A letter from Joan of Arc to the citizens of Riom, featuring the earliest surviving example of her signature. Written during the height of Joan’s military campaign to liberate France from English rule, it requests military aid from the citizens of Riom, urging them to join her cause [1700×781]
by Fuckoff555
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Translation in modern English:
`Dear and good friends, you well know how the town of Saint-Pierre-le-Moutier was taken by assault and with God’s help I intend to clear out the other places which are against the King. But because so much gunpowder, projectiles, and other war materials had been expended before this town, and because myself and the lords who are at this town are so poorly supplied for laying siege to La Charité, where we will be going shortly, I pray you, upon whatever love you have for the well-being and honor of the King and also all the others here, that you will immediately send and donate for the siege gunpowder, saltpeter, sulfur, projectiles, arbalestes and other materials of war. And do well enough in this matter that the siege will not be prolonged for lack of gunpowder and other war materials, and that no one can say you were negligent or unwilling. Dear and good friends, may Our Lord protect you. Written at Moulins the ninth day of November.`
`-Jehanne`
Joan of Arc, despite being illiterate, could sign her own name. She was likely taught by her confessor and cleric, Jean Pasquerel. I have read his chronicle of his time with her and can’t find a specific passage where he recounts teaching her, but being that he took her dictations, he is the most likely person to have taught her.
The final volume of Jonathan Sumption’s *The Hundred Years War* just came out last year. The section on Joan of Arc, while small in comparison to the size of the book, is absolutely fascinating to read. Highly recommend his book series to anyone interested in an immensely thorough historical read that is surprisingly not dry at all.