, and also leads people into sin, forcing them to believe that she is a messenger of God.
Pierre Cauchon considered that this was quite enough to impose a death sentence. Joan of Arc was sentenced to be burned alive at the stake. She was denied an appeal to the Pope, although the convicted woman had every right to do so.
On May 30, 1431, the Maid of Orleans was taken to central square in Rouen. Everything was already ready for terrible execution. In front of huge crowd the condemned woman was taken onto the platform and tied to a post. At the same time, people perfectly saw the Virgin’s face, which seemed absolutely calm.
Burning of the Maid of Orleans at the stake
The executioner put a cap on the girl's head. On it was written in large letters in Latin: “Heretic.” Our heroine turned her head in the direction where Pierre Cauchon was and shouted to him: “Bishop, I am dying by your will. We will definitely meet at God’s judgment!”
According to eyewitnesses, at these words the bishop turned very pale. He hurriedly waved his hand to the executioner and he set fire to the brushwood. The fire reluctantly began to flare up. When he grabbed the girl’s legs, she shouted in a clear and strong voice: “Jesus, I’m coming to you!”
The crowd thronging the square, hearing this phrase, shuddered. Many people cried. Others crossed themselves and read a prayer. Meanwhile, the fire flared brightly, and the Maid of Orleans disappeared in the flames. Thus ended the life of the great Joan of Arc. But history sometimes likes to give surprises. The tragic fate of the Virgin, who saved France, continued 5 years after the execution.
Imposter or risen from the dead
On May 20, 1436, a young woman appeared in the vicinity of the city of Metz in Lorraine. She was dressed in shabby and worn-out clothes, leading an old horse by the bridle, and her head was uncovered. For that era, this was considered a liberty bordering on indecency. In addition, the lady had a short haircut, which made her look like a man. And this was considered a crime by righteous churchmen.
Looking at the stranger, everyone he met understood that the dungeon was crying for her. But she did not pay any attention to passers-by, but walked slowly along the country road. When the city fortress walls loomed in the distance, I turned towards the nearest village. It seemed that the traveler knew the road well.
And indeed, having entered the village, she headed towards the most solid house, standing on a hill. It belonged to Nicolas Louv, a respectable citizen in all respects, who received a knighthood about 5 years ago.
The further course of events will seem incredible to many. The fact is that Nicolas Louv recognized the stranger as Joan of Arc. He provided her with money, gave her a good horse, and the woman went to her brothers. They also recognized the Virgin who was executed 5 years ago.
After that, they all visited the city of Metz together and created a real sensation in it. Residents came running from all over to look at the “resurrected” Maid of Orleans. Jeanne was given battle armor and a magnificent horse. The woman confidently saddled him and made a lap of honor, which caused the delight of the townspeople.
After this, the Virgin went to the city of Arlon, where Duchess Elizabeth of Luxembourg (1390-1451) received her in her castle. She provided the miraculously saved girl with all kinds of assistance, including financial assistance. In her environment, our heroine found herself a groom. It turned out to be the nobleman Robert des Armoises. In October 1436 they celebrated a wedding, and inexplicably the resurrected heroine of France began to be called Jeanne des Armoises.
The amazing thing is that the Duchess saw the real Virgin when she was in captivity. It is not known how well she knew her. It is possible that a high-society person watched the arrested woman from afar, which is quite possible, since they had nothing to talk about.
Having arranged your personal life and having received a large sum of money from the duchess, the “resurrected from the dead” Maid of Orleans went to the city of Cologne, where for some time she stayed with Count Ulrich of Württemberg. At the same time, she was given truly royal honors.
For the next 3 years of her life, Jeanne des Armoises lived with her husband and gave birth to 2 sons. But all this time she dreamed of visiting Orleans and corresponded with the city authorities.
The long-awaited trip took place at the end of July 1439. 10 years passed after the liberation of the city, but the residents of Orleans remembered their savior well. In honor of her arrival, a magnificent meeting was held, which brought together all the citizens. The city authorities allocated a huge sum of money to Zhanna, which she accepted with dignity.
On August 23, King Charles VII of France arrived in Orleans, accompanied by Yolanda of Aragon(1379-1443) - mother-in-law of the king. In fact, it was this woman who held all the state power. Yolanda knew the Virgin very well, as she resolved with her all material issues related to military operations.
But history is silent about whether the “resurrected” Jeanne met her patroness. If such an audience had taken place, and the queen, experienced in life’s ups and downs, had recognized the once famous Virgin in the newly minted Des Armoise, then this sensitive issue could be safely put to rest.
However, everything here is covered in darkness. What is known is that our heroine left Orleans on September 4 and went straight to Tours, and after that she visited Poitiers. In this city she met Marshal Gilles de Rais (1404-1440). This was the closest associate of the Maid of Orleans. He knew her perfectly well, which, however, did not save the marshal from a shameful execution at the end of 1440.
Gilles de Rais recognized the woman as a true Virgin. He even allocated a military unit at her disposal. The Hundred Years' War had not yet ended, and Jeanne des Armoises took part in the fighting for some time. But how successfully she commanded - no information has been preserved.
In 1440, our heroine went to Paris. But she didn’t make it to the capital of France. By order of the king, she was arrested and brought before the court of Parliament. She was recognized as an impostor and sentenced to the pillory.
The “pillory” was considered a mild punishment in those distant times. The criminal was taken to the square, and his head and hands were placed in wooden stocks. He remained in this state in front of everyone, subjected to ridicule and insults. Jeanne des Armoises also went through this after she admitted that she was an impostor. Debunked and disgraced, she returned to her husband. He sent her to a madhouse, where the impostor died in 1446.
