THE BATTLE of JARGEAU “...OTHERWISE, YOU WILLBEMASSACRED.” Captured All Three Cities

SPECIAL THE BATTLE OF JARGEAU “...OTHERWISE, YOU WILLBEMASSACRED.” captured all three cities. After the siege of Jargeau, the the Jargeau, of siege the After cities. three all captured French later,the weeks river.Six same the on – gency Beau- and Meung, Jargeau, – cities three across army their year’spreviousdividing the conquests, to on hold the nearby English-held towns. The English attempted to tum that was growing in the French ranks and recapture the Loire River, Joan sought to capitalize on the momen- repellingfully fromEnglish the on Orléans of siege their ment in Joan of Arc’s brief military career. After success- engage- second the was 1429 in Jargeau for fight The 6 tar. Althoughthelegend © Metropolitan MuseumofArt and to have been given and tohavebeengiven According toanattribu- helmet does have what helmet doeshavewhat looks like damage from looks likedamagefrom the nineteenthcentury, by her to the church of by hertothechurch of hung overthemainal- is probably untrue, the is probably untrue,the Saint Pierre duMartroi

to have been worn in to havebeenwornin tion traceable only to tion traceableonlyto this helmet was said this helmetwassaid battle by Joan of Arc battle byJoanofArc at Orléans, where it at Orléans,where it Medieval Warfare IX-2 use inbattle. French massacred most of the English. Over Over English. the of most massacred French the years, historians have criticized criticized have historians years, the the English and French strategies, strategies, French and English the wards of30,000citizens. The besiegersbuilt having only 3,200 men against a city with up- the necessary numberstosurroundOrléans, Siege ofOrléansbegan,buttheEnglishlacked and suppliesviatheriver. OnOctober12,the hindering thetransportation ofreinforcements Beaugency tothewestand Jargeau tothe east, late Orléans,theEnglishcapturedMeungand port theirarmiesintosouthernFrance. To iso- holds along theLoire,clearingway to trans- T while others have diminished diminished have others while ons upblt i te mas- the in culpability Joan’s atc o mdea warfare. medieval of tactics assessments, their In sacre. nore common strategies and and strategies common nore ig- to tended have historians of conquest was to capture the strong- above the Loire River. The next phase controlled thenorthernhalfofFrance English andtheirBurgundianallies French andtheEnglish.By1428, the the subsequentstrategies ofboththe he siegeofOrléansdirectlyinfluenced By ScottManning tions, effectively endingthesiege by May 8. The French tookthreeoftheEnglishfortifica- reinforcements, food,andcannonson April 29. siege continueduntilJoan of Arc arrived with strike atmovements intooroutofthe city. The bombarded thewalls withcannonsandcould fortifications aroundthecity,from which they iers, buttheyalsosetoffa chain ofevents that to fight and lose at battles like Crécy and Poit- and burnedapproximately500localities. Prince, executedhisown chevauchée inFrance imals. Nine years later, Edward’s son, the Black swaths ofterritory,burningfieldsandkilling an- earth tacticthatfocusedonpillagingwide launched starve orassaultthetown. Inresponse,Edward knowing Edward didnothave theresources to to relieve thetown, butinsteadoptedtowait, ing thesiegeof Tournai in1340,Philiparrived the fundsprocuredinhishomecountry.Dur by KingEdward IIIofEnglandwas limitedby defensive approach. Heknewthataninvasion eign soil,theFrench kingPhilip VI pursueda the war. With theEnglishstretched thinonfor the beginningofwar in1337. however, werenotcentral toFrench warfare at fare quiteliterally centered onsieges.” Sieges, Sean McGlynnnow proclaim,“Medieval war the Hundred Years’ War, medievalists such as tionally received mostoftheattention during as Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt have tradi- approach. Yet, although open-field battles such used theword “stupidly” todescribeSuffolk’s and wait forreinforcements. Similarly,Burne better tokeepthearmy togetherasafieldforce” mistake,” arguingthat“itwould have beenfar commander” whose approach was a“gross Oman describedSuffolkasa“mostincapable H. Burne,werecriticalofSuffolk’s approach. historians, includingCharlesOmanand Alfred ed astheEnglishfront.Earlymedieval military ling themwas toisolateOrléans,theynow act- cities. Though theoriginalpurposeofcontrol- forces andspreadthemacrossthesefortified of theEnglishremnant–optedtodivide his la Pole – the earl of Suffolk and commander ung, andBeaugency ontheLoire. William de had failed,theEnglishstillheldJargeau, Me- Even thoughtheeight-monthsiegeofOrléans The EnglishstrategyafterOrléans Acts likethesedrove theFrench armiesout The transition startedintheearlystagesof chevauchées, amedieval scorched - - - The Duke of Alençon later recalled this fa- mous scene at Jargeau: "Joan was on a ladder, holding her standard in her hand, when it was struck and she herself was hit on the head by a stone which broke her helmet. But she was thrown to the ground and raising herself, said to the men-at-arms: ‘Friends, friends! Come on! Come on! Our Lord has condemned the English! Now they are ours; have good courage!’ In an instant the town of Jargeau was taken and the English retreated towards the bridges chased by the French." © Marek Szyszko

