Battle of Jargeau

The Battle of Jargeau took place on 11 June 1429 and was a crucial event in the Hundred Years' War's Loire Campaign. Following the Siege of Orléans, the forces of the Dauphin Charles aimed to reclaim significant amounts of territory. This battle marked Jeanne d'Arc's first offensive.

Background

In early March 1429, Jeanne d'Arc who was later joined by her step-cousin Gabriel Laxart, met with the Dauphin Charles at Chinon, then joined a force to lift the siege at Orléans, successfully accomplishing this on 8 May. Afterward, Charles' forces regrouped and strengthened for the next phase. In early June, a strategy was devised to clear the Loire River valley of English troops, starting with Jargeau. The French army, including Jeanne and her allies, departed on 9 June. Meanwhile, the previous day, Sir John Fastolf left Paris with reinforcements, heading for the Loire River valley.

On 11 June, after a month of deliberations by the king and councilors, Gabriel was keen to be back in his armor. On the outskirts of Jargeau, the familiar faces of those who stood with Jeanne during the siege of Orléans gathered in the field, including her brothers Jean and Pierre, Gilles de Rais, Étienne de Vignolles, and Jean de Dunois. This time, Jean II d'Alençon led the army, and Jeanne was content. Fleur, a former camp-follower who became Jeanne's personal handmaiden, insisted on accompanying them. Despite protests, she joined the group. About an hour east of Jargeau, in the duke's tent, they discussed strategy, focusing on an indirect approach to the walled city due to uncertainties about the English troops' numbers and weaponry. Jeanne, unyielding in her conviction, urged them not to fear and proposed clearing the suburbs first, offering the English the option to yield before launching a full-scale attack on the city.

Battle

The English forces were led by William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk in the defense of the town. The mist-shrouded walls of Jargeau bore the scars of French bombardment, but the assault pressed on. Amid the chaos, a formidable English soldier wreaked havoc, blocking the attackers until a precise shot felled him. Gabriel, in the thick of the fight, faced a fierce adversary, eventually resorting to a dagger to secure victory. Amid the tumult, Jeanne, a beacon of strength, rode into battle. Urged by her warning, Gabriel narrowly escaped a deadly bombardment. However, tragedy struck as a stone thrown by an English soldier found its mark, cracking Jeanne's helmet. Yet, miraculously, she emerged relatively unscathed, her sword ablaze with an otherworldly light.

Jeanne rallied her forces, inspiring a triumphant ascent over Jargeau's walls. The English, their cries of surrender unheard, succumbed to the fervor of men convinced they were fulfilling God's will. As the French soldiers surged, capturing the city, Gabriel, overwhelmed by relief, found himself at Jeanne's side. She, undeterred by the ordeal, lifted her sword, its radiance a symbol of unwavering resolve. The victory echoed through the mist-shrouded battlefield, marking not just a strategic conquest but a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who believed in Jeanne's divine guidance.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Heresy