Questions and riddles
However, it is too early to put an end to this matter, since a number of critical historians consider the parliamentary court not to be objective. He deliberately distorted the facts. This is indicated by the fact that Jeanne was recognized by her associates and close relatives. But then many questions arise. The very first- How did the Virgin manage to avoid death if she was burned in front of many people?
There is a version here that another woman was burned at the stake, and our heroine was taken out through underground passage from prison. But who brought her out and why? First they tried, and then they saved. There is no logic. In addition, the face of the real Joan, standing on a dais during the execution, was seen by thousands of people.
Second question. Where was the Virgin for 5 years? The impostor never told anyone about this. After all, she could have appeared in the French camp immediately after her rescue, but this did not happen.
Third question. How did it happen that her siblings and all those who knew Zhanna closely unconditionally identified the impostor and recognized her. Have people really become victims of mass psychosis? This is unlikely. This could only be possible if the impostor had an absolute resemblance to our heroine. Oddly enough, there is an explanation for this question.
There is an opinion that her younger sister pretended to be Joan of Arc. Catherine. The girl's fate is unknown. She is believed to have died at an early age. There is also no evidence that Catherine was similar to her older sister.
In principle, it can be assumed that immediate family entered into a criminal conspiracy with each other and staged a performance with the unexpected appearance of the Maid of Orleans out of nowhere. But, of course, provided that Catherine had a perfect resemblance to her sister. But appearance alone is not enough. Voice, gait, habits. All this is purely individual, and it is very difficult to deceive people. Moreover, only 5 years have passed. The period is insignificant, and human memory is a rather perfect mechanism. So there is also no clear and precise answer to question 3.
Question four. Could Jeanne be resurrected, since she was God's messenger on earth? Her visions, amazing military abilities. All this points to an unusual gift given from above. So, perhaps, let’s throw away materialistic dogmas and admit the incredible: the Virgin, having violated all the laws of the universe, reappeared in the world of the living.
But then why did she admit to being an impostor at the parliamentary trial? She stood before the Inquisition tribunal with her head held high, but then she gave up and backed down. Most likely, she was a mere mortal, and not the second Phoenix bird to rise from the ashes.
Question five. Could the real Jeanne have given birth to two sons? Nowadays, everyone is well aware of the term “Maurice syndrome”, otherwise it is also called testicular feminization. This is when a woman has a male set of XY chromosomes.
This disease is characterized by a small vagina, absence of the uterus and male testes. In this case, there is no menstrual cycle, and the ability to bear children is absent.
Genetics experts include Queen Elizabeth I of England, who received the nickname “Virgin,” the Swedish Queen Christina, theosophist Blavatsky and our heroine as patients with Maurice syndrome. This is indicated by many signs: physical and mental activity, emotional stability, will, determination. This is all ensured very active work adrenal glands They secrete a huge amount of hormones, which are the most powerful doping for the body.
Therefore, our Jeanne des Armoise was indeed an impostor, since she gave birth to two sons, which was impossible for a real Virgin to achieve due to her genetic characteristics.
This is how the Maid of Orleans is represented in Hollywood
So, sad as it may sound, The mystery of Joan of Arc has not been solved these days.. However, there are many other mysteries. It is believed that our heroine was of royal origin, and the whole story with the Virgin was directed by Yolanda of Aragon. She did this for the good of France, in order to awaken passionarity in people and inspire them to fight the British.
At first, by order of the queen, a rumor was started about the imminent coming of the Virgin, and then she herself appeared, which caused an unusual patriotic upsurge among the French. Experienced in such a mission political intrigues the woman identified the daughter of Charles VI the Mad and his favorite Odette de Chamdiver - a woman of low birth. Her father was the royal equerry.
The girl from this marriage was called Margarita. She was born in 1407. She acquired military skills at court. Then she was placed in a peasant family, waited for several years, and then she appeared to the people under the guise of a Virgin.
All these are versions and assumptions. The truth is one of the mysteries of history, of which a great many have accumulated throughout the history of mankind.
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 a large number of There are many inconsistencies in publications about this intelligent and courageous person 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 wealthy peasants Besides her, there were four more children in the family. 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 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 she was taken by force women's clothing, and the girl had to wear 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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“We know more about Joan of Arc than about any other of her contemporaries, and at the same time it is difficult to find another person among the people of the 15th century whose image would seem so mysterious to posterity.” (*2) page 5
“...She was born in the village of Domremy in Lorraine in 1412. It is known that she was born from honest and fair parents. On the night of Christmas, when peoples are accustomed to honor the works of Christ in great bliss, she entered the mortal world. And the roosters, as if the heralds of new joy, crowed then with an extraordinary, hitherto unheard cry. We saw them flapping their wings for more than two hours, predicting what was destined for this little one.” (*1) p.146
This fact is reported by Perceval de Boulainvilliers, the king's adviser and chamberlain, in a letter to the Duke of Milan, which can be called her first biography. But most likely this description is a legend, since not a single chronicle mentions this and the birth of Jeanne did not leave the slightest trace in the memory of fellow villagers - residents of Domremi, who acted as witnesses in the rehabilitation process.
