The monograph is dedicated to one of the key figures in French national history, as well as in the history of the Western European Middle Ages as a whole - Joan of Arc. For the first time in world historiography, we are talking about the study of the formation of the myth of the Holy Virgin of Orleans over almost five centuries: from the moment of her appearance on the historical stage in 1429 until the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. The study of the process of transforming Joan of Arc into a national saint, combining her “real” and mythologized stories, is intended to reveal both the features of the political culture of Western Europe at the end of the Middle Ages and the New Age, and the formation of the concept of holiness in the 15th-19th centuries. The work is based on a large body of sources: materials of trials, treatises of theologians and lawyers, chronicles of the 15th century. and historical works of the 16th-18th centuries, works of art, materials of local veneration of Joan of Arc in Orleans of the 15th-19th centuries, works of French historians of the 19th century. For historians, literary scholars, cultural scholars and a wide range of readers. Table of contents: From the author 9 Introduction. Another story of Joan of Arc 10CHAPTER 1.1429: A PROPHET IN HIS HOMELAND§ 1. Appearance of Joan of Arc 21§ 2. True or false prophet? 29§ 3. “Everything about her makes her suspicious...” 39§ 4. The wonderful “sign” of Joan of Arc 444.1. Legend of the recognition of the Dauphin 444.2. The legend of the royal “secret” 494.3. The legend of the bringing of the crown 53§ 5. The medieval concept of the active prophet 63§ 6. “It was decided that she was none other than a saint” 78CHAPTER 2.1431: WITCH OR HERETIC?§ 1. “She seems to be practicing witchcraft ... " 83§ 2. "Those who left the Creator and those who turned to Satan" 922.1. Witchcraft: sin and criminal offense 922.2. The birth of the “scientific” concept of witchcraft 1012.3. Witchcraft trials in medieval France 112§ 3. The trial against Joan of Arc 1431: beginning 127§ 4. Inquisitio ex officio 1324.1. The logic of constructing interrogations 1324.2. Accusation of witchcraft 1384.3. Other crimes “against faith” 143§ 5. Inquisitio cum promovente 1505.1. 70 articles of accusation 1505.2. Opinion of “experts” 156§ 6. “Lying witch” vs. “holy Virgin” 163CHAPTER 3.1456: “PRACTICALLY SAINT” JOAN OF ARC§ 1. Stages and goals of the process of rehabilitation 1455-1456. 179§ 2. “Creation” of the saint 1912.1. Rejection of charges of practicing witchcraft 1942.2. Men's suit as a religious vow 2012.3. The concept of a miracle in the biography of Joan of Arc 213§ 3. Biblical examples and prototypes 2263.1. God-fearing “shepherdess” 2293.2. Second Virgin Mary 2353.3. Martyr for the Faith 2453.4. Standard Bearer of the Lord 252§ 4. “She lived justly and holy with God’s help” 266CHAPTER 4. XVI-XVII centuries: “THE FORGOTTEN” VIRGO§ 1. Joan of Arc and Louis XI 274§ 2. Ancient samples and prototypes 2912.1. Valiant Virago 2932.2. New Minerva 3072.3. “Holy Amazon” 323§ 3. Joan of Arc and Divine Providence 3273.1. French “prophets” of the second half of the 15th century in 3283.2. The role of the prophet in history 333§ 4. Witch or possessed: actualization of the topic 345§ 5. Joan of Arc between Catholics and Protestants 360§ 6. “Catholic Renaissance” in France 3746.1. Favorite heroine of Richelieu 3746.2. “Liberated France” by Jean Chaplin and its critics 382CHAPTER 5. XVIII-XIX centuries: ON THE WAY TO CANONIZATION§ 1. Joan of Arc and Voltaire 3891.1. "Philosophers" vs. Providentialists 3891.2. "The Virgin of Orleans" (1730-1773) 4021.3. “A strange desire to offend good morals...” 416§ 2. “People's Heroine” of liberal historians 4232.1. The birth of a “folk heroine” 4232.2. “The instrument that was used...” 4322.3. “Voice of the heart” or revelations from Above? 4362.4. Dubious vow of virginity 438§ 3. Divinely inspired Virgin of Catholic historians 4413.1. Saint of the Restoration era 4413.2. “She repeats the path of Christ...” 449§ 4. The eternal heroine of Orleans 4584.1. “Leading a holy and pious life...” 4584.2. “City Festival”... “May 8th Holiday”... “Feast of the Virgin” 4744.3. The first attempt at canonization 491Conclusion. The story continues 518 List of abbreviations 528 Sources and literature 529 Origin of illustrations 562 Index names 563