June 12th 1429 saw an army led by Joan of Arc defeat the English at the Battle of Jargeau.
I've posted about Joan of Arc and indeed the 100 year war before, the Scots were heavily involved with both the Maid of Orléans and the long conflict between France and England.
Joan had helped lift the Siege of Orléans the previous month, where Scots are known to have been present, Jargeau was a small town on the southern bank of the Loire river in central France, about ten miles east of Orléans., this was Joan's first offensive action during her short life.
While I can find no evidence that there were Scots at the battle, I would be surprised that there would have been none, they would however have been ordinary foot soldiers , certainly there were no Knights.
So what's the point of the post? Well just another wee connection with Scotland had with Jeanne d’Arc, as she is known in her native France, the banner she carried into battle was painted by a Scot called Hamish Power or Hauves Poulvoir as the French knew him. Joan asked Hamish to paint her her standard and pennon, to her designs, Power has been described as a displaced Scot, living in Tours.
The standard was 3 feet wide and 12 feet long. The image was a field of golden lilies with an image of "the King of Heaven seated upon a rainbow, and holding in one hand the world in the form of a globe, the other being raised in a gesture of benediction. Before Him, to right and to left, were the kneeling figures of Michael and Gabriel, each presenting to Him a fleur-de-lys. Joan's motto "Jhesus-Maria was written in letters of gold on this rough material. " on the reverse was " an escutcheon: a field of azure charged with a silver dove holding in its beak a streamer with the words "De par le Roy di Ciel." The standard was the "fluttering sign" to which her army could rally when dispersed in confusion of battle.
The Pennon depicted the Annunciation, the Virgin Mary receiving from the Archangel Gabriel a double lily, which was the twofold symbol of France and of chastity. It was carried by one of her squires to mark her position in the field.
Joan spoke about the banners at her trial, testifying that it had been created by the command of God and that she was given instructions about the design by Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret who told her to take it and bear it boldly.
When Joan and the dauphin rode to the Reims Cathedral for the coronation on July 17, 1429, she rode with a Scots Guard of 60 men.
She later stated that she preferred to carry her banner into battle so that she would not have to kill anyone. "I loved my banner forty times better than my sword. And when I went against my enemy, I carried my banner myself, lest I kill any. I have never killed anyone."
Joan carried her banner at the coronation of Charles VII in the Cathedral of Reims and was later questioned at her trial about having it there to which she responded: "It had borne the burden; it was quite right that it receive the honour."
You can find more about the remarkable lady that Joan of Arc was at this great site below, the klink takes you to part of her testimony when she was found guilty of witchcraft and heresy by pro-English bishop Pierre Cauchon, who sentenced her to be burnt at the stake. She died on 30th May 1431 aged just 19.
