Joan of Arc's Letters
Joan of Arc dictated several letters while she was alive that provide a glimpse of her character and personality. While Joan herself could not read or write she was articulate and sent out the following letters ranging from the first one sent to her English adversaries to the last one sent to the people of Reims shortly before she was captured. Joan herself signed the last three letters.
First letter to the English dated March 22, 1429, from Joan of Arc
+ Jesus Maria +
King of England, and you, Duke of Bedford, who call yourself Regent of the kingdom France; you William de la Pole, Count of Suffolk; John, Lord Talbot; and you Thomas, Lord Scales,
who call yourselves lieutenants of the said Duke of Bedford
do justly by the King of Heaven; render to the Maid who is sent here of God, the King of Heaven
Letter to the people of Tournai dated June 25, 1429, from Joan
Addressed: To the loyal French of the city of Tournay
+ Jesus Maria +
Noble loyal Frenchmen of the town of Tournai, the Maid informs you of the tidings from here: that in eight days she has driven the English out of all the places they held on the River Loire, by assault and otherwise, where there were many killed and
captured; and she has defeated them in battle. And know that the
Letter to the people of Troyes dated July 4, 1429, from Joan of Arc
Addressed: To the lords and burgesses of the city of Troyes
+ Jesus Maria +
Very dear and good friends - if you don't mind - lords, bourgeois, and inhabitants of the town of Troyes, Joan the Maid sends word and makes known to you, in the name of the King of Heaven, her rightful and sovereign Lord, in whose royal service she remains each day, that you should render true obedience and recognition
Letter to the Duke of Burgundy writen on the morning of the coronation of Charles VII, July 17, 1429, from Joan of Arc
+ Jesus maria
Great and honoured Prince, Duke of Burgundy, Joan the Maid requests of you, in the name of the King of Heaven, my rightful and sovereign Lord, that the King of France and yourself should make a good firm lasting peace. Fully pardon each other willingly, as faithful Christians should do; and if it should please you to make war, then
Letter to the people of Reims dated August 5, 1429, from Joan of Arc
Addressed: To the loyal French people of the city of Reims
My dear and good friends, the obedient and loyal Frenchmen of the city of Rheims, Joan the Maid lets you know of her tidings, and asks and requests that you should have no concerns about the good cause she is carrying on for the Royal family. I promise and guarantee you that I will never abandon you so long as I live. And it's true that
Letter to the Count of Armagnac dated August 22, 1429, from Joan of Arc
Jesus + Maria
Count of Armagnac, my very dear and good friend: Joan the Maid informs you that your messenger has arrived, who told me that you sent him here in order to learn from me which of the three Popes, which you asked about in your letter, you should believe in. Concerning which, I cannot very well tell you truly for the time being, until I am at
Letter to the people of Riom dated November 9, 1429, signed by Joan
Addressed: To my dear and good friends, men of the Church, burgesses and habitants of the City of Riom
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 great expenditure of powder, projectiles, and other war materials had been made before the said town, and because myself and the
Letter to the people of Reims dated March 16, 1430, signed by Joan
Addressed: To my very dear and good friends, men of the Church, bourgeois, and other inhabitants of the town of Reims
Very dear and well-beloved, whom I greatly desire to see: I Joan the Maid have received your letters mentioning that you fear facing a siege. Know then that you will not, if I can meet them [the enemy] soon. And if it should so happen that I do not intercept them and they come against you, then shut your gates, for I will be with you shortly
Letter to the people of Reims dated March 28, 1430, signed by Joan
Addressed: To my very dear and good friends, men of the church aldermaen, burgesses, and inhabitants and masters of the good city of Reims
Very dear and good friends, may it please you to know that I have received your letters, which mention how word had been brought to the king that within the good city of Rheims there is much evil. If you wish to know, it has, in fact, been reported that there were many who belonged to a conspiracy and who would have betrayed the city and
Letter to Hussites dated March 23, 1430
There was also a letter sent to the Hussites in the name of Joan of Arc however it is doubtful that she actually wrote this letter. For
In addition to these nine surviving letters Joan also sent several other letters that can be reconstructed based upon either her testimony at her trial or by others testifying at her Trial of Rehabilitation or Nullification:
Letter sent to Charles VII on the road to Chinon around March 5, 1429
Letter sent by Joan to Her Parents sometime after she left home
Letter sent by Joan of Arc to the clergy at St. Catherine de Fierbois about locating a sword
Letter sent by Joan to the English around April 30, 1429
Letter shot into the English held fortress Les Tourelles on May 5, 1429
First letter sent to the Duke of Burgundy inviting him to Charles VII's coronation
Letter sent to Charles VII about Joan's opinion of Catherine de La Rochelle
Letter sent to city of Tours asking for a gift to Joan's friend for her wedding
There is also the Abjuration Document that bears Joan's signature but was created by the court that condemned her and is of dubious authenticity.
Read Abjuration Document
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