A 15th century ring believed to have been owned by Joan of Arc will go under the hammer in London.
The ring, thought
to have been worn by the patron saint before her death and handed down
through King Henry VII, is set to be auctioned in February.
The piece is said
to have been given to the French heroine by her parents before she was
burned at the stake by the British when she was just 19 years old in
1431.
The ring matches a
description, revealed in transcripts, given by Joan of Arc herself
during the trial which resulted in her death.
She said it has the
inscription 'Jhesus Maria' as well as three crosses, and was made from
either gold or brass. She claimed it was on her hand when she touched St
Catherine, who appeared before her in a vision.