Every year on 27 June, the city of Beauvais commemorates one of the defining moments of its history: the beginning of the siege of the city by the army of Charles the Bold. While the name of Jeanne Hachette has become inseparably linked with this event, the crucial role played by Saint Peter’s Cathedral is often overlooked.
The Roofers Spot the Enemy
On the morning of 27 June 1472, craftsmen are working on the roofs of the cathedral. From the heights of the building, they enjoy an uninterrupted view far beyond the city walls.
They are the first to spot the advancing columns of the Burgundian army approaching Beauvais.
The news is immediately reported to the city authorities. Thanks to its commanding position, the cathedral effectively becomes Beauvais’s first observation post.
The Bells Rally the Entire City
The alarm is sounded without delay.
The cathedral bells ring out across the city, soon joined by the bells of Beauvais’s parish churches. Their peals summon the inhabitants to the city walls and call them to prepare for the defence of their town.
Within moments, craftsmen, clergy, merchants and ordinary citizens gather together to face an army that vastly outnumbers them.
In the fifteenth century, church bells did far more than mark the hours of worship—they also served as an essential means of public communication. On 27 June 1472, they became the signal for the general mobilisation of the people of Beauvais.
Jeanne Hachette: A Symbol of Beauvais’s Courage
A few days later, during the fiercest fighting, a young woman from Beauvais, Jeanne Laisné, entered history.
According to tradition, she seized the banner that a Burgundian soldier was attempting to plant atop the city walls, inspiring the defenders to continue resisting the assault. This heroic act earned her the nickname Jeanne Hachette (“Joan of the Hatchet”) and made her the enduring symbol of the courage of the women of Beauvais.
The siege continued throughout July, but the city held firm. Eventually, Charles the Bold was forced to abandon the siege, giving Beauvais one of the greatest victories in its history.
Painting by Alexandre Grellet, Saint Angadrême Chapel, Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Beauvais (1869).
The Cathedral: Witness and Participant in History
When the Siege of Beauvais is remembered, attention naturally turns to the city walls and to Jeanne Hachette. Yet Saint Peter’s Cathedral played a vital role throughout these events.
It was from its rooftops that the enemy was first sighted. Its bells warned the entire population. Throughout the siege, the cathedral also remained the spiritual heart of the city, where residents sought comfort, strength and hope.
Even today, as visitors look up at the cathedral’s breathtaking Gothic vaults, it is fascinating to imagine that more than five centuries ago, roofers stood high above the city, watching the horizon for the army that would become part of one of Beauvais’s most celebrated historical episodes.
Did You Know?
The Siege of Beauvais is commemorated every year during the Jeanne Hachette Festival, a tradition that has preserved the memory of the heroic resistance of the people of Beauvais against the forces of Charles the Bold for centuries.
27 June remains a symbolic date: the day when it all began, as a handful of roofers working atop Saint Peter’s Cathedral caught sight of the first Burgundian banners appearing on the horizon.
Further Reading
For more information about the Siege of Beauvais and Jeanne Hachette:
The Story of Jeanne Hachette
➡️ https://www.jeanne-hachette.fr/lhistoire-de-jeanne/
Town of Art and History – Jeanne Hachette
➡️ https://culture.beauvais.fr/acteur-culturel/ville-d-art-et-d-histoire/jeanne-hachette-l-heroine-de-beauvais
Network of Towns and Lands of Art and History – The Siege of Beauvais
➡️ https://vpah-hauts-de-france.fr/ressources/jeanne-hachette/
Friends of the Jeanne Hachette Festival
➡️ https://www.jeanne-hachette.fr
