Jeanne Hachette


Jeanne Laisné was a French heroine known as Jeanne Fourquet and nicknamed Jeanne Hachette. She was the daughter of a peasant.
She is currently known for an act of heroism on 27 June 1472, when she prevented the capture of Beauvais by the troops of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. The town was defended by only 300 men-at-arms, commanded by Louis de Balagny.
The Burgundians were making an assault, and one of their number had actually planted a flag upon the battlements, when Jeanne, axe in hand, flung herself upon him, hurled him into the moat, tore down the flag, and revived the drooping courage of the garrison. In gratitude for this heroic deed, Louis XI instituted a procession in Beauvais called the "Procession of the Assault", and married Jeanne to her chosen lover Colin Pilon, loading them with favours. There is an annual religious procession on the last weekend in June through the streets of Beauvais to commemorate Jeanne's deed.
A statue of her was unveiled on July 6th, 1851. During the ceremony, the Beauvais poet, Fanny Dénoix des Vergnes read her poem, Jeanne Hachette, or the siege of Beauvais.

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