Saint Joan of Arc (Jeanne la Pucelle): Difference between revisions
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On the [7th]<ref>The transcript reads "27," although it was May 7. Starting in 1431 the city of Orleans held annual ''Fêtes de Jeanne d'Arc'' celebrated on May 7 & 8, which Lullier would have known well, so it is likely a clerical error not mistake memory. </ref> May, 1429, I remember well that an assault was made on the enemy in the Fort of the Bridge, in which Jeanne was wounded by an arrow; the attack lasted from morning till evening, and in such manner that our men wished to retreat into the town. Then Jeanne appeared, her standard in her hand, and placed it on the edge of the trench; and immediately the English began to quake, and were seized with fear. The army of the King took courage, and once more began to assail the Boulevard; and thus was the Boulevard taken, and the English therein were all put to flight or slain. Classidas and the principal English captains, thinking to retreat into the Tower of the Bridge, fell into the river, and were drowned; and the fort being taken, all the King’s army retired into the city. </blockquote> | On the [7th]<ref>The transcript reads "27," although it was May 7. Starting in 1431 the city of Orleans held annual ''Fêtes de Jeanne d'Arc'' celebrated on May 7 & 8, which Lullier would have known well, so it is likely a clerical error not mistake memory. </ref> May, 1429, I remember well that an assault was made on the enemy in the Fort of the Bridge, in which Jeanne was wounded by an arrow; the attack lasted from morning till evening, and in such manner that our men wished to retreat into the town. Then Jeanne appeared, her standard in her hand, and placed it on the edge of the trench; and immediately the English began to quake, and were seized with fear. The army of the King took courage, and once more began to assail the Boulevard; and thus was the Boulevard taken, and the English therein were all put to flight or slain. Classidas and the principal English captains, thinking to retreat into the Tower of the Bridge, fell into the river, and were drowned; and the fort being taken, all the King’s army retired into the city. </blockquote> | ||
Pretty much sums up the events at Orléans, although we must take careful note of the role of Joan's standard: it won battles, literally, as Joan testified at Rouen, as “It had shared the pain.”<ref>March 17, Trial of Condemnation (Murray p. 93)</ref> We see the Rouen court take much interest in her battle flag, especially since she bore it at Charles' coronation at Reims, but also because of its depictions of Christ and angels and the ''fleur-de-lis'' of France. The Rouen court recognized its symbolic power -- even to | Pretty much sums up the events at Orléans, although we must take careful note of the role of Joan's standard: it won battles, literally, as Joan testified at Rouen, as “It had shared the pain.”<ref>March 17, Trial of Condemnation (Murray p. 93)</ref> We see the Rouen court take much interest in her battle flag, especially since she bore it at Charles' coronation at Reims, but also because of its depictions of Christ and angels and the ''fleur-de-lis'' of France. The English-backed Rouen court recognized its symbolic power -- even to claim that Joan used it as a charm, which they likely picked up from rumors collected by their agents who, as we would say today, went out digging up dirt on her. | ||
Two of the Seventy Articles against Joan referenced her standard, from Article XX:<ref>Murray, p. 349. The other accusation, discussed above, was in Article LVIII and focused on the standard as "display and vanity" and neither "religion nor piety" (see Murray, p. 361)</ref> <blockquote>She hath put faith in her ring, in her banner, in certain pieces of linen, and pennons which she carried or caused to be carried by her people, and also in the sword found by revelation, according to her, at Saint Catherine de Fierbois, saying that these things were very fortunate. She made thereon many execrations and conjurations, in many and divers places, publicly asserting that by them she would do great things and would obtain victory over her enemies; that to those of her people who carried pennons of this kind no ill could happen. | Two of the Seventy Articles against Joan referenced her standard, from Article XX:<ref>Murray, p. 