Reims Cathedral

So even though Catherine did not have the formal powers of a regent, as she had when Charles had ruled as a minor, she continued to hold huge power and influence over the government.

Henry's coronation was held at Reims Cathedral on the 13th of February, 1575, and two days later, he married Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont, his choice thwarting Catherine's plans for a political marriage to a foreign princess.

This marriage was a childless one, which had deep consequences for Catherine's family.

Henry III's heir was his younger brother, Francis, Duke of Alençon.

This may have been with a view to a new crossing of the channel by the collected fleet, in hope of forcing a landing, for as yet the news even of Buckingham's capture could hardly have reached Brittany, and his decapitation at Salisbury only took place on the 2nd of November.

But tidings soon came of that event and of the total collapse of the rebellion, and presently he heard that Dorset and other friends had also arrived in Brittany, were advanced Henry summoned them to a council at Reims, where it was resolved to make another invasion of England on some future occasion, and on Christmas Day they all went together to Reims Cathedral, where they pledged themselves to be true to each other and swore allegiance to Henry as if he had already been king.

He, for his part, giving his corporal oath to marry the Princess Elizabeth after he had attained the crown.

The result of their conferences was then communicated to the Duke of Brittany with a request for further aid, which, as he had already so far committed himself, he readily granted on Henry's promise, as a prince, to repay him as soon as he had obtained the kingdom.

They were fighting for the soul of their nation.

The march culminated in the coronation of Charles VII at Reims Cathedral on July seventeenth, fourteen twenty-nine.

This was the moment that Joan had been fighting for.

The Dauphin, who had been a king in name only, was now the anointed King of France, a ruler legitimized by God and tradition.

Welcome to Reims, France, where we hold one of the most incredible structures in the world, and it's under investigation today.

The Reims Cathedral, where we are being told that the construction of this cathedral started in the year 1211, where this is 813 years ago.

Now, in the USA, they can tell us that these type of cathedrals were built in the 1800s.

So they're at least trying to fit this type of construction into this mainstream timeline that we're given today.

Some towns opened their gates rather than endure siege.

In July fourteen twenty-nine Charles VII was crowned in Reims Cathedral.

The coronation carried symbolic significance.

It reinforced his claim as legitimate King of France in the traditional site of royal anointing.

Everything is swept clear or burnt out from end to end, except two candlesticks in front of the niche where Joan of Arc's image used to stand.

There is a French flag there now, and the last time I saw Reims Cathedral was in a spring twilight, when the great west window glowed and the only lights within were those of candles which some penitent English had lit in Joan's honor on those same candlesticks.

The high altar was covered with floor carpets, the pavement tiles were cracked and jarred out by the rubbish that had fallen from above, the floor was gritty with dust of glass and powdered stone, little twists of leading from the windows, and iron fragments.

Two great doors had been blown inwards by the blast of a shell in the archbishop's garden, till they had bent grotesquely to the curve of a cask.

And it became, that too became this sort of myth about if it fell it's going to show that France is going to lose and all of that.

And a lot of these towns like Arras and Reims, that's how the Cathedral of Reims, which is one of the great cathedrals in Europe or anywhere else, was destroyed, because they're right on the front, right on the front.

And again, infirmary, there's infirmary guys there.

And, I don't know what these people are, oh they're distributing water, that's what they're doing, they're distributing water.

Everything is swept clear or burnt out from end to end, except two candlesticks in front of the niche where Joan of Arc's image used to stand.

There is a French flag there now, and the last time I saw Reims Cathedral was in a spring twilight, when the great west window glowed and the only lights within were those of candles which some penitent English had lit in Joan's honour on those same candlesticks.

The high altar was covered with floor carpets, the pavement tiles were cracked and jarred out by the rubbish that had fallen from above, the floor was gritty with dust of glass and powdered stone, little twists of leading from the windows and iron fragments.

Two great doors had been blown inwards by the blast of a shell in the archbishop's garden, till they had bent grotesquely to the curve of a cask.