Jeanne Hachette

Jeanne Laisné, another name Jeanne Fourquet (* 1454 or 1456 † unknown) was a French woman who under the nom de guerre Jeanne Hachette ( small ax ) is known for the salvation of the city Beauvais before an enemy attack in 1472.

Life

Jeanne is considered the daughter of the citizen Jean Fourquet. This is to 1465 as an officer in the service of King Louis XI. have fallen in the battle of Montlhery, whereupon Jeanne was adopted and reared at the age of about 10 years by a lady named Laisné. According to another version, they should have stopped after the death of her father at her birth mother, and have accepted their birth name after a local tradition ..

On June 27, 1472 the location in the northern French province of Picardy Beauvais stood before the conquest by the troops of the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold. Beauvais was defended only by 300 armed men under the command of Louis de Balagny. The Burgundians invaded, and when one of them erected the flag on the fortress wall, Jeanne threw an ax at him, threw him down into the ditch and tore down the flag. This act allowed the waning courage of the defenders back to life, so that the attack was successfully repulsed.

Out of gratitude allowed her King Louis XI. the wedding with her lover Colin Pilon, where he gave her a rich dowry and a pageant in Beauvais was organized for them. This celebration called Fête Jeanne Hachette continues to be held on the last weekend in June each year.