The Tale of the Patriotic Woman
by Jang Ji-yeon · 2026-08-25
It was April 1429.
Yakan rode a white horse in golden armor, holding a silver spear, leading a company and traveling for dozens of miles.
Finally, upon reaching Siryong Village, she requested to meet the king.
Charles VII had already heard the rumors.
It was said that a heroic woman was raising an army to save the country.
The king was very pleased, and on that very day, the woman had come to request an audience.
However, the mention of receiving the will of heaven weighed on his mind.
‘Could she be someone deceiving the world with wicked sorcery?’
The king decided to discern the truth.
He took off his own clothes, dressed another minister in them, and seated him on the throne to create a false king.
Then he wore the minister's clothes and stood among the other ministers.
He made it impossible to distinguish who the king was and summoned Yakan.
As soon as Yakan entered, she did not even glance at the false king seated above.
She walked straight in the line of ministers and bowed twice before the real king.
The king pretended to be surprised and said.
“You have come to the wrong place.”
And he pointed to the throne.
“The person seated above in the royal robe is His Majesty the King. I am not.”
Yakan prostrated herself and replied.
“A humble woman has dared to come in accordance with heaven's command.”
“No matter how much Your Majesty changes clothes, how could I fail to recognize you?”
The king then asked her name, where she lived, and what her purpose was.
Yakan answered.
“I am a woman from the village of Dongimi, named Yakan Aigyeok, and I am nineteen years old.”
“Since I was young, I have received heaven's command to save France from disaster and to sweep away the enemy for the great king.”
“I wish to reclaim the land of Limoges and serve Your Majesty to hold the coronation ceremony.”
Then she presented the official document from General Podarigo.
Only then did the king realize that her heart was true and took Yakan's hand.
“If all the French people were like you, how could we worry about reclaiming the country?”
The king was filled with admiration.
According to the laws of France, when a king ascends to the throne, a coronation ceremony must be held.
However, that ceremony had only been held in Limoges for generations.
Because that land had fallen into the hands of England, the king had been unable to hold the coronation.
Yakan had pointed this out.
The ministers on either side spoke to each other.
“God has sent this woman for France to raise the country again.”
Before that, the king had been gathering the defeated soldiers from various places after fleeing south.
The number was approximately three thousand.
On that day, the king placed all three thousand of those defeated soldiers under Yakan's command.
And he appointed Yakan as the Grand General.
He bestowed upon her golden armor, a silk national flag, and a banner.
On that banner was depicted the image of God, which she would hold every time she went into battle.
Yakan ascended the general's platform.
Wearing golden armor with a white silver cloak, she held a long sword in her right hand and a flag in her left.
Seated firmly before the general's banner, the banner bore large golden letters.
‘Grand General Yakan of Great France’
Though she was the body of a delicate woman, when she ascended the general's platform equipped with weapons and armor,
her dignity was like a frostbite and her demeanor was majestic, truly embodying the spirit of a heroic woman.
On that day, Yakan called the generals and soldiers to inspect them all at once and trained them in weaponry.
The soldiers were all inspired by the general's remarkable strategies and their bravery surged a hundredfold.
Everyone who saw her praised her.
In the heart of the general, there was a deep desire to bring peace to the country,
and in the hearts of the various generals, there was a full love for the country.