Jean de Metz
Encyclopedia
Jean de Metz (born c. 1398) was a French
nobleman who is known primarily for his role in the exploits of Joan of Arc
.
, a village in the Meuse
département then in the jurisdiction of Lorraine
. According to Vita Sackville West's
Saint Joan of Arc, he was "of relatively gentle birth", though his parents were not noble. He had been in trouble "for swearing a vilain servant and for flinging an award of money on the ground", but was otherwise an ordinary "man of the sword".
His acquaintance with Joan when she arrived at the fortified city of Vaucouleurs
in 1428. At the time, he was a squire
in the service of Robert de Baudricourt
. Their meeting included an exchange in which he asked her who her Lord was, to which she replied "God". De Metz provided her with men's clothing in order to further her desire to meet the King of France. It was the devotion of de Metz and his fellow soldier Bertrand de Poulengy that persuaded de Baudricourt to her cause.
De Metz effectively became "the leader of the little troop", Joan's escort to Chinon
, where she met King Charles VII
; after this point, Jean aided Joan's efforts by furnishing her a horse and necessary clothing. An aide to the King provided de Metz with some 425 livres for the expenses of "the Maid" and himself, including armor. Though there were suspicions of these men travelling with an unmarried woman, de Metz declared at her trial that though he, Poulengy, and "la Pucelle" (Joan) slept side-by-side when they camped for the night, her garments were "closely shut", and he never felt any sexual desire for her, "by reason of the virtue I divined in her".
After Joan's execution, de Metz was not forgotten: in 1444, Charles VII granted Jean a title of nobility, in recognition of his services "in our wars and elsewhere".
Eleven years later, at Joan's nullification trial, de Metz was a witness, described as a nobleman in residence at Vaucouleurs.
" sent, most likely at the behest of de Baudricourt, to determine Joan's "true or false worth". The argument hangs in part on the breach-of-promise action brought by Joan's father Jacques d'Arc
, and Sackville-West finds Ayrole's interpretation faulty on several practical grounds, although she offers nothing to counter his view of de Metz.
Joan of Arc, de Metz was portrayed by actor Chad Willett
. In this telling, de Metz "gradually falls in love" with the saint, but never tells her of his feelings.
De Metz is a selectable player character
in the 2004 videogame Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc
,
is a minor character in the 1999 videogame, Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
and a major character in the 2007 PSP game Jeanne d'Arc
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
nobleman who is known primarily for his role in the exploits of Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
.
Biography
His alternate name derives from NouillonpontNouillonpont
Nouillonpont is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-Geography:The village lies on the right bank of the Othain, which forms most of the commune's western border...
, a village in the Meuse
Meuse
Meuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
département then in the jurisdiction of Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
. According to Vita Sackville West's
Vita Sackville-West
The Hon Victoria Mary Sackville-West, Lady Nicolson, CH , best known as Vita Sackville-West, was an English author, poet and gardener. She won the Hawthornden Prize in 1927 and 1933...
Saint Joan of Arc, he was "of relatively gentle birth", though his parents were not noble. He had been in trouble "for swearing a vilain servant and for flinging an award of money on the ground", but was otherwise an ordinary "man of the sword".
His acquaintance with Joan when she arrived at the fortified city of Vaucouleurs
Vaucouleurs
Vaucouleurs is a commune in the Meuse department.Joan of Arc stayed in Vaucouleurs for several months during 1428 and 1429 while she sought permission to visit the royal court of Charles VII of France.* Distance from Paris: -External links:* *...
in 1428. At the time, he was a squire
Squire
The English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...
in the service of Robert de Baudricourt
Robert de Baudricourt
Robert de Baudricourt , Seigneur de Baudricourt, Blaise, Buxy and Sorcy was a minor figure of 15th century French nobility. The son of the Chamberlain of the Duke of Bar, his principal claim to fame is to have been the first stepping stone in the career of Joan of Arc.-External links:*...
. Their meeting included an exchange in which he asked her who her Lord was, to which she replied "God". De Metz provided her with men's clothing in order to further her desire to meet the King of France. It was the devotion of de Metz and his fellow soldier Bertrand de Poulengy that persuaded de Baudricourt to her cause.
De Metz effectively became "the leader of the little troop", Joan's escort to Chinon
Chinon
Chinon is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France well known for Château de Chinon.In the Middle Ages, Chinon developed especially during the reign of Henry II . The castle was rebuilt and extended, becoming one of his favorite residences...
, where she met King Charles VII
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
; after this point, Jean aided Joan's efforts by furnishing her a horse and necessary clothing. An aide to the King provided de Metz with some 425 livres for the expenses of "the Maid" and himself, including armor. Though there were suspicions of these men travelling with an unmarried woman, de Metz declared at her trial that though he, Poulengy, and "la Pucelle" (Joan) slept side-by-side when they camped for the night, her garments were "closely shut", and he never felt any sexual desire for her, "by reason of the virtue I divined in her".
After Joan's execution, de Metz was not forgotten: in 1444, Charles VII granted Jean a title of nobility, in recognition of his services "in our wars and elsewhere".
Eleven years later, at Joan's nullification trial, de Metz was a witness, described as a nobleman in residence at Vaucouleurs.
Alternate interpretations
Sackville-West refers in an appendix to a theory by Joan's Jesuit biographer, Jean-Baptiste Joseph Ayroles, that the actions taken by de Metz (specifically his leaving her journey before she reached Nancy, France) may only make sense if he were "a kind of spySPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
" sent, most likely at the behest of de Baudricourt, to determine Joan's "true or false worth". The argument hangs in part on the breach-of-promise action brought by Joan's father Jacques d'Arc
Jacques d'Arc
Jacques d'Arc was the father of Joan of Arc. He was a farmer in the village of Domrémy in Lorraine. He held the post of doyen, a local post that collected taxes and organized the village defense. He was born at Ceffonds. He married Isabelle de Vouthon , called Romée, in 1405...
, and Sackville-West finds Ayrole's interpretation faulty on several practical grounds, although she offers nothing to counter his view of de Metz.
Portrayals
In the 1999 miniseriesMiniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Joan of Arc, de Metz was portrayed by actor Chad Willett
Chad Willett
Chad Willett , is a Canadian actor. Chad was born in British Columbia and currently resides in Vancouver, Canada.He has worked for over 20 years as a professional in the film, television and theatre industries. In 2010 Willettreceived a ‘Leo Award’ for his portrayal of the small town redneck...
. In this telling, de Metz "gradually falls in love" with the saint, but never tells her of his feelings.
De Metz is a selectable player character
Avatar (computing)
In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character. It may take either a three-dimensional form, as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities. It can also refer to a text...
in the 2004 videogame Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc
Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc
Wars & Warriors: Joan of Arc is a historically-based computer game. Developed and published by Enlight, it was released in 2004. The player assumes the persona of Joan of Arc and leads the French in their attempt to win the Hundred Year's War...
,
is a minor character in the 1999 videogame, Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is a real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft. Released in 1999 for the Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems, it was the second game in the Age of Empires series...
and a major character in the 2007 PSP game Jeanne d'Arc
Jeanne d'Arc (video game)
is a tactical role-playing game developed by Level-5 and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable . The game was first released in Japan on November 22, 2006 and was then localized in North America on August 21, 2007. It was never released in PAL regions...
.