She lived in Domremy with her father, mother and two brothers, Jean and Pierre. Jacques d'Arc and Isabella were, by local standards, “not very rich.” (More detailed description family see (*2) p.41-43)
“Not far from the village where Jeanne grew up, there grew a very beautiful tree, “as beautiful as a lily,” as one witness noted; On Sundays, village boys and girls gathered near the tree, they danced around it and washed themselves with water from a nearby source. The tree was called the tree of fairies; they said that in ancient times wonderful creatures, fairies, danced around it. Zhanna also often went there, but she never saw a single fairy.” (*5) p.417, see (*2) p.43-45
“When she was 12 years old, her first revelation came to her. Suddenly, a shining cloud appeared before her eyes, from which a voice was heard: “Jeanne, it behooves you to go another way and perform wonderful deeds, for you are the one whom the Heavenly King chose to protect King Charles...” (*1) p.146
“At first I was very scared. I heard the voice during the day, it was in the summer in my father’s garden. The day before, I fasted. The voice came to me from the right side, from where the church was, and from the same side came great holiness. This voice has always guided me. “ Later voice began to appear to Jeanne every day and insisted that she needed to “go and lift the siege from the city of Orleans.” The voices called her “Jeanne de Pucelle, daughter of God” - in addition to the first voice, which, as Jeanne thinks, belonged to the Archangel Michael, the voices of Saint Margaret and Saint Catherine were soon added. To all those who tried to block her path, Jeanne reminded them of an ancient prophecy that said that “a woman will destroy France, and a virgin will save it.” (The first part of the prophecy came true when Isabella of Bavaria forced her husband, the French king Charles VI, to declare their son Charles VII illegitimate, with the result that by the time of Joanna, Charles VII was not a king, but only a dauphin). (*5) p.417
“I came here to the royal chamber in order to speak with Robert de Baudricourt, so that he would take me to the king or order his people to take me; but he paid no attention either to me or to my words; nevertheless, it is necessary for me to appear before the king in the first half of Lent, even if for this I have to wear off my legs to the knees; know that no one - neither the king, nor the duke, nor the daughter of the Scottish king, nor anyone else - can restore the French kingdom; salvation can only come from me, and although I would prefer to stay with my poor mother and spin, this is not my destiny: I must go, and I will do it, for my Master wants me to act in this way.” (*3) page 27
Three times she had to turn to Robert de Baudricourt. After the first time, she was sent home, and her parents decided to marry her off. But Zhanna herself ended the engagement through the court.
“Time passed slowly for her, “like a woman expecting a child,” she said, so slowly that she could not stand it and one fine morning, accompanied by her uncle, the devoted Durand Laxart, a resident of Vaucouleurs named Jacques Alain, set off on her journey ; her companions bought a horse for her, which cost them twelve francs. But they did not go far: having arrived in Saint-Nicolas-de-Saint-Fonds, which was on the road to Sauvroy, Jeanne declared: “This is not the right way for us to leave,” and the travelers returned to Vaucouleurs. (*3) page 25
One fine day a messenger arrived from Nancy from the Duke of Lorraine.
“Duke Charles II of Lorraine gave Joan a gracious welcome. He invited her to his place in Nancy. Charles of Lorraine was not an ally at all Carla Valois; on the contrary, he took a position of hostile neutrality towards France, gravitating towards England.
She told the Duke (Charles of Lorraine) to give her his son and people who would take her to France, and she would pray to God for his health.” Jeanne called his son-in-law, Rene of Anjou, the Duke's son. “Good King René” (who later became famous as a poet and patron of the arts), was married to the Duke’s eldest daughter and his heir Isabella... This meeting strengthened Jeanne’s position in public opinion... Baudricourt (commandant of Vaucouleurs) changed his attitude towards Jeanne and agreed to send her to the Dauphin.” (*2) p.79
There is a version that Rene d'Anjou was the master of the secret order of the Priory of Zion and helped Jeanne fulfill her mission. (See chapter "René d'Anjou")
Already in Vaucouleurs, she puts on a man's suit and goes across the country to the Dauphin Charles. Tests are ongoing. In Chinon, under the name of the Dauphin, another is introduced to her, but Jeanne unmistakably finds Charles out of 300 knights and greets him. During this meeting, Jeanne tells the Dauphin something or shows some kind of sign, after which Karl begins to believe her.
“The story of Jeanne herself to Jean Pasquerel, her confessor: “When the king saw her, he asked Jeanne her name, and she answered: “Dear Dauphin, I am called Jeanne the Virgin, and through my lips the King of Heaven addresses you and says that you will accept anointing and you will be crowned in Reims and become the viceroy of the King of Heaven, the true king of France.” After other questions asked by the king, Jeanne again told him: “I tell you in the name of the Almighty that you are the true heir of France and the son of the king, and He sent me to you to lead you to Reims so that you would be crowned and anointed there.” , if you want." Hearing this, the king informed those present that Jeanne had initiated him into a certain secret that no one except God knew and could not know; that's why he trusts her completely. “I heard all this,” concludes Brother Pasquerel, “from the lips of Jeanne, since I myself was not present.” (*3) page 33
But, nevertheless, an investigation begins, gathering detailed information about Jeanne, who at this time is in Poitiers, where the college of learned theologians of the bishopric of Poitiers must make its decision.
“Believing that precautions are never unnecessary, the king decided to increase the number of those who were entrusted with interrogating the girl, and to choose the most worthy among them; and they were supposed to gather in Poitiers. Jeanne was lodged in the house of Maître Jean Rabateau, a lawyer for the Parisian Parliament who had joined the king two years earlier. Several women were assigned to secretly monitor her behavior.
François Garivel, the king’s adviser, clarifies that Jeanne was interrogated several times and the investigation took about three weeks.” (*3) page 43
“A certain lawyer of parliament, Jean Barbon: “From learned theologians who studied her with passion and asked her many questions, I heard that she answered very carefully, as if she were a good scientist, so that they were amazed at her answers. They believed that there was something divine in her very life and her behavior; in the end, after all the interrogations and inquiries carried out by the scientists, they came to the conclusion that there was nothing bad in it, nothing contrary to the Catholic faith and that, taking into account the plight of the king and the kingdom - after all, the king and the inhabitants of the kingdom loyal to him were in At this time they were in despair and did not know what kind of help they could still hope for, if only not for the help of God - the king can accept her help.” (*3) page 46
During this period, she acquires a sword and a banner. (see chapter “Sword. Banner.”)
