Joan of France (1464-1505)

There are characters in the history of France, which is bent on the fate and recognition was not until much later. Such is the fate of Joan of France (1464-1505), daughter of King girl but deformed outcast, Queen of France disowned, nicknamed the Cripple, who has shown dedication, courage and a exemplary dedication throughout his life. Beatified and canonized recently, she became Saint Joan of France ...

An almost happy childhood

Daughter of Louis XI and Charlotte of Savoy, Jeanne was born April 23, 1464. Not particularly a beautiful baby and not expected because the king wanted a dolphin, it will never be loved by his father too. She was raised at Amboise, with his mother, his sister Anne of Beaujeu the future, for five years. Before the arrival of little Charles in 1470, the future Charles VIII, his father sends the wilds of Berry, his deformities becoming a little more visible. It is most similar to his father by imposing nose, but this child is not yet so ugly that the recounts, despite the diagnosis made later declare that: scoliosis, rickets, deformation of the spine, uneven development of members lower.

Little Jeanne is in the Berry, Linieres, bred by Francis de Beaujeu and Anne Culan who loved him. She receives an education due to his rank, including learning embroidery, painting, lute, and the religion for which she feels her faith grow. Enjoying the peace and nature, she felt good about that place, being around him used to his deformities, everything was fine ... until the death of Anne Culan, the next wife of Francois de Beaujeu making him do not his affection ...

While the little Jeanne grows, Louis XI continued its negotiations of marriage. The king had a policy of alliance different from that of other sovereigns: he wants to marry his children, but by choosing French husband for which he is willing to give dowries and not the provinces! Indeed, he refused to look for "foreigners" in which the provinces would leave other, whereas with "French", they would remain in the kingdom. Louis XI provides so long to marry Jeanne to Louis d'Orleans, the future Louis XII. She is engaged to the age of twenty six days, whereas it is only a baby, not malformed ... But the more she grew older, his deformity was more apparent! And the rumor hounds ...

A disastrous marriage

Mary of Cleves, the mother of Louis of Orleans plague because she does not want a beautiful girl as lame. Louis XI insisted that marriage even thinking that there will be no children, so no succession to the Orleans branch. At the meeting of Mary of Cleves and Louis XI in October 1473 to finalize the marriage and obtain consent from children, Louis d'Orleans alone, eleven years must answer "yes", the little Jeanne was not present.

When Marie de Cleves, and his son come to visit the bride, no one had yet seen, what was their surprise to discover a lame girl and malformed! The stepmother lack of fainting! The groom turned back on seeing her and refuses to marry him! Louis XI who visits her daughter in 1476 will address the Sieur de Linieres "bad vassal" for not having informed earlier deformities of her daughter!

Nevertheless, in September 1476 to Montrichard, Louis d'Orleans fourteen years married Jeanne twelve years, both under duress. Present were the Bishop of Orleans, Charlotte's mother Jeanne, but no king ... a quick ceremony, a sumptuous dinner and then a dinner where the two children had the lump in his throat! The next day they officially entered in Blois and Jeanne Linieres leaves again, all alone!

An unfailing dedication

Nobody denied the look "through" and to pity the young husband. But Jeanne never say a word, did not revolt, not complain, never be angry. Its strength lies in his patience, his courage, his kindness and dedication. In God's daughter, she has faith because marriage is a sacrament. Wife of the future king, she submits, obeyed, remaining humble and dignified. For twenty years, it will accept any, will be devoted to her husband angry and capricious, who recounted his exploits in front of her with other women and who spent his time hunting instead of performing his duties. In April 1483, when her husband is ill with smallpox, she rushes to her bedside to treat him.

On the death of Louis XI, Louis d'Orleans feels free and began a marriage annulment to marry Anne of Brittany, seven years old. But Anne of Beaujeu, who governed the kingdom until the majority of his brother Charles, watch and do not let it go: it manages to impose three years of captivity he will suffer from hunger and cold. Jeanne comes to support, intercede for mitigating punishment, wrote to his sister to make it flex, falls at the feet of his brother, who eventually gives way but warns her not to complain about it later! Charles the prisoner free end of June 1491 and six months after his release, see Louis King Charles VIII married Anne of Brittany!

An obstinate woman in a horrible trial

Curiously, Louis d'Orleans was less violent, it has mellowed in jail and agrees to keep Jane with him. Indeed, during his captivity, he found that his wife has made efforts to keep "his house", he is grateful, so much so that when he leaves for Italy, he entrusts his property and ... calls him "my love" in their correspondence. But on his return to France, they are again remote though Jeanne is a little more freedom, she can go from castle to castle and is no longer "trapped" in Linieres. They are together at Blois, Amboise, to Mesnils, to Montils ... this is where they learn the accidental death of Charles VIII in 1498! Louis d'Orleans became King Louis XII ...

Jeanne, not as stupid as we think, feels that his marriage will collapse and it will never really be Queen of France, Louis continued to call her Madame Jeanne de France, taking away from everything and prohibiting him from attending the coronation May 27, 1498 ... from that moment he began the process of annulment of his marriage with Jeanne to marry Anne of Brittany.

