In those days, when people knew how to see signs, many built their destiny, following the predictions of sages and oracles. But this girl decided the destinies of states and princes, based on her own visions.
The libertine and the maiden
There is a legend about the prophecy of the sorcerer Merlin regarding the fate of France. In it, the wizard predicts the death of France because of a womanizer and her salvation by an innocent virgin. Queen Isabella of Bavaria fit the description of Merlin like no one else. Rumor accused her of all sins, including poisoning her daughter and mockery of her husband, King Charles VI, who had lost his mind. After forcing the insane monarch to sign a document on the transfer of France to the English king, Isabella crowned her son-in-law, and excommunicated her own son, declaring him illegitimate - and all only in order to remain the French queen mother until the end of her life. The son was not going to just hand over the royal regalia, which belonged to him by right, a confrontation ensued. But over time, the nobility got tired of war and intrigue, the Dauphin had a minimum of supporters,the last stronghold of his resistance was Orleans, and even that one had already been under siege. It was 1429, France was threatened with a complete loss of independence. But the predicted appearance of the Savior Maiden was a miracle that the Dauphin Karl and the remnants of his troops no longer even hoped for.
"Jeanne hears voices." Eugene Tyrion, 1876. wikimedia.
Apparition of the saints
Jeanne had a lot of visions. First, the Archangel Michael appeared to her, then two saints joined him: Margaret and Catherine. For three years, these visions convinced the girl of her exclusivity, and at the age of 16, Jeanne decided that it was time to act. Laughed at by the commandant of the city of Vaucouleur, to whom she announced the mission entrusted to her, Jeanne makes the first prophecy. She talks about the future defeat of the French at Orleans. After the prediction came true, they took Jeanne more seriously, granted her request for permission to wear men's clothing, gave a detachment to escort, and reported her arrival to the Dauphin.
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The dauphin could not condescend to meet with commoners, so, trying to turn everything into a joke, he seated one of the courtiers on the throne, and he himself slipped into the crowd of those present. If Jeanne, declared a prophetess in the report, did not recognize the substitution, it would be possible not to lose face, laughing at the loser. But Jeanne unmistakably approached Charles and greeted him as king. After a conversation with Jeanne, Karl arranged a series of checks on her, sending the girl to Poitiers. They all proved her chastity, humility and piety. The messengers who returned from her homeland also confirmed the impeccability of Jeanne's reputation.
Theologians asked her for a sign to confirm the divinity of what was happening, but Jeanne replied that the sign would be the coronation of Charles in the palace of Reims, and before that the siege of Orleans would be lifted. Inspired by such a turn, Karl gave the army under the command of Jeanne, especially since Jeanne publicly declared the legitimacy of his rights to the throne, and declared it in the name of God.
Two more of her predictions of that period are known. One is about the return of the Duke of Orleans from England, and the second is about the conquest of Paris by the king. Both at that time seemed impracticable. In another vision, Jeanne saw a banner with an image of an angel and a royal coat of arms; in addition, she indicated the place where they were to look for a sword with five crosses. The sword was found.
Having at her disposal, in fact, a small detachment, Jeanne did in a few days what the French army could not do for a year: she recaptured Orleans from the British. The liberation of Orleans was called a miracle, and Jeanne was named the Maiden of Orleans. In the summer, the predicted coronation of the Dauphin took place, which was preceded by a whole series of victories, as a result of which many of the lands occupied by the British were returned to France.
Prophecy for a prophetess
In 1430, Jeanne made another prophecy, and this time it concerned herself. In it, Jeanne said that the saints warn her of the dangers and trials that threaten her. It is unclear why she did nothing to avoid them, but the fact remains: then everything went according to the worst scenario. Probably, the girl was inspired by the example of the Savior, who also knew his fate and boldly went to meet her.
The newly minted king stopped paying attention to the prophecies of the exalted girl. In addition, Joan's popularity among the people had grown to unprecedented heights, and this was becoming inconvenient for the still shaky throne of the ruler. Therefore, when Jeanne was captured by the Burgundians and demanded a ransom, Charles refused to save the seer who had won the throne. The Burgundians did not care who to sell the goods to, so Joan was immediately resold to the British after Charles refused. They understood the value of Joan as a prisoner and did not hesitate to pay the required amount. And although the French formally tried Jeanne, the process was completely controlled by the invaders.
Monument to Jeanne Orleans virgin, Paris. pixabay.com.
Propaganda played a big role at all times, so it was necessary to destroy the legend of the purity and holiness of the Maid of Orleans in order to undermine faith in the righteousness of her cause. At the same time, it was possible to cause trouble for Charles: if Joan's words about his royal origin were questioned, a new intervention could be started.
First, the Inquisition got down to business. Jeanne was forced to confess heresy and witchcraft, they tried to prove her carnal connection with the devil, and visions were fiction or evidence of devilish intrigues. But the girl steadfastly endured interrogations, did not fall into the set traps, so the holy fathers did not achieve "confession - the queen of proofs". And the respected matrons again confirmed Jeanne's virginity, so the story of pleasures with the devil fell through in the bud. Nevertheless, she was charged with blasphemy and heresy - and Jeanne signed a renunciation of her delusions.
But a few days later, the captive stated that she did not understand the essence of the document being signed, and put her signature only because of fear of fire. It turned out that the wrong text was read to the illiterate Frenchwoman, which was actually written on paper.
The Inquisition nevertheless handed the prisoner over to the secular court with an indictment - heresy. The judges did not delay and sent the savior of France to the stake on the same day.
Monument to Jeanne d'Arc at the site of her burning in Rouen. Photo: Vladimir Shelyapin / Wikimedia.
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Already a prisoner, Jeanne made several predictions regarding the fate of France. In one of them, she said that the British in seven years will be completely expelled from French lands. And so it happened.
A secular court acquitted Jeanne 25 years after her execution. The Catholic Church canonized her in 1920, half a millennium after the events described. Many "miracles" of the Middle Ages have long been debunked, but modern scientists have no version regarding the "mechanism" of the prophecies of the Maid of Orleans.
RUSICH ANNA