349. The other accusation, discussed above, was in Article LVIII and focused on the standard as "display and vanity" and neither "religion nor piety" (see Murray, p. 361)</ref> <blockquote>She hath put faith in her ring, in her banner, in certain pieces of linen, and pennons which she carried or caused to be carried by her people, and also in the sword found by revelation, according to her, at Saint Catherine de Fierbois, '''saying that these things were very fortunate'''. She made thereon many '''execrations'''<ref>uttering curses; from ''ex-'' (out) + ''sacrare'' (sacred) for "out of the sacred"</ref> '''and conjurations''', in many and divers places, publicly asserting that by them she would do great things and would obtain victory over her enemies; that to those of her people who carried pennons of this kind '''no ill could happen'''.<ref>thus a heretical charm</ref> [emphasis mine] </blockquote>The reading of the Seventy Articles took two days, and Joan was asked to respond to each. She generally responded, as she did to Article XX, with, <blockquote>I refer to what I have already said.<ref>She was amazing. Articles XXVII, XXVIII, XXIS, and XXX regarded letters she had written, which, apparently, were re-read (?), as the record reads, "What have you to say on these Articles, XXVII, XXVIII, XXIX, XXX, which have been read to you with great care, from the first word to the last?" She hilariously responded, "I refer to what I answered on Article XXVI." To Article XXVI she had responded, "I refer to what I said before." (Murray, p. 351) One hopes that the notary, Massieu, laughed to himself over this one.</ref> </blockquote>Although she did offer larger denials or corrections. Here she added, <blockquote>In all I have done there was never any sorcery or evil arts. As for the good luck of my banner, I refer it to the fortune sent through it by Our Lord. </blockquote> | ||
[[File:(Venice)_Allegoria_della_battaglia_di_Lepanto_-_Gallerie_Accademia.jpg|alt=The Allegory of the Battle of Lepanto by Paolo Veronese (c. 1572, Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice|thumb| | [[File:Clovis_recevant_la_fleur_de_lys_-_XVe_siècle.jpg|left|thumb|346x346px|<small>Angel bringing the Golden Lilly to Clovis, from the 15th century Bedford Book of Hours (Wikipedia)</small> ]] | ||
Joan had prepared the army to follow | [[File:Blason_pays_fr_France_ancien.svg|alt=Royal arms of France (ancient): Azure semée-de-lis or, as borne by kings of France until 1376, when King w:Charles V reduced the lillies to three (France (modern))|thumb|135x135px|<small>''France ancien'' (Wikipedia)</small>]] | ||
[[File:Blason_France_moderne.svg|alt=Arms of France (modern) (adopted in 1376 by by King Charles V of France): Azure, three fleurs-de-lis or|thumb|136x136px|<small>France Moderne by Charles V, 1376 (Wikipedia)</small>]] | |||
As every football fan knows, the logo of the New Orleans Saints is the herald of the House of Bourbon and a primary symbol of France itself. If you look it up on Wikipedia, you will learn that early kings of France were fond of a pretty yellow flower that grew along the River Lis, and that Clovis first adopted it as a herald after his baptism at Reims. In Catholic France, however, the legend holds that an angel, or even the Virgin Mary herself, presented "the golden lily" to Clovis as a symbol of purification at his baptism.<ref>If you must, here: [[wikipedia:Fleur-de-lis#Origin|Fleur-de-lis - Wikipedia]] (assessed 1/20/2025). The entry notes, "There is a fanciful legend about Clovis which links the yellow flag explicitly with the French coat of arms." Scroll down to [[wikipedia:Fleur-de-lis#France|Fleur-de-lis#France - Wikipedia]] and you will learn about the "propagandist connection" of the ''fleur-de-lis'' to Clovis having been adopted by Charlemagne and later French king. Well, it's a hugely important symbol and deeply connected to the ''Saint Ampoule'', which held the Chrism Oil for the consecration (anointment) of French kings. See this article in French, [http://www.salve-regina.com/index.php?title=La_sainte_ampoule La sainte ampoule — Salve Regina], (assessed 1/20/2025) for the Catholic view of the "holy ampulle" brought by a white dove upon the prayers of Saint Remi for the baptism of Clovis at Reims. It was this act of anointment that was supremely important for Charles VII's coronation there. </ref> Whatever the origin, the ''fleur-de-lis'' became a tremendously important symbol for the divine right of French kings. | |||
