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| 15th Century miniature of Joan of Arc |
Joan of Arc who was also known as the Maid of Orléans was seen as a Military Leader, Heroine, and Martyr all before she was 19 years old.
She was born in 1412 in Domrémy, Bar, France to poor tenant farmers. Joan grew up learning piety and domestic skills from her mother. Their home was also Joan never ventured far from home and was in charge of taking care of the animals. Joan also had a deep love for the Catholic Church.
Joan was blessed with remarkable mental and physical courage. She was said to have had great common sense. Joan eventually claimed to have extreme personal piety. She said she had direct communication with the saints. This was what allowed to make her the leader she became.
At the time she was born France was already fighting England in what was known as the 100 Year War. The war was over who would take over the French Throne. By the 15th century, Northern France was lawless and frontier for marauding armies.
In 1415, King Henry V of England invaded northern France. England had gained support from Burgundians in France after they defeated French forces. 1420 a treaty called Treaty of Troyes, granted the French throne to Henry V and disinherited Charles of Valois.
Henry expected to inherit the throne after Charles IV's death. Both died months apart in 1422. This left Henry's infant son as ruler of both places.
By 1422 England occupied northern France. Joan's village, like many others, were forced to leave their homes. In France, there were supporters for Charles's son to take the French Throne. Charles VII thought this was a good opportunity to do so.
At 13 Joan had started to hear voices of Saints. She knew that she was given a task be God that was very important. She knew she had to save France by installing Charles as kind and kicking out their enemies.
At 16 her father had tried to arrange her marriage. Joan stood in front of the court and fight the reason they weren't a match. She had convinced the court and won.
In May of 1428, Joan made her way to Vaucouleurs. It was a nearby stronghold of those who were loyal to Charles and supported him. She was rejected by the local magistrate. Joan had attracted a small number of followers who believed she was to save France. They believed that a prophecy of a young Virgin saving France was of Joan.
They eventually gave her a horse for her journey. Joan cropped her hair and dressed in men clothes. She made an 11-day journey across enemy territory to Chinon. It was where the crown prince's palace was and she was determined to help.
Joan asked for an audience and announced she was to save France. Charles was unsure of what to think of her. She correctly identified him in disguise and spoke the future King Charles VII and won him over. She supposedly revealed to him only things God could have known and he believed her claims. No one knows what she revealed to him.
Joan promised him she would see him crowned king at Reims, and asked him for an army to lead to Orléans. Orléans was at the time under siege from England. Charles went against the advice given by his counselors and generals and granted Joan her army.
In March of 1429, she set off to Orléans dressed in white armor and riding a white horse. Joan led several French assaults against them. This had caused the Anglo-Burgundians from the bastion and forced them to retreat across the Loire River.
Charles did accept Joan's mission but didn't fully trust her judgment and advice. After her victory, she kept trying to hurry him to Reims to be crowned. He and his advisors were more cautious. However, Joan's reputation had spread far and wide among French forces. She and her followers escorted Charles across enemy territory into Reims. He was crowned Charles VII on July 18, 1429. Joan was by his side and occupying a visible place at the ceremonies.
Joan tried to convince Charles that the French should press their advantage. That they should attempt to retake Paris. Charles wavered even though many warned him Joan was getting too powerful.
In the spring of 1430, Joan was ordered to confront a Burgundian assault on Compiegne. In her effort to protect the town she was thrown from her horse. She was left outside the gates as they closed and was taken captive by the Burgundians.
They took her to the castle of Bouvreuil, which was occupied by the English commander at Rouen. The Duke of Burgandy was ecstatic to have captured the girl of legend. In 1431 Joan went to trial under 70 charges that included witchcraft, dressing as a man and hearsay.
The Burgundians were looking to get rid of Joan and discredit Charles. Charles, who owed her for getting him crowned, began to distance himself. He made no attempt to negotiate for Joan's freedom. She had even attempted to protect Charles by refusing to answer questions about him.
Joan had spent a year in captivity by May 1431. She relentlessly signed a confession denying she never got messages from saints. She defied the document days later by sporting men's clothes. This allowed them to announce her death sentence.
On the morning on May 30th Joan was taken to the old marketplace of Rouen to be executed. There were estimated to have been around 10,000 people. Joan did not want to be burned to death. she would have preferred to have been beheaded. She was terrified and one guard noticed and gave her a small wooden cross. When she was tied to the stake and burned someone held up a cross for her to gaze at as she died.
In the end, she claimed that the voices were real. That they were divine and had allowed her to save France and crown Charles as king. As Joan burned she called out to her three favorite saints and before she lost consciousness she screamed for Jesus.
The 100-Year War lasted for 22 more years. Charles VII kept his crown and in 1456 he had Joan of Arc declared innocent of all charges and a martyr On May 16, 1920, she was canonized as the Patron Saint of France.
History
Britannica
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National Geographic
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