The ring has been in England since the 15th century and was sold at auction in London for $400,000, about 30 times more than its estimated worth. The BBC is reporting the ring was bought by the Puy du Fou foundation, which runs a historical theme park in France.
On Friday, the ring arrived back in France where Puy du Fou president Nicolas de Villiers told French TV it was a “glorious return” for a “French treasure”. The foundation had appealed for donors to help in the bid to get the ring back and there are plans to officially unveil the treasure later this month.
According to legend and lore, the ring was gifted to the patron saint by her parents before her death in 1431. It is believed that on the eve of her execution, Joan gave the ring to English cardinal Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester, who was present at her trial. The ring has remained in England ever since, and there is documentation to establish its provenance, reports the Telegraph.
The ring remained in the Cardinal’s family for 500 years, until Lady Ottoline Morrell gave it to artist Augustus John a few years before 1914. The ring was then bought for around $250 in 1947 by a man who passed it down to his son, an Essex man called Robert Hasson. The son discovered the rings true value after he took it to be appraised at Timeline Auctions. It was the auction house that delved into the ring’s history;
They discovered the ring matched the description of the ring given by Joan of Arc revealed in the transcripts taken during her trial for being a heretic and sorcerer that led to her death. She said the ring had an inscription, ‘Jhesus Maria’ as well as three crosses, and was made of either brass or gold. She also said the ring was on her hand when she touched St Catherine, who appeared before her in a vision.
The chief executive officer of Timeline Auctions, Brett Hammond estimated the ring’s value at around $4,500 and was astounded when it sold for more than $400,000. The foundation’s historical theme park is near Nantes in western France and attracts about two million visitors annually.
Joan of Arc, just 19 years old when she was burned at the stake, was a devout Catholic who claimed to have received divine guidance. She was canonized as a saint in 1920. The Maid of Orléans (as she was known) has long been considered one of the world’s greatest saints, as well as an enduring symbol of French unity and nationalism.