A meeting between Joan of Arc and Charles VII; from "La Mer des Hystoires" (Sea of Stories)

Anonymous

Though the origins are confusing, this appears to be one of 530 folio leaves from La Mer des Hystoires, the French translation of Lucas Brandis' 1475 universal history of the world (as it was known) titled Rudimentum Novitiorum sive chronicarum historiarum epitome. It was a comprehensive history of the world derived from the Bible, the Church Fathers, pagan mythology and compilations such as that of Vincent of Beauvais, offering the basics of historical knowledge to young clerics and those who could not afford an entire library of their own. It was first published by Brandis in Lubeck, Germany, and thereafter published in several limited editions in France between 1488 and 1517.

This woodcut, which comes from one of the earlier French editions, shows Charles VII meeting with Joan of Arc, the "Maid of Orleans," in Chinon in February of 1429. The French Fleur-de-Lys hangs above them. Charles VII achieved the throne through the actions of Joan of Arc; thus this scene's particular significance to the encyclopedia. There is printed text on the verso.

Joan of Arc was a peasant girl who, as a teenager, lead a French army to the besieged city of Orleans after claiming to have received visions from God to do so. There, she and her army achieved a momentous victory over the English and their French allies, the Burgundians, leading to the crowning of Charles VII. Joan of Arc was captured by Anglo-Burgundian forces, tried for witchcraft and heresy and burned at the stake in 1431, at the age of 19.

The Rudimentum Novitiorum became better known through its French translations under the title La Mer des Hystoires, and was printed in Paris in 1488-89 and again around 1503 and 1517; it was also printed in Lyon in 1491 and 1506.