Joan of Arc Captured

Jeanne d'Arc had accomplished the chief mission of her visions, putting Charles VII on the Throne of France through her military support and inspiration of the troops. In exchange, Charles had raised her family to noble status. At that point, with Charles in charge, peaceful negotiations were the way forward for France, but she wanted to do more to drive the English out of the continent.

In April of 1430, she was on the march (without royal approval), driving out English and Burgundians (Charles' political party was the Armagnacs) from towns and garrisons they encountered. More local people and soldiers joined her along the way. At the town of Lagny-sur-Marne, the group defeated an Anglo-Burgundian force and captured their leader, a mercenary named Franquet d'Arras. Usually, someone of his status would be used for ransom, but Joan allowed a trial that led to his execution.

They continued to Compiègne, reaching it on 14 May. At that time, the number of followers had grown so large that it could not find sufficient food locally to support itself, so Joan disbanded them, retaining only 400 soldiers to enter Compiègne. Ten days later, they left Compiègne to attack a Burgundian camp northeast of the town. The attack failed and Jeanne was captured (shown above in a 19th century painting). A Burgundian nobleman, Lyonnel de Wandomme, took her to his castle at Beaulieu-les-Fontaines.

She tried to escape and was moved to the more secure Beaurevoir Castle. She attempted another escape, jumping from a high window to a dry moat, but was too injured from the fall to go any further. She was then moved to the town of Arras, deep in Burgundian-held territory.

The English were happy to offer a ransom to get this devil-maid into their hands. Philip the Good, son of the Duke of Burgundy, was all too happy to hand her off to the English and shed responsibility for her fate since she was so beloved by many of her countrymen. After a payment of 10,000 livres tournois, Jeanne was moved to the main stronghold of the English in France, Rouen. We have no evidence that Charles VII took any steps to save the person who was instrumental in putting him on the throne.

Although there was no doubt as to the outcome of handing her to the English, formalities had to be observed. I'll go through her trial for heresy tomorrow.