Charles V, the Dauphin Charles' grandfather, reduced the royal coat of arms, the ''France Ancien'', with a field of golden lilies, to just three to mark the Holy Trinity and more clearly his divine right. We can see, then, how freaked out were the Rouen judges, and by extension, the English, at Joan's assertion upon her battle flag of the divine right to rule of the French monarchy. | |||
[[File:(Venice)_Allegoria_della_battaglia_di_Lepanto_-_Gallerie_Accademia.jpg|alt=The Allegory of the Battle of Lepanto by Paolo Veronese (c. 1572, Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice|thumb|268x268px|<small>The Allegory of the Battle of Lepanto by Paolo Veronese, c. 1572 (Wikipedia. The "Serenissima," representing Venice, introduced to the Virgin Mary by Saints Justina and Mark</small> <ref>Saints Peter and Roch are on the left. See [https://www.gallerieaccademia.it/en/allegory-battle-lepanto Allegory of the Battle of Lepanto | Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia]</ref>]] | |||
Joan had prepared the army to follow her battle standard, which is why she -- her Voices -- insisted on making it. Discipline and morale win wars, nothing new there, but Joan's discipline was for the soul first, then the soldier. First off, the standard had the image of the Lord on it -- not just a Cross or IHS, but Christ himself holding the world in his hands, or, as described elsewhere, blessing the French herald, the ''fleur-de-lis'', with the Archangels to either side and framed by the words, ''Jhesus + Maria'' to the side. If you've been sent by God, you want to advertise it. | |||
Marketers like to think of "ecosystems" of messaging and reinforcement. Joan's imaging operated on several levels, starting with repentance. We might not expect a secular historian to recognize the power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, although a professor of literature ought to recall that Shakespeare felt it was good for war, having his Henry V, prior to Agincourt, praying for forgiveness for having usurped the throne.<ref>Lots of psychodrama therein for Shakespeare to reimagine, but which in history frames the very story of Saint Joan of Arc.</ref> More dramatically, and in a more historical example, Pope Pius V ordered prayers and fasting before the 1571 Battle of Lepanto, and his Holy League admiral, Don Juan of Austria, ordered priests aboard ships to hear individual confessions and make general absolutions prior to the battle. | Marketers like to think of "ecosystems" of messaging and reinforcement. Joan's imaging operated on several levels, starting with repentance. We might not expect a secular historian to recognize the power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, although a professor of literature ought to recall that Shakespeare felt it was good for war, having his Henry V, prior to Agincourt, praying for forgiveness for having usurped the throne.<ref>Lots of psychodrama therein for Shakespeare to reimagine, but which in history frames the very story of Saint Joan of Arc.</ref> More dramatically, and in a more historical example, Pope Pius V ordered prayers and fasting before the 1571 Battle of Lepanto, and his Holy League admiral, Don Juan of Austria, ordered priests aboard ships to hear individual confessions and make general absolutions prior to the battle. | ||
We hear from a priest Pierre Campaing, how Joan by order, example, or elicitation, brought the French army to Catholic piety:<ref>Murray, p. 250. Oddly spelled name but repeated the same in Pernoud, "The Retrial of Joan of Arc," p. 131</ref> <blockquote>I have seen Jeanne, at the Elevation of the Host, weeping many tears. I remember well that she induced the soldiers to confess their sins; and I indeed saw that, by her instigation and advice, La Hire and many of his company came to confession. </blockquote>The absolution for sins not only frees one of the guilt of sin but reorients one to right purpose. That is, repent, yes, but sin no more, which Joan insisted upon. We hear from witnesses, such as the squire Simon Baucroix,<ref>Murray, p. 268</ref> <blockquote>She would not permit any of those in her company to steal anything; nor would she ever eat of food which she knew to be stolen. Once, a