“In all likelihood, by giving Jeanne the right to have a personal banner, the Dauphin equated her with the so-called “banner knights” who commanded detachments of their people.
Jeanne had under her command a small detachment, which consisted of a retinue, several soldiers and servants. The retinue included a squire, a confessor, two pages, two heralds, as well as Jean of Metz and Bertrand de Poulangy and Jeanne's brothers, Jacques and Pierre, who joined her in Tours. Even in Poitiers, the Dauphin entrusted the protection of the Virgin to the experienced warrior Jean d'Olon, who became her squire. In this brave and noble man Zhanna found a mentor and friend. He taught her military affairs, she spent all her campaigns with him, he was next to her in all battles, assaults and forays. Together they were captured by the Burgundians, but she was sold to the British, and he ransomed his freedom and a quarter of a century later, already a knight, a royal adviser and, occupying a prominent position as seneschal of one of the southern French provinces, wrote very interesting memoirs at the request of the rehabilitation commission , in which he spoke about many important episodes in the history of Joan of Arc. We have also reached the testimony of one of Jeanne’s pages, Louis de Coutes; about the second - Raymond - we know nothing. Jeanne's confessor was the Augustinian monk Jean Pasquerel; He has very detailed testimony, but obviously not everything in it is reliable. (*2) p.130
“In Tours, a military retinue was assembled for Jeanne, as befits a military leader; they appointed intendant Jean d'Olonne, who testifies: “For her protection and escort, I was placed at her disposal by the king, our lord”; she also has two pages - Louis de Coutes and Raymond. Two heralds, Ambleville and Guienne, were also under her command; Heralds are messengers dressed in livery that allows them to be identified. Heralds were inviolable.
Since Jeanne was given two messengers, it means that the king began to treat her like any other high-ranking warrior, vested with authority and bearing personal responsibility for his actions.
The royal troops were supposed to gather in Blois... It was in Blois, while the army was there, that Jeanne ordered the banner... Jeanne's confessor was touched by the almost religious appearance of the marching army: “When Jeanne set out from Blois to go to Orleans, she asked to gather everyone priests around this banner, and the priests walked ahead of the army... and sang antiphons... the same thing happened the next day. And on the third day they approached Orleans." (*3) page 58
Karl hesitates. Zhanna hurries him. The liberation of France begins with the lifting of the siege of Orleans. This is the first military victory of the army loyal to Charles under the leadership of Jeanne, which is also a sign of her divine mission. "Cm. R. Pernu, M.-V. Clain, Joan of Arc /pp. 63-69/
It took Jeanne 9 days to liberate Orleans.
“The sun was already setting to the west, and the French were still fighting unsuccessfully for the ditch of the forward fortification. Zhanna jumped on her horse and went to the fields. Away from view... Jeanne plunged into prayer among the vines. The unheard-of endurance and will of a seventeen-year-old girl allowed her to decisive moment distracted from her own tension, from the despondency and exhaustion that gripped everyone, now she has found external and internal silence - when only inspiration can arise..."
“...But then the unprecedented happened: the arrows fell out of their hands, the confused people looked at the sky. Saint Michael, surrounded by a whole host of angels, appeared shining in the shimmering Orleans sky. The Archangel fought on the side of the French." (*1) page 86
“...the English, seven months after the beginning of the siege and nine days after the Virgin occupied the city, retreated without a fight, every last one, and this happened on May 8 (1429), the day when St. Michael appeared in distant Italy on Monte Gargano and on the island of Ischia...
The magistrate wrote in the city register that the liberation of Orleans was greatest miracle Christian era. Since then, throughout the centuries, the valiant city has solemnly dedicated this day to the Virgin, the day of May 8, designated in the calendar as the feast of the Apparition of the Archangel Michael.
Many modern critics argue that the victory at Orleans can only be attributed to accidents or to the inexplicable refusal of the British to fight. And yet Napoleon, who thoroughly studied Joan’s campaigns, declared that she was a genius in military affairs, and no one would dare to say that he did not understand strategy.
The English biographer of Joan of Arc, W. Sanquill West, writes today that the entire mode of action of her fellow countrymen who participated in those events seems to her so strange and slow that it can only be explained by supernatural reasons: “Reasons about which are we in the light of our twentieth century science—or perhaps in the darkness of our twentieth century science? “We don’t know anything.” (*1) pp.92-94
“To meet the king after the siege was lifted, Jeanne and the Bastard of Orleans went to Loches: “She rode out to meet the king, holding her banner in her hand, and they met,” says a German chronicle of that time, which brought us a lot of information. When the girl bowed her head in front of the king as low as she could, the king immediately ordered her to rise, and they thought that he almost kissed her from the joy that gripped him.” It was May 11, 1429.
Word of Jeanne's feat spread throughout Europe, which showed extraordinary interest in what had happened. The author of the chronicle we quoted is a certain Eberhard Windeken, treasurer of Emperor Sigismund; Obviously, the emperor showed great interest in the deeds of Jeanne and ordered to find out about her. (*3) p.82
We can judge the reaction outside France by the very interesting source. This is the Chronicle of Antonio Morosini... partly a collection of letters and reports. Letter from Pancrazzo Giustiniani to his father, from Bruges to Venice, dated May 10, 1429: “A certain Englishman named Lawrence Trent, a respectable man and not a talker, writes, seeing that this is said in the reports of so many worthy and trustworthy people: “ It drives me crazy". He reports that many barons treat her with respect, as do the commoners, and those who laughed at her died a bad death. Nothing, however, is so clear as her undisputed victory in a debate with the masters of theology, so that it seems as if she was the second Saint Catherine who came to earth, and many knights who heard what amazing speeches she made every day, believe this is a great miracle... They further report that this girl must perform two great deeds and then die. May God help her... “How does she appear before a Venetian of the Quartocento era, before a merchant, diplomat and intelligence officer, that is, before a person of a completely different culture, a different psychological make-up than herself and her entourage?... Giustiniani is confused. » (*2) p.146
Portrait of Joan of Arc
“...The girl has an attractive appearance and masculine posture, she speaks little and shows a wonderful mind; She delivers her speeches in a pleasant, high-pitched voice, as befits a woman. She is moderate in food, and even more moderate in her wine drinking. She finds pleasure in beautiful horses and weapons. Virgo finds many meetings and conversations unpleasant. Her eyes often fill with tears, and she also loves fun. Endures unheard of hard work, and when he carries weapons, he shows such tenacity that he can continuously remain fully armed day and night for six days. She says that the English have no right to rule France, and for this, she says, God sent her so that she would drive them out and defeat them...”