Medieval Warfare IX-2 7 Several scenes related to Joan of Arc transformed France into a country of fortified envisioned the English army maintaining a ‘field in the late fifteenth-centuryVigiles de cities. Before this, few towns were fortified and force’ outside of the protection and supply of a Charles VII, an account of the Hundred some of those defenses were simply old Roman city. Had Suffolk followed Oman and Burne’s Years War. From left to right: Joan with Charles VII during the Siege of Troyes; walls. In response, Philip granted towns the advice, the French would have more easily cap- Joan chasing away the prostitutes that right to collect taxes with the express purpose tured Jargeau and the other towns on the Loire were following the army; and finally of building and maintaining fortifications, a River. Without resources, Suffolk would then the Battle of Jargeau. policy that continued after his reign. This move have had to retreat from the area and explain © Bibliothèque nationale de France MS Français did not just include major cities such as Paris how he not only failed to capture Orléans, but 5054 fol. 61v, fol. 60v, and fol. 58r and Orléans, but also mid-sized towns like also gave up three other fortified cities without Jargeau. The townsfolk needed little motivation resistance. This was clearly never an option for to contribute to such a cause and the efforts Suffolk, who established his headquarters at bore fruit almost immediately. For example, the Jargeau, sending the rest of his troops to Meung English victory at Poitiers in 1356 that resulted and Beaugency. He then waited for reinforce- in the capture of the French king did not gain as ments or a French assault, whichever came first. much territory as the victory ten years earlier at Little remains of the 1429 fortifications Crécy. With the French population hiding be- of Jargeau. Contemporary descriptions con- hind their walls, the English could devastate the firm that the town featured walls, a ditch, and countryside and win open-field battles, but the towers. The walls were as high as 30 feet, as people remained unconquered. this was the standard design until cannon Thus, capturing fortifications was the key fire proved capable of knocking down tall to conquest in France during the latter part of structures, and any higher would have been the war. After Orléans, both Oman and Burne impossible for ladders to scale, as contemporary accounts described. Assuming the town followed typical medieval design, the towers would have been 40 to 60 meters apart. To © Tina Ross © Tina provide better flanking opportunities for the defenders, the towers would have protruded outside the walls, would have featured a cir- cular design that had been popular since the twelfth century, and would have had arrow slits and gun loops up and down the structure.

The French strategy After Orléans, the French did not immediately attack any of the other English-held towns along