Scot told her that he had eaten of a stolen calf: she was very angry, and wanted to strike the Scot for so doing. </blockquote>Joan famously taught La Hire to curse more appropriately, using '''Par mon martin'' ("by my baton") instead of the Lord's name. Even the Count d'Alençon was compelled to watch his mouth around Joan. Luois de Contes, from an important Orleans family recalled,<ref>Murray, p. 264</ref><blockquote>To hear blasphemies upon the Name of Our Lord vexed her. Many times when the Duke d'Alençon swore or blasphemed before her, I heard her reprove him. As a rule, no one in the army dared swear or blaspheme before her, for fear of being reprimanded.</blockquote>The Duke mentioned it himself, admitting,<ref>Murray, p. 280</ref><blockquote>She was very vexed if she heard any of the soldiers swear. She reproved me much and strongly when I sometimes swore; and when I saw her I refrained from swearing.</blockquote> | |||
And, of course, there would be no "camp followers" around to tempt and corrupt the troops. Baucroix continued,<blockquote>She would never permit women of ill-fame to follow the army; none of them dared to come into her presence; but, if any of them appeared, she made them depart unless the soldiers were willing to marry them.</blockquote>And Contes similarly recalled,<ref>rray, p. 264u</ref><blockquote>She would have no women in her army. One day, near Château-Thierry, seeing the mistress of one of her followers riding on horseback, she pursued her with her sword, without striking her at all ; but with gentleness and charity she told her she must no longer be found amongst the soldiers, otherwise she would suffer for it.</blockquote> | And, of course, there would be no "camp followers" around to tempt and corrupt the troops. Baucroix continued,<blockquote>She would never permit women of ill-fame to follow the army; none of them dared to come into her presence; but, if any of them appeared, she made them depart unless the soldiers were willing to marry them.</blockquote>And Contes similarly recalled,<ref>rray, p. 264u</ref><blockquote>She would have no women in her army. One day, near Château-Thierry, seeing the mistress of one of her followers riding on horseback, she pursued her with her sword, without striking her at all ; but with gentleness and charity she told her she must no longer be found amongst the soldiers, otherwise she would suffer for it.</blockquote>These are distinct memories, data points we can use to understand the moment in time, but together, we see how Joan's battle flag reinforced the essential messages of repentance and justification for devotion and military order. | ||
These are distinct memories, data points we can use to understand the moment in time. | |||
Remarkably, what we do not hear of from her military compatriots is any complaint of her male attire. As it was for the clerics, It was simply not an issue for them. For the French bishops, her male dress was a possible impediment, that at Poitiers was accepted not just as an expedient but as biblically consistent with the biblical examples of female warriors Deborah and Judith. Their problem was whether or not she was "from God," which is why comparisons arose of Joan to the Delphic sibyls who spoke the words of divine prophesy.<ref>These were Greek myths adopted by medieval Christians as female seers, who prophesized the coming of Christ. The "Libyan Sibyl" appears in the Sistine Chapel. For Christian adoption of Sibyls, see [https://divinenarratives.org/the-sibylline-oracles-origins-influences-and-early-christian-impact/ The Sibylline Oracles: Origins, Influences, and Early Christian Impact - DivineNarratives] (accessed 1/20/25)</ref> Once it was discerned that Joan was from God, then affirmed at Orleans, the matter of her dress was dropped. As did the soldiery around her, the clerics realized that God sent the Maid to save France by arms, then she needed to dress accordingly. For the English and their Burgundian clerics, the opposite was assumed, thus the Rouen court's infatuation with her clothes: she was sent by demons and her dress, then, was demonic, too. | |||
What it came to was that If the Maid was going to fight she needed to be dressed for it. There was no scaling walls in a dress, and certainly not riding a horse like a knight in one. e | |||
=== '''Leadership:''' === | === '''Leadership:''' === | ||