"Guy de Laval, a young nobleman who joined the royal army, describes her with admiration: “I saw how she, in armor and in full combat gear, with a small ax in her hand, sat down at the exit of the house on her huge black war horse, who was in great impatience and did not allow himself to be saddled; Then she said: “Take him to the cross,” which was located in front of the church on the road. Then she jumped into the saddle, but he did not move, as if he was tied. And then she turned to the church gates, which were very close to her: “And you, priests, arrange a procession and pray to God.” And then she set off, saying: “Hurry forward, hurry forward.” A pretty page carried her unfurled banner, and she held an ax in her hand.” (*3) p.89
Gilles de Rais: “She is a child. She never harmed an enemy, no one saw her ever hit anyone with a sword. After each battle she mourns the fallen, before each battle she partakes of the Body of the Lord - most of the soldiers do this with her - and yet she says nothing. Not a single thoughtless word comes out of her mouth - in this she is as mature as many men. No one ever swears around her, and people like it, even though all their wives are at home. Needless to say, she never takes off her armor if she sleeps next to us, and then, despite all her cuteness, not a single man experiences carnal desire for her.” (*1) p.109
“Jean Alençon, who was the commander-in-chief in those days, recalled many years later: “She understood everything that had to do with war: she could stick a pike and review the troops, line up the army in battle formation and place guns. Everyone was surprised that she was so prudent in her affairs, like a combat commander with twenty or thirty years of experience.” (*1) p.118
“Jeanne was a beautiful and charming girl, and all the men who met her felt it. But this feeling was the most genuine, that is, the highest, transformed, virgin, returned to that state of “God’s love” that Nuyonpon noted in himself.” (*4) p.306
" - This is very strange, and we can all testify to this: when she rides with us, birds from the forest flock and sit on her shoulders. In battle, it happens that pigeons begin to flutter near her." (*1) p.108
“I remember that in the protocol drawn up by my colleagues about her life, it was written that in her homeland in Domremi predator birds they flocked to her when she was grazing cows in the meadow, and, sitting on her lap, pecked at the crumbs that she plucked from the bread. Her herd was never attacked by a wolf, and on the night she was born - on Epiphany - various unusual things were noticed with animals... And why not? Animals too God's creatures... (*1) page 108
“It seems that in the presence of Jeanne the air became transparent for those people for whom the cruel night had not yet darkened their minds, and in those years there were more such people than is commonly believed now.” (*1) p.66
Her ecstasies proceeded as if outside of time, in ordinary activities, but without disconnection from the latter. She heard her Voices amidst the fighting, but continued to command the troops; heard during interrogations, but continued to answer theologians. This can also be evidenced by her cruelty when, near Turelli, she pulled out an arrow from her wound, ceasing to feel physical pain during ecstasy. And I must add that she was excellent at determining her Voices in time: at such and such an hour when the bells were ringing.” (*4) p.307
“Rupertus Geyer, that same “anonymous” cleric,” understood Jeanne’s personality correctly: if it is possible to find some kind of historical analogy, then it is best to compare Joan with the Sibyls, these prophetesses of the pagan era, through whose mouth the gods spoke. But there was a huge difference between them and Zhanna. The Sibyls were influenced by the forces of nature: sulfur fumes, intoxicating odors, babbling streams. In a state of ecstasy, they expressed things that they immediately forgot about as soon as they came to their senses. In everyday life they did not have any high insights, they were blank slates on which to write forces that could not be controlled. “For the prophetic gift inherent in them is like a board on which nothing is written, it is unreasonable and uncertain,” wrote Plutarch.
Through the lips of Joan they also spoke spheres whose boundaries no one knew; she could fall into ecstasy at prayer, at the ringing of bells, in a quiet field or in a forest, but it was such an ecstasy, such a transcendence of ordinary feelings, which she controlled and from which she could emerge with a sober mind and awareness of her own self, in order to then translate what he saw and heard into the language of earthly words and earthly actions. What was available to the pagan priestesses in an eclipse of feelings detached from the world, Jeanne perceived in a clear consciousness and reasonable moderation. She rode and fought with men, she slept with women and children, and, like all of them, Jeanne could laugh. She spoke simply and clearly, without omissions or secrets, about what was about to happen: “Wait, three more days, then we will take the city”; “Be patient, in an hour you will become winners.” Virgo deliberately removed the veil of mystery from her life and actions; Only she herself remained a mystery. Since the impending disaster was predicted for her, she closed her lips, and no one knew about the gloomy news. Always, even before her death at the stake, Zhanna was aware of what she could say and what she could not say.
Since the days of the Apostle Paul, women who “speak in tongues” in Christian communities were to remain silent, for “for speaking in tongues the Spirit who gives inspiration is responsible, but for the intelligent prophetic word - talking man" Spiritual language must be translated into the language of people, so that a person accompanies the speech of the spirit with his mind; and only what a person can understand and assimilate with his own reason should he express in words.