Medieval Warfare IX-2 8 the Loire, and the siege of Jargeau did not oc- laying their offensive by a month. The push for cur until June 11, more than a month later. Du- more troops fell directly in line with medieval nois – the Bastard of Orléans and leader of the siege practices. Christine de Pizan’s The Book eight-month defense of the city – testified that of Deeds of Arms and of Chivalry, one of the he, Joan, and the other commanders traveled to most advanced military writings in France at meet the Dauphin “to ask him for armed bands the time, attests to this. Written around 1410, with which to recover the castles and towns ly- it analyzes ancient writings such as Vegetius ing on the Loire river.” Joan pressured the Dau- and combines them with contemporary opin- phin “most earnestly and frequently to hasten ions. In a theoretical siege of a fortification and delay no longer.” Perceval de Cagny, a guarded by 200 men, the book recommends sympathetic eyewitness, confirmed the story, employing no fewer than 3,200 men with but added that Joan also convinced the other specific roles – 600 carpenters, 600 assistants, French commanders to attack Jargeau first. and 2,000 knights, soldiers, and squires. War Unfortunately, no surviving contempo- rarely allows such an ideal situation, but ulti- rary sources explain the strategic importance, mately Pizan recommended an overwhelm- As the attached label explains, this if any, of capturing Jargeau first. There are ing sixteen-to-one numerical advantage. Con- chunk of limestone is believed to have originally been part of one of the blocks several possibilities, including the fact that temporary estimates vary from 300 to 800 used in the construction of the dun- the city was naturally cut off from Meung English troops at Jargeau, while estimates of geon that once held Joan of Arc while and Beaugency by Orléans. In addition, the the French army range from 1,200 to 3,000 she was imprisioned in Rouen before city was closer to Paris, the nearest significant immediately after relieving Orléans. In addi- her trial by the English. It was later English stronghold with reinforcements. Cap- tion, the English had just demonstrated at Or- used to construct the base of a statue turing Jargeau before reinforcements arrived léans that besieging a city with too few troops dedicated to Joan in New York City. © Metropolitan Museum of Art would force the English to march much far- could fail. The additional time paid off, and ther to help the remaining Loire cities. Finally, by the time the siege of Jargeau began, one Suffolk stationed his headquarters there. By source put the French forces at 8,000. Even taking out the senior commander of the Eng- at the highest estimate for English forces, lish forces on the Loire, Joan may have theo- it gave the French at least a ten-to- rized that Meung and Beaugency would be one numerical advantage. easier to capture, but this assumes she knew Before reaching the city, Suffolk’s location and no source confirms this. the French commanders debat- Regardless of why Joan targeted Jargeau ed whether they should even first, it is clear from the Bastard’s testimony attack. According to Jean II, that although they had been successful at Or- the duke of Alençon, he and his léans, they believed they needed more men to fellow commanders believed the capture the remaining cities on the Loire, de- English “were very powerful and were

Medieval Warfare IX-2 9 there in great numbers.” However, Joan ar- to be of good courage.” The troops followed rived at the council late and convinced them her lead and overwhelmed the English, who that “God was conducting their campaign.” withdrew behind the town walls. After more encouraging words, all the com- That night, the French camped in the manders overcame their concerns and suburbs and prepared artillery for bombard- agreed to attack. Modern historian Stephen ment. During this time, Perceval tells us that W. Richey criticizes the French command- Joan commanded the inhabitants of Jargeau ers, saying “that even at those odds, it took to leave or surrender, “otherwise, you will be a pep talk from Joan to get them to follow massacred.” The English ignored her threats through on their plans to attack Jargeau.” and, in the morning, Alençon tells us the This criticism assumes that the French were French “opened fire with their bombards and aware of the exact number of defenders, but engines against the town.” Three shots from Alençon’s testimony confirms there was ei- one of the cannons knocked down the tallest ther unclear or no intelligence on the Eng- tower in the city. The bombardment lasted lish strength. In addition, even with 8,000 at least a day according to the Journal, but men, the French still ideally needed more Alençon indicated it lasted longer, saying it for Pizan’s sixteen-to-one guideline, if the was “several days later” before the French The earliest known image of Joan of Arc is this sketch by Clement de English numbered upwards of 800. gathered to determine the next steps. Suffolk Fauquembergue, secretary of the sued for a two-week ceasefire, but Joan testi- Parliament of Paris, in the margin of The attack on Jargeau fies that she rejected it, demanding that the the official register he kept for daily There are numerous contemporary chroni- defenders leave immediately. events on May 10, 1429, after news of cles and eyewitness accounts of the events After the bombardment, the French as- Joan's victory at Orleans reached Paris. © Public domain of Jargeau. The most detailed accounts come saulted the walls. The contemporary descrip- from the Duke of Alençon as well as the Jour- tions are brief but revealing. Both Perceval nal du Siége d’Orléans, which includes daily and Alençon described Joan as leading the reports from the siege along with other chron- assault, carrying her standard. The assault icles. Though each source provides different lasted approximately four hours. With lad- details, they do not contradict each other on ders, the French began making their way events. Alençon provides arguably the most over the walls. Overwhelmed, Suffolk pur- useful testimony since he was a commander portedly sued for a ceasefire, but no one In 1874, the French government of the French forces at the battle. In addition, heard him through the chaos. Alençon testi- commissioned artist Emmanuel his servant and fellow eyewitness, Perceval fied that Joan inspired the final push as she Frémiet to produce a gilded de Cagny, provides further insight. was climbing a ladder and a defender struck bronze statue of Joan of Arc in The French decided to attack, starting her on the head with a stone, sending her commemoration of the country's defeat in the 1870 Franco-Prus- with the suburbs outside the walls of Jargeau, to the ground. She got up and yelled to the sian War. Various copies were where they would spend the night. Upon the French troops, “Up, friends, up! Our Lord made of Frémiet's original work, arrival of the first French troops on June 11, has doomed the English. At this very hour, and statues also stand in a the English ran outside the city walls to con- they are ours. Be of good cheer!” variety of other cities around the front them; they were clearly not ready for a The besiegers took the town, and the re- world; the one shown here can confrontation and faltered. When Joan saw be found in Philadelphia, near maining English fled across the bridge north the Museum of Art. her troops wavering, Alençon tells us she of the Loire. In the pursuit, the French cap- © Smallbones / Wikimedia Commons “went to the attack, exhorting the soldiers tured Suffolk, but they also killed a consider-

