The Siege of Beauvais

In 1472, Charles the Bold's troops besieged Beauvais in a context of war between Burgundy and the Kingdom of France. The city resisted unexpectedly, notably thanks to an urban mobilization that quickly became legendary. The episode transformed a local figure, Jeanne Hachette, into a political symbol used for several centuries.

At the end of the Middle Ages, Charles the Bold attempted to extend Burgundian power between the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire. His army had considerable military means and several cities fell rapidly during the 1472 campaigns.

Beauvais however constituted a particular case. Despite relatively modest fortifications, the city opposed lasting resistance to Burgundian assaults. French chronicles describe a collective mobilization involving artisans, urban militias and inhabitants directly participating in the defense of ramparts.

It's in this context that the figure of Jeanne Laisné, better known as Jeanne Hachette, appeared. According to tradition, she allegedly tore down a Burgundian banner carried to the top of the walls during a particularly violent assault. Later accounts progressively amplified her role until making her a major civic heroine.

The episode also illustrates an important evolution of warfare at the end of the 15th century. Sieges became more technical and more costly with the development of artillery, while fortified cities still played an essential political role in European territorial balances. After the failure before Beauvais, Charles the Bold finally abandoned the siege, a few years before the final collapse of the Burgundian state.