Joan of Arc, in those weeks, was able to prove more clearly than ever that she was responsible for her intelligent words of prophecy and that she spoke them - or remained silent - while in her right mind." (*1) p. 192
After the siege of Orleans was lifted, disputes began in the Royal Council about the direction of the campaign. At the same time, Jeanne was of the opinion that it was necessary to go to Reims to crown the king. “She argued that as soon as the king is crowned and anointed, the power of the enemies will decrease all the time and in the end they will no longer be able to harm either the king or the kingdom” p. 167.
Under these conditions, the coronation of the Dauphin in Reims became an act of proclamation of the state independence of France. This was the main political goal of the campaign.
But the courtiers did not advise Charles to undertake a campaign against Reims, saying that on the way from Gien to Reims there were many fortified cities, castles and fortresses with garrisons of English and Burgundians. Jeanne's enormous authority in the army played a decisive role, and on June 27, the Virgin led the vanguard of the army to Reimstr. Has begun new stage liberation struggle. Moreover, the liberation of Troyes decided the outcome of the entire campaign. The success of the campaign exceeded the wildest expectations: in less than three weeks the army covered almost three hundred kilometers and reached its final destination without firing a single shot, without leaving a single burned village or plundered city along the way. The enterprise, which at first seemed so difficult and dangerous, turned into a triumphal march.
On Sunday 17 July, Charles was crowned at Reims Cathedral. Jeanne stood in the cathedral, holding a banner in her hand. Then at the trial they will ask her: “Why was your banner brought into the cathedral during the coronation in preference to the banners of other captains?” And she will answer: “It was in labor and by right should have been honored.”
But then events unfold less triumphantly. Instead of a decisive offensive, Charles concludes a strange truce with the Burgundians. On January 21, the army returned to the banks of the Laura and the bvla was immediately disbanded. But Zhanna continues to fight, but at the same time suffers one defeat after another. Having learned that the Burgundians have besieged Compiegne, she rushes to the rescue. Virgo enters the city on May 23, and in the evening, during a sortie, she is captured.....
"IN last time In life, on the evening of May 23, 1430, Jeanne stormed the enemy camp, for the last time she took off her armor, and the standard with the image of Christ and the face of an angel was taken from her. The struggle on the battlefield is over. What now began at 18 years old was a fight with a different weapon and with a different opponent, but, as before, it was a struggle for life and death. At that moment, human history was being accomplished through Joan of Arc. Saint Margaret's behest was fulfilled; The hour for the fulfillment of St. Catherine's behest has struck. Earthly knowledge was preparing to fight with wisdom, in the morning rays of which the Virgin Jeanne lived, fought and suffered. In the tide of change the centuries were already approaching when the forces of God-denying scholarship began a bloodless but inexorable offensive against man's dawning memory of his divine origin, when human minds and hearts became the arena in which fallen angels fought with the archangel named Michael, the herald of the will of Christ . Everything that Jeanne did served France, England, new Europe; it was a challenge, a shining riddle for all the peoples of subsequent eras.” (*1) page 201
Jeanne spent six months in captivity in Burgundy. She waited for help but in vain. French government did nothing to help her out of trouble. At the end of 1430, the Burgundians sold Jeanne to the British, who immediately brought her before the Inquisition.
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| Monument in the Cathedral Archangel Michael in Dijon (Burgundy) | Fragment from the film Robert Bresson "The Trial of Joan of Arc" | Gilded monument Joan of Arc in Paris at Pyramid Square |
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A year has passed since the day when Jeanne was captured... A year and one day...
Behind us was Burgundy captivity. There were two escape attempts behind us. The second almost ended tragically: Zhanna jumped out of a window on the top floor. This gave the judges a reason to accuse her of the mortal sin of attempted suicide. Her explanations were simple: “I did it not out of hopelessness, but in the hope of saving my body and going to the aid of many nice people who need it."
Behind her was the iron cage in which she was kept for the first time in Rouen, in the basement of the royal castle of Bouverey. Then the interrogations began, she was transferred to a cell. Five English soldiers guarded her around the clock, and at night they chained her to the wall with an iron chain.
Behind were grueling interrogations. Each time she was bombarded with dozens of questions. Traps awaited her at every step. One hundred thirty-two members of the tribunal: a cardinal, bishops, professors of theology, learned abbots, monks and priests.... And a young girl who, according to her in my own words, “doesn’t know either a or b.”
Behind were those two days at the end of March when she was familiarized with the indictment. In seventy articles, the prosecutor listed the criminal acts, speeches and thoughts of the defendant. But Zhanna deflected one accusation after another. The two-day reading of the indictment ended in the defeat of the prosecutor. The judges were convinced that the document they had drawn up was no good, and replaced it with another.
The second version of the indictment contained only 12 articles. The unimportant things were eliminated, the most important things remained: “voices and knowledge”, a man’s suit, a “fairy tree”, the seduction of the king and the refusal to submit to the militant church.
They decided to abandon torture “so as not to give a reason for slandering the exemplary trial.”
All this is behind us, and now Zhanna was brought to the cemetery, surrounded by guards, raised above the crowd, shown the executioner and began to read the verdict. This entire procedure, thought out to the smallest detail, was calculated to cause mental shock and fear of death in her. At some point, Zhanna cannot stand it and agrees to submit to the will of the church. “Then,” the protocol says, “in front of a great many clergy and laity, she pronounced the formula of renunciation, following the text of the letter drawn up in French, which letter she signed with her own hand.” Most likely, the formula of the official protocol is a forgery, the purpose of which is to retroactively extend Jeanne’s renunciation to all her previous activities. Perhaps at the Saint-Ouen cemetery, Jeanne did not renounce her past. She only agreed to submit henceforth to the orders of the church court.
