Charles VI, a madman and the King of France, was dead and his kingdom hung in the balance. The French aristocracy were at war with each other, English soldiers occupied Paris and Charles’ crown was up for grabs, contested by his own son, the Dauphin, and the seven-year-old King of England, Henry VI. But as the English army pressed down through France, the only thing that seemed to stand between the English King and the French Crown was the city of Orleans.
Looking back on the events that followed, the Duke of Bedford wrote to King Henry VI and declared “all things prospered for you till the time of the siege of Orleans, taken in hand God knoweth by what advice”.
But what happened at the siege of Orleans, did Joan of Arc really rescue the city and how significant was the battle in changing the course of the 100 Years' War and the subsequent histories of England and France?
Contributors
Anne Curry, Professor of Medieval History at the University of Southampton
Malcolm Vale, Fellow and Tutor in History at St John’s College, Oxford
Matthew Bennett, Senior Lecturer at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst
Audience reactions to this edition
Bob Santroul Jeanne d'Arc
Régine Pernoud in her marvellous book "Les trente journées qui ont fait la France" claimed that La Pucelle d'Orléans became a French national hero because she came of working-class stock. It was quite unusual in medieval times to have a young peasant woman at the top of the army.
Peter Bolt ; Jeanne D`Arc
Re; Welsh Archers at Agincourt; Yes, but from Hereford and Hay on Wye.At the Battle of Evesham 1265 Edward I (then Prince Edward) had English archers; Simon De Mountford had Welsh. archers(he lost).It is recorded that the Welsh and English archers sought each other out "to settle old scores".Even to this day in the village of Bretforton just outside Evesham is a shingle bank in the centre of the Avon called "Deadmans bank" because bodies from that battle were washed up on it.So you good burghers of Norfolk you have only been told half the story
Graham Hoddinott – Joan of Arc
Melvyn, AOL decided to place your email this week into a spam folder. I can only assume their sensitive computer was seeking to protect us from references to "transvestism and of the Church’s persecution of transvestites."
Peter Household – Joan of Arc
Two questions I would have liked explored further: How significant was the 100 years war in European history? And did Joan of Arc appeal to French nationalism, or would that be anachronistic?
David -- Jeanne Darc
I was particularly interested in the ideologies in this long Franco-British scrap. Joan seems to have been a proponent of the anointing of the French kings with holy oil according to the rite of Israelitish kings. This practice, introduced by the British missionary Boniface (Wynfrith of Devon) in the eighth century had been discontinued on the continent but remained the usual practice in the British Isles. The aim may have been to unite the two kingdoms in a rite that would bring an end to wars. The Lorraine historian who goes into this in detail, Jean de Pange, a friend of Robert Schuman the initiator of the European Community, also urged the Franco-British union at the start of World War 2 (a proposal that was later taken up by Jean Monnet.) Do any of the historians have comments on this aspect of religious history?
Dave McAuslan and Joan of Arc
Did a Scottish army also stand with Joan of Arc between the English King and the French Crown?
