The Leader of Southern France, Whose Death by the Black Plague Would Play a Part in the Rise of Joan of Arc, Confronts the Disease in His Ranks, Ordering “powder against the epidemic” and Golden Pills to Save Himself and Those Around Him
A vivid and unpublished description of the medicines used to treat the plague during the outbreak in the Loire, as well as cost, a description without parallel on the market
He died 2 months later from the plague; his successor as the Duke of Orleans was the man who would introduce Joan of Arc to King Charles VII
A remarkable document from the collection of Dr. Otto O. Fisher, who bought primarily in the 1930s and 1940s, so this not been...
He died 2 months later from the plague; his successor as the Duke of Orleans was the man who would introduce Joan of Arc to King Charles VII
A remarkable document from the collection of Dr. Otto O. Fisher, who bought primarily in the 1930s and 1940s, so this not been offered for sale in nearly a century
The 100 Years War was really a struggle for power on the continent with repercussions today. England claimed the throne of France and France fought against the claim. English King Henry V invaded France in 1415 and fought against the French at the siege of Harfleur and again at the battle of Agincourt, made famous by Shakespeare in his play Henry V. It was during this campaign that Shakespeare put into Henry’s mouth the phrase – “Once more unto the breach.”
Although the first wave of the Black Death arrived in Europe in the middle of the 14th century, for those who survived, there was continual fear of a new outbreak. One such outbreak occurred in England in approximately 1411, and the English brought this plague with them across the Channel to France when they invaded. The English soldiers infected their French counterparts and the plague spread again. Shakespeare himself described this phenomenon, saying through Henry of those who died in France, “And those that leave their valiant bones in France… Leaving their earthly parts to choke your clime, The smell whereof shall breed a plague in France.”
Reference for research, publication, and institutions: Raab M13.090
The English tore through France and the French crown nearly ended up in England. Forces of England and their allies occupied Guyenne and northern France, including Paris, the most populous city, and Reims, the city in which French kings were traditionally crowned. In addition, the father of the Dauphin, French King Charles VI, disinherited him in 1420 and recognized Henry V of England and his heirs as the legitimate successors to the French crown. At the same time, a civil war raged in France.
The House of Orleans was a very important one in late medieval France. The Duke of Orleans was one of the most prestigious positions in the realm after that of the King himself, and members of this house and the resident at Versailles were related.
One such crucial figure was Philip of Orléans, Count of Vertus, the second son of Louis I, Duke of Orléans, and a grandson of King Charles V of France. His older brother was the noted poet Charles, Duke of Orléans. When his brother Charles was captured at the Battle of Agincourt, he took care of all the family domains and supported the then-Dauphin, Charles (future Charles VII). He was considered a smart and capable military commander as well.
He was to take the title of Duke of Orleans but fate intervened. The same plague that the English brought over came to his doorstep, circling around him, infecting first those close to him, before taking his own life. He came down with a serious illness in late August, to the great grief of the future King.
Philip of Vertus suddenly died at the age of twenty-four, unmarried and without legitimate heirs. His unexpected death was a terrible blow to the cause of the Dauphin, as he was his best supporter, as well as to the country.
In 1422, Charles VII took the crown at this low moment. With his court removed to Bourges, south of the Loire River, Charles was disparagingly called the “King of Bourges”, because the area around this city was one of the few remaining regions left to him.
Defacto control over the Orleans possessions, including military, fell to Jean D’Orleans, or Jean the Bastard, Philip’s half brother.
Joan of Act had met Charles VII and argued for a more aggressive posture around Orleans. She was from the region and was known there as “The Maid of Orléans.” She opposed Jean d’Orleans at a war council where she demanded they move on offense. Jean ordered the city gates locked to prevent another battle, but Joan of Arc summoned the townsmen and common soldiers and forced the mayor to unlock a gate. With the aid of only one captain she rode out and captured the fortress of Saint Augustins. That evening she learned she had been excluded from a war council where the leaders had decided to wait for reinforcements before acting again. Disregarding this decision, she insisted on assaulting the main English stronghold called “les Tourelles”. Contemporaries acknowledged her as the hero of the engagement after she pulled an arrow from her own shoulder and returned wounded to lead the final charge.
Jean d’Orleans had been impressed with her performance at Orléans and became one of her supporters.
The plague and Philip’s death thus played an outsized role in the history of Western Europe and the legend of Joan of Arc.
Medicine in the Middle Ages was by definition a medieval affair. The plague destroyed Europe, decimating the population for centuries. Those who survived lived in a different world, a scarred world. And they struggled to stay healthy and understand, without success, how to avoid the disease. They used a combination of a powder, purported to have magic powers, pills, sometimes coated in gold (for those who could afford it), and other forms, such as laxatives.
Document signed, June 11, 1420, by Martin Desgranges, the apothecary to the King. “I, Martin des Grange, apothecary, have received from Estienne Courtet, receiver general of finances of the Count of Versus the sum of 4 livres tournois for the cost of 20 pills at 40 solz tournois and 10 solz tournois to coat these pills in gold, 20 solz tournois for powder against the epidemic and 10 solz tournois for a laxative medicine, which have been bought from me in this present month of June for the said sum of 4 livres…”
We have found no record of any other similar document mentioning the plague epidemic having ever reached the market in many decades.

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