However, the political goal of the process was achieved. The English government could notify the entire Christian world that the heretic had publicly repented of her crimes.
But, having snatched words of repentance from the girl, the organizers of the trial did not at all consider the matter over. It was only half done, because Jeanne’s abdication was to be followed by her execution.
The Inquisition had simple means for this. It was only necessary to prove that after her renunciation she committed a “relapse into heresy”: a person who relapsed into heresy was subject to immediate execution. Before her abdication, Jeanne was promised that if she repented, she would be transferred to the women's section of the archbishop's prison and the shackles would be removed. But instead, on Cauchon's orders, she was taken back to her old cell. There she changed into a woman's dress and had her head shaved. The shackles were not removed and the English guards were not removed.
Two days have passed. On Sunday, May 27, rumors spread throughout the city that the convict had once again put on a men's suit. She was asked who forced her to do this. “Nobody,” Zhanna answered. I did this of my own free will and without any coercion." In the evening of that day, the protocol of Zhanna's last interrogation appeared - a tragic document in which Zhanna herself talks about everything that she experienced after her renunciation: about the despair that gripped her when she realized that she had been deceived, about the contempt for herself because that she was afraid of death, about how she cursed herself for betrayal, she herself said this word, - and about the victory that she won - about the most difficult of all her victories, because it is a victory over the fear of death .
There is a version according to which Jeanne was forced to wear a man’s suit (See p. 188 Raitses V.I. Joan of Arc. Facts, legends, hypotheses. “
Jeanne learned that she would be executed at dawn on Wednesday, May 30, 1431. She was taken out of prison, put on a cart and taken to the place of execution. She was wearing a long dress and a hat....
Only a few hours later the fire was allowed to go out.
And when it was all over, according to Ladvenu, “at about four o’clock in the afternoon,” the executioner came to the Dominican monastery, “to me,” says Izambar, “and to brother Ladvenu, in extreme and terrible repentance, as if despairing of receiving forgiveness from God for what he did to such a holy woman, as he said.” And he also told both of them that, having climbed the scaffold to remove everything, he found her heart and other entrails unburned; he was required to burn everything, but, although he several times placed burning brushwood and coals around Jeanne’s heart, he could not turn it into ashes” (the same story of the executioner is relayed by Massey from the words of the deputy of the Rouen bailiff). Finally, struck , “like an obvious miracle,” he stopped tormenting this Heart, put the Burning Bush in a bag along with everything that was left of the Virgin’s flesh, and threw the bag, as expected, into the hay. The imperishable heart was gone forever from human eyes and hands." (*1)
Twenty-five years passed and finally - after a trial in which one hundred and fifteen witnesses were heard (her mother was also present) - in the presence of the papal legate, Jeanne was rehabilitated and recognized as the beloved daughter of the Church and France. (*1) page 336
With all my short fate Joan of Arc, “earthly angel and heavenly girl,” again and with unprecedented power declared the reality of the Living God and the Heavenly Church.
In 1920 after the Nativity of Christ, in the four hundred and ninetieth year after the Bonfire, the Roman Church canonized her as a saint and recognized her mission as true, in fulfilling which she saved France. (*1)
Five and a half centuries have passed since the day when Joan of Arc was burned in the Old Market Square in Rouen. She was then nineteen years old.
Almost all her life - seventeen years - she was an unknown Jeannette from Domremy. Her neighbors will later say: “she’s like everyone else.” "like others."
For one year—just one year—she was the glorified Virgin Joan, the savior of France. Her comrades will later say: “as if she were a captain who spent twenty or thirty years in the war.”
And one more year - whole year- she was a prisoner of war and a defendant in the Inquisition Tribunal. Her judges will later say: “a great scientist - even he would have difficulty answering the questions that were asked of her.”
Of course, she was not like everyone else. Of course, she was not the captain. And she certainly wasn't a scientist. And at the same time, she had it all.
Centuries pass. But every generation again and again turns to something so simple and so endlessly complex history girls from Domremi. Appeals to understand. Turns to join the eternal moral values. For if history is the teacher of life, then the epic of Joan of Arc is one of her great lessons. (*2) p.194
Literature:
- *1 Maria Josepha, Crook von Potucin Joan of Arc. Moscow "Enigma" 1994.
- *2 Raitses V.I. Joan of Arc. Facts, legends, hypotheses. Leningrad "Science" 1982.
- *3 R. Pernu, M. V. Klen. Joan of Arc. M., 1992.
- *4 Ascetics. Selected biographies and works. Samara, AGNI, 1994.
- *5 Bauer W., Dumotz I., Golovin PAGE. Encyclopedia of Symbols, M., KRON-PRESS, 1995
See section:
Biography and episodes of life Joan of Arc. When born and died Joan of Arc , memorable places and dates of important events in her life. Saint Quotes, images and videos.
Years of life of Joan of Arc:
born 6 January 1412, died 30 May 1431
Epitaph
"Listen, in the night -
France cries:
Come again and save me, meek martyr
Zhanna!
From the prayer of Saint Therese of Lisieux
Biography
The name of Joan of Arc, condemned as a heretic and subsequently canonized, is dear to the heart of any Frenchman as a symbol of freedom and justice. Moreover, the bright star of Joan shone for less than two years from her ascension into the sky to her martyr’s crown. There are many legends around this historical figure; there is no certainty even about the correct year of Jeanne’s birth. But one thing is certain: the young, inexperienced girl accomplished in her short life what seemed impossible.
