Joan of Arc

Hundred Years War 1429 copy

Contemporaine afb jeanne d arc

KarlVII

Scherrer jeanne enters orlean

Coat of Arms of Jeanne d%27Arc

BNF NAF 4811, folio 55 verso - couronnement de Charles VII

Joan of Arc (French: Jeanne d'Arc; 6 January c. 1412 – 30 May 1431), nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" (La Pucelle d'Orléans), is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. She was born to Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle Romée in Domrémy, a village which was then in the French part of the Duchy of Bar. Joan claimed to have received visions of the Archangel Michael, Saint Margaret, and Saint Catherine of Alexandria instructing her to support Charles VII and recover France from English domination late in the Hundred Years' War. The uncrowned King Charles VII sent her to the siege of Orléans as part of a relief army. She gained prominence after the siege was lifted only nine days later. Several additional swift victories led to Charles VII's coronation at Reims. This long-awaited event boosted French morale and paved the way for the final French victory.

Early Life

Joan was born in the village of Domrémy, which was then in the northeastern part of the Kingdom of France. Joan's parents owned about 50 acres (20 hectares) of land and her father was also a village official, collecting taxes and heading the local watch. They lived in an area that still suffered from the ongoing Hundred Years' War, a series of conflicts between England and France which had been ongoing for over a century. Joan was said to be very religious and spent a considerable amount of time in prayer and attending church.

Visions

Around the age of 13, Joan began to experience visions that she interpreted as mandates from God. These visions were accompanied by voices, which she identified as those of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret. The messages they conveyed were simple: drive the English out of France and bring the Dauphin to Reims for his coronation.

Military Campaigns

In 1429, at the age of 17, Joan traveled to the royal court at Chinon. After convincing Charles VII of her divine mission, she was given a small army and sent to the siege of Orléans. Her arrival marked a turning point in the siege, and within nine days, the English were forced to retreat. This victory was a significant morale booster for the French forces. Joan then led her troops in the Loire Campaign, culminating in the historic victory at Patay. Her efforts were instrumental in lifting the siege of Orléans and in the subsequent French victories.

Capture and Trial

In 1430, Joan was captured by Burgundian forces, allied with the English, at Compiègne. She was handed over to the English, who orchestrated a trial for heresy in Rouen, the seat of the English occupation government. The trial was heavily biased against her, and she was eventually condemned to death. On 30 May 1431, Joan was burned at the stake in Rouen, dying at the age of 19.

Posthumous Recognition

In 1456, a posthumous retrial opened under the auspices of Pope Callixtus III. The trial declared her innocent and a martyr. In the 16th century, she became a symbol of the Catholic League, and in 1803 she was declared a national symbol of France by Napoleon Bonaparte. She was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.

Joan of Arc's legacy as a fearless leader, driven by her unwavering faith and her dedication to her country, continues to inspire people around the world. Her life and achievements are commemorated in many forms, including statues, paintings, and literature.