Bertrand de Poulengy (born c. 1392) was a French nobleman who is best known for his association with

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronat ...

during the Hundred Years' War.

Biography

Very little is known about de Poulengy's life. He is believed to have been born sometime around 1392 in

Champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, ...

, but the exact circumstances of his birth are unclear. His father, Jean de Poulengy, was

ennobled Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteri ...

in 1425. De Poulengy was serving under

Robert de Baudricourt Robert de Baudricourt (ca. 1400-1454), ''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 step ...

Vaucouleurs Vaucouleurs () is a commune in the Meuse department, northeastern France. It is situated on the river Meuse, approximately from Toul and Commercy. History Geoffrey de Geneville, 1st Baron Geneville (1225/33 – 21 October 1314) also known as ...

when

began demanding an audience with the King of France, Charles VII. Joan earned the support of de Poulengy and a knight named

Jean de Metz Jean de Metz (also Jean de Nouillonpont) (born c. 1398) was a French nobleman who is known primarily for his role in the exploits of Joan of Arc. Biography His alternative name derives from Nouillonpont, a village in the Meuse département then i ...

, but de Baudricourt initially refused to help her. In February 1429, when Joan correctly predicted the outcome of the Battle of Rouvray, de Baudricourt relented and agreed to give Joan an escort to accompany her on her journey to meet the king. De Poulengy and de Metz disguised Joan as a male soldier and took her to

Chinon Chinon () is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department, Centre-Val de Loire, France. The traditional province around Chinon, Touraine, became a favorite resort of French kings and their nobles beginning in the late 15th and early 16th centur ...

, where the king was residing. De Poulengy possibly accompanied Joan throughout her brief military career. It is mostly unknown what became of de Poulengy after Joan was captured by Burgundians in 1430. He is known to have participated in the retrial of Joan in 1456, where he detailed his experiences with her. During the retrial, de Poulengy claimed to be about 63 years old. It is unclear when he died.

In popular culture

De Poulengy was portrayed by Cliff Saunders in the 1999 miniseries ''

Joan Of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronat ...

'', and by

Ray Teal Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976) was an American actor.The book ''Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory'' gives Teal's birth date as January 12, 1908. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the televis ...

in the 1948 film ''

''. He also appeared as a character in the video games '' Age of Empires II'' and ''

Jeanne D'Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronati ...

''. He is a character in Christie Golden's novel ''Assassin's Creed: Heresy'', which is set in the universe of '' Assassin's Creed''.

References

1392 births Year of death missing 15th-century French people {{France-noble-stub