REMEMBERING JOAN OF ARC Although Joan would be captured and executed less than two years after her victory at Jargeau, she would remain a powerful symbol for the French people. She would be praised by those who knew and fought with her, including the Duke of Alençon. In a deposition he would give at her second trial, the duke said “he had always held her to be an excellent catholic, and an honest woman because he saw her receive the body of Christ many times and when she looked at the body of Christ, she very often shed many tears... But she was very skilled in war, both in carrying the lance and in deploying the army, organizing combat and preparing artillery.”

Medieval Warfare IX-2 10 able number of English, including prisoners. the sources reporting the incident mentions A modern-day view showing the The contemporary body count estimates vary her presence or knowledge of what had oc- French town of Jargeau. The Loire River flows along the northern side of but indicate that the French massacred all the curred.” Similarly, Larissa Juliet Taylor ques- Jargeau. While few medieval remains English and possibly some of the town’s in- tions Joan’s ability to restrain “the lowest ranks are visible today, the church of Saint- habitants. Enguerrand de Monstrelet estimated of local men-at-arms who had suffered huge Etienne (whose steeple is visible in the that the English were 300-400 strong and he casualties and wanted to exact revenge.” background) dates from as early as tell us the French killed 300 of them. Alençon Massacres after sieges were common, but the fourth century, with additions and this did not stop the English from wanting ret- improvements made in both the ninth estimated that 1,100 were massacred, which and twelfth centuries. is devastating even against the higher troop ribution after they had captured Joan and put © Evan Frank / Shutterstock her on trial. During the proceedings her pros- strength found in Journal du Siége d’Orléans Jean II, Duke of Alençon, dressed ecutors asked her “why she had not agreed (600-700) and Perceval de Cagny (700 or 800). as a Knight of the Golden Fleece in Even with the presence of Joan of Arc, to the treaty with the captain of Jargeau.” The this manuscript image from 1473. He Jargeau was a bloody but typical siege. The record of the trial tells us, “She also said for would have been about 64 years old in this image. English and French leaders applied strategies her own part, she told the people of Jargeau © Public domain and tactics common in medieval warfare. Suf- to leave with their doublets or tunics, and folk’s move to hold onto the English fortifica- their lives safe, if they wished; otherwise they tions on the Loire was his only choice when would be taken by assault.” During her trial, the prosecutors did all they could to force viewed in the context of how important for- Joan to admit wrongdoing in anything, and tifications were in France. The French delay had she shown any remorse for the massacre to recruit more troops aligned with the mili- at Jargeau they would have surely recorded it. tary writings in France at the time. Likewise, Yet, they recorded Joan stating plainly that she the French commanders’ concern over the offered the defenders a chance to leave with strength of the English at Jargeau was valid. their lives, but they chose otherwise. In this Concerning the massacre, several his- respect, Joan of Arc was like most medieval torians have tried to distance Joan from any siege commanders. MW culpability. For example, Kelly DeVries theo- rizes, “It is possible that this was done without Scott Manning holds master's degree in his- her knowledge, or that some of her soldiers tory and a bachelor's in military history, and took her threats of an English massacre more he serves on the board of the Mid-Atlantic seriously than she intended, as neither of Popular and American Culture Association.

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