Zhanna was born into a family of either wealthy peasants or impoverished nobles - historians have disagreements on this matter. At the age of 13, she first heard voices and saw saints who told her that her destiny was to lead an army and drive out the English invaders from native land. At the age of 16, Jeanne went to the captain of the city of Vaucouleurs, who laughed at her. But the girl did not give up, and in the end she was assigned a detachment to travel to Chinon, where the uncrowned Dauphin Charles was at that time.
Having achieved an audience with the Dauphin, Jeanne passed all the tests that were prepared to test her, and eventually convinced the Dauphin to transfer command of the troops to her. This in itself was a miracle. But others soon followed: with a small detachment, Jeanne liberated Orleans from the siege of the British in 4 days, while the French commanders could not cope with this for many months. After this victory, Jeanne received the nickname “Maid of Orleans” and moved towards Patay, winning one victory after another. IN last battle The British troops were defeated, and Jeanne summoned the Dauphin to Reims for the coronation.
“Joan of Arc at the Coronation of Charles VII”, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, 1854
The campaign to Reims was called “bloodless”: the presence of Jeanne convinced the inhabitants of the cities on whose side God was on. But after the coronation, the wary and cautious Karl did not allow Jeanne to develop her success. The courtiers also did not favor the Maid of Orleans. Finally, during the siege of Compiegne, Jeanne was betrayed by her own comrades, captured by the Burgundians and sold to the British for 10,000 gold livres.
The trial of Joan of Arc officially accused her of having relations with the devil, but was paid entirely from English pockets. In order to prevent her from receiving the crown of a martyr, they tried to get Jeanne to admit guilt, but to no avail. In the end, Jeanne's signature on the relevant document was obtained fraudulently, and the Maid of Orleans was sentenced to be burned alive.
The Hundred Years' War ended 22 years after Joan's execution. The Maid of Orleans, having actually organized the anointing of the French king to the throne, dealt too serious a blow to the claims of England. Immediately after the end of the war, Charles VII ordered that all materials from the trial be collected and the case reinvestigated. Joan of Arc was completely acquitted, and more than four centuries later she was canonized.
“Joan of Arc” by John Everett Millais, 1865
Life line
January 6, 1412 Date of birth of Joan of Arc.
1425 Appearances of the saints to Joan.
March 1429 Arrival in Chinon and audience with the Dauphin Charles.
May 1429 The first victory of Joan of Arc and the lifting of the siege of Orleans.
June 1429 A rapid series of victories and complete destruction English troops at the Battle of Pat.
July 1429 Presence at the solemn confirmation of Charles in Reims.
September 1429 Dissolution of Joan's army.
May 1430 Captivity of Joan of Arc by the Burgundians.
November-December 1430 Transporting Jeanne to Rouen.
21 February 1431 The trial of Joan of Arc begins.
30 May 1431 Date of death of Joan of Arc.
1455 Start of retrial.
1456 Acquittal of Joan of Arc on all counts of the previous indictment.
May 16, 1920 Canonization of Joan of Arc.
Memorable places
1. The house in Domremy, where Jeanne was born and lived, is now a museum.
2. Chinon, where Jeanne met King Charles.
3. Orleans, where Jeanne won her first victory.
4. The site of the Battle of Pat, in which Joan's army defeated the British.
5. Reims Cathedral, the traditional place of coronation of French monarchs, where the Dauphin Charles was anointed in the presence of Joan.
6. Compiegne, where Joan was captured.
7. Tower of Joan of Arc in Rouen, former part of Rouen Castle, where, according to legend, Joan was kept during her trial.
8. House No. 102 on the street. Joan of Arc, in the courtyard of which are the remains of the foundation of the Tower of the Virgin, where Joan was actually kept.
9. Monument and church at the site of the execution of Joan of Arc on the Old Market Square in Rouen.
Episodes of life
Belief in Joan of Arc was based largely on a prophecy that said that the maiden would save France. After her appearance at the Dauphin Charles, the latter checked her different ways, but Jeanne really turned out to be a girl, and besides, she recognized Charles, who had placed another person on the throne and was mingling among the crowd of courtiers.
Joan herself never used the surname “d’Arc” and called herself only “Jeanne the Virgin.” There is an opinion that the British contributed to the spread of the name “Joan of Arc” because of its consonance with the word “dark” - “dark”.
Jeanne preferred to wear men's clothing because it was more comfortable in battle and less embarrassing to her male companions. IN medieval France this was considered a grave sin, and a special commission of theologians from Poitiers gave the Maid of Orleans special permission to do this. Nevertheless, wearing men's clothing appeared as one of the charges proving Jeanne's connection with the devil.
Monument by Maxime Real del Sarte at the site of the execution of Joan of Arc
Testaments
“For God to grant victory, soldiers must fight.”
“We will get peace only at the end of the spear.”
Documentary film “The Controversial History of Joan of Arc. Part I"
Condolences
“Jeanne embodied the Spirit of Patriotism, became its personification, its living, visible and tangible image.<...>
Love, Mercy, Valor, War, Peace, Poetry, Music - for all this you can find many symbols, all this can be represented in images of any gender and age. But a fragile, slender girl in the prime of her first youth, with the crown of a martyr on her brow, with a sword in her hand, with which she cut the bonds of her homeland - won’t she, precisely she, remain a symbol of PATRIOTISM until the end of time?
Mark Twain, writer, author of Joan of Arc
“The famous Joan of Arc proved that the French genius can work miracles when freedom is in danger.”
Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France
“Joan of Arc could remain a rural seer, could prophesy and heal. She could have ended her work as a revered abbess, or even a respected citizen. There were ways to everything. But the Great Law had to find in it another bright evidence of the Truth. The flame of her heart, the flame of the fire - the fiery crown - all this is far beyond ordinary laws. Even beyond the ordinary human imagination.”
Nicholas Roerich, artist and philosopher