Joan of Arc - Maid of Heaven (original) (raw)

Joan of Arc

By Francis C. Lowell

Originally published in 1896 this is good biography about Joan of Arc that covers her whole life in a single volume and is a worthwhile read for anyone wanting to learn the history of Joan of Arc. In a review of this book Andrew Lang, Scottish man of letters and himself the author of several books about Joan of Arc, said that this biography "is infinitely the best on the subject within its compass." Read Lang's Review Here

Preface

To most persons the life of Joan of Arc is unreal, resembling a picturesque legend rather than truthful his tory. In truth, however, the facts of her real life are known to a somewhat remarkable degree of certainty and in very considerable detail. Pure legends concerning her are, indeed, common enough,--they sprang into existence within a fortnight of her appearance at Charles's court; but their absurdity can be easily detected, not merely by their extravagant improbability, but because they are inconsistent with well-known facts.

The life of Joan of Arc affords a striking illustration of two important his- torical principles: first, that legends require the shortest possible time for their luxuriant growth,--a contempora neous account being often little less legendary than an account separated from the event by a considerable lapse of time; and second, that the wildest and most improbable legends may exist beside the most definite and well-ascertained historical facts. The popular impression concerning Joan and the existence of these numerous legends have caused me in this book to cite authorities more frequently and more fully than I should otherwise have done. In the management of proper names I may not hope to have succeeded better than other authors who have written of the history of one country in the language of another.

In this matter it is hard to formulate a principle, and impossible to live up to it when formulated without falling into absurdity. For instance, I find it impossible to write of the great ally of the English except as "Philip, duke of Burgundy;" and, if I am to do so, I do not see how I can write of Joan's father as "Jacques d'Arc," or of the favorite of Charles VII. as "Georges de la Trémoille." In the fifteenth century, the particle "de" in "de Bourgogne," "d'Arc," and "de la Tremoille" meant, so far as I can perceive, the same thing. I acknowledge, however, that "James of Arc" is an awkward locution, and in the notes, at any rate, I have sometimes left a French name untranslated. In December, 1895, I delivered at the Lowell Institute four lectures on Joan of Arc, and in preparing them I made free use of the manuscript of this book, copying sentences and pages into the lectures where I thought such use of my material advisable. The invitation to deliver the lectures, however, was given after the book was substantially finished. January 18, 1896.

TABLE OF CONTENTS for Joan of Arc By Francis C. Lowell


Chapter I	The Condition of France
Chapter II	Domremy
Chapter III	The Voices
Chapter IV	Vaucouleurs
Chapter V	Chinon
Chapter VI	Poitiers
Chapter VII	The Siege of Orleans
Chapter VIII	The Relief of Orleans
Chapter IX	The campaign of the Loire.--Jargeau
Chapter X	The campaign of the Loire.--Patay
Chapter XI	The March to Rheims
Chapter XII	Mont�pilloy
Chapter XIII	The Attack on Paris
Chapter XIV	St. Pierre Le Moustier and La Charit�
Chapter XV	Lagny
Chapter XVI	Compi�gne
Chapter XVII	Negotiations for Joan's Purchase
Chapter XVIII	Beaurevoir
Chapter XIX	Rouen
Chapter XX	The Begining Of The Trial
Chapter XXI	Joan's Examination
Chapter XXII	The Articles
Chapter XXIII	The Conviction And The Recantation
Chapter XXIV	The Relapse And The Execution
Chapter XXV	The Rehabilitation
Appendix A	The Character Of Charles VII.
Appendix B	The Insanity Or Inspiration Of Joan Of Arc
Appendix C	Joan Of Arc And St. Catherine Of Siena
Appendix D	The Proposed Canonization Of Joan Of Arc

GO TO CHAPTER 1 Joan of Arc

ABBREVIATIONS

P.= Proc�s de condamnation et de r�habilitation de Jeanne d'Arc, par Jules Quicherat. As P. vi. I have cited "M�moires & consulta- tions en faveur de Jeanne d'Arc, publi�s pour la premi�re fois, par Pierre Lan�ry d'Arc." Volume i. of M. Quicherat's work contains
the report of Joan's trial; volumes ii. and iii. the report of her
second trial or rehabilitation, with the evidence given therein; vol-
umes iv. and v. contain all the other historical evidence, approxi-
mately contemporary, which he was able to gather concerning her,
such as letters, documents, accounts, extracts from the chronicles, etc.
In many cases, I have added to my citation of the volume and page of
M. Quicherat's work the name of his authority. In volumes ii. and
iii. the name is that of a witness testifying at Joan's rehabilitation;
in volumes iv. and v. that of a chronicler or other writer.
Luce = Jeanne d'Arc � Domremy, par Sim�on Luce, Paris, 1886,
in octavo.
Beaucourt = Histoire de Charles VII., par G. du Fresne de Beau-
court.

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