This procedure is based on the Treaty of Langeais, stipulating that the successor of Charles was to marry his widow! Revived the hopes of Louis, and backed the treaty, he sent his letter of cancellation request to Jane, saying she could not give birth to a male child and having been forced to consent to the marriage, it is best to take another wife in order to ensure the dynasty! Very fine, she replied that her marriage is legitimate and irrevocable ... the side of Rome, things are not looking better: Pope Alexander Borgia sends the file to a French court stating the grounds for cancellation permitted by law cannon at them to get by .... As for Anne of Brittany, she procrastinates, wants to recover his duchy and Louis has him sign a promise of marriage, valid for one year, otherwise Nantes and Fougeres would be made to Anne.

Like nothing works as it wishes, Louis XII suing starting August 10 when everyone takes sides with him, but that's not counting the obstinacy of Jeanne. Nobody plans to ask the king, all judges are attacking the poor Jeanne, accused of Office, interrogated, but horribly alone, without lawyers to defend (as they are scrolled); these threatened with punishment, finally agreed to defend it.

King's lawyers have two clauses invalid: the non-consent and non-consumption. For the non-consent, the spouses were married twenty two years, during which the king would have had time to get rid of his wife ... so it remains non-consumption. A report is presented showing the deformity of Jeanne, "imperfect, flawed, malefic body, unable to trade with a man" ... and on September 13, Jeanne was convened. During her interrogation, she answers "no blemish precluded it carnal union and that his marriage had been consummated, even knowing that it was not as beautiful as most women, this did not prevent not be fit for marriage and motherhood. "

Therefore a multitude of witnesses appear and overwhelm, those who had the resentment against his father took the opportunity to spread their grievances, does not transform the embarrassing truth by describing the violence done to Louis d'Orleans who dared say anything or do anything! It is unworthy of a king, he is considered a weak or a coward ... and public opinion turned in favor of Joan, the people began to complain. Jeanne's lawyer is preparing a counterattack against the "non-consumption". Even if treated as "frigid" - which is wrong because the term is reserved for men, not women - a lawyer can prove that Louis was performing his conjugal duties, listing all the moments of their life together.

Meanwhile, Jeanne asked the judges to be able to rely on the "decisive oath": that is to say that Joan asks a "group of wise men" to analyze his case, and if possible not to be of physical examination of its deficiencies, but rely on the reason for the king! Jeanne was afraid that this examination be done by people of little faith, it may come out worse. If she accepts and is declared virgin, was accused of lying; otherwise, it maintains its status as wife and future queen ... but she is not sure she wanted to continue to be the poor Queen to which no one speaks or does not listen.

Louis is facing a dilemma: to be treated in low or admit he was visiting his wife! In late October 1498, he admits that there has been consumption of marriage. Then it's the twist: a letter was found and produced, signed by Louis XI stating that "Louis d'Orleans could not refuse the marriage otherwise he risked death and that Joan was deemed sterile, unfit for marriage." He takes an oath on the Gospel when he "never slept with her bare naked"!

Mid December, the verdict is announced, "there was never a marriage between Louis of Orleans and Jeanne de France," Jeanne is prostrate, it is no longer Queen of France .... scratch twenty two years of marriage is not easy, but is now free to follow his path in religion ... the next day, Caesar Borgia, with bubbles coming dispensation for the marriage of Louis XII and Anne of Brittany!

Saint Joan of France

Jeanne's popularity is at its highest. The people love him more than the Breton and the Church adds "a king can not divorce a woman for adultery."

It has been said many things during and after the trial. One thing is certain: Joan of France decided calmly to be present at this trial, not to remain Queen of France - she feels she does not need the Queen - but at least for some compensation to continue to live almost decently. At his age (thirty six), she also knew she could no longer be an heir to the kingdom. But she has a sense of duty, the marriage was sacred to her, she would not lie ... after all, it was Louis who filed for divorce!

She emerged victorious from the trial, he wanted a divorce, she offered him. She is at peace with his conscience. Honest, it is the end, until grant freedom to the king. Shocked by the verdict, she prefers to withdraw. Louis XII was a burst of honesty, he shall cause letters patent, granting him the duchy of Berry and income according to his rank.

In February 1499, she moved to Bourges, took possession of his duchy, with the people during the plague, is concerned about the prevailing poverty, education and justice for his people who dubbed her " good Duchess. " It was during this period she also founded the Congregation of the Annunciation and the Incarnation, religious order dedicated to Mary. She built a monastery next to his palace and took his vows in 1503. But worn out, tired, she died at forty-one years February 4, 1505.

Louis XII made him a magnificent funeral. Recognition happens only a few centuries later when it was beatified in 1742 and canonized in May 1950 under the name of Saint Joan of France.

Bibliography

- Joan of France , Henri Pigaillem. Pygmalion, 2009.

- " The Queen of France at the time of the Valois , "Simone Bertière. Fallois, 1994.