10 questions · Society & Everyday
Joan of Arc is born around 1412 the daughter of a farmer in the Lorraine village of Domrémy: in the middle of the Hundred Years' War between France and England. Much of France is occupied, and the French claimant to the throne, Charles, is demoralised and uncrowned. Into this chaos the pious girl, by her own account, hears the voices of saints giving her a mission: to free France and make Charles king. With unshakeable conviction Joan achieves what seems impossible. She persuades the claimant to entrust her with troops, dons men's clothing and armour, and in 1429 marches on the besieged city of Orléans. Her mere presence electrifies the exhausted French soldiers; the city is relieved within days. Further victories follow, and that same year Charles VII is crowned king in Reims, with Joan at his side. But her fortunes turn. In 1430 she is captured and handed over to the English. In a politically motivated church trial she is charged, among other things, with heresy and with wearing men's clothing. In 1431 Joan of Arc is burned at the stake in Rouen, aged only about 19. Yet her legacy is immense. Just about 25 years later the verdict is overturned in a new trial. In 1920 the Catholic Church canonises her, and she becomes a national heroine and patron saint of France. To this day "the Maid of Orléans" stands, like few other figures, for courage, faith and the unwavering will of a single person.
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Hundred Years' War
Much of France was occupied by the English at the time.
💡 Did you know? A simple peasant girl, Jeanne at 17 led French troops against the English in the Hundred Years' War.
voices of saints
Her mission: to free France and make the claimant king.
💡 Did you know? Jeanne said the voices of Saints Michael, Catherine and Margaret had commanded her to free France.
Orléans
In 1429 Jeanne broke the English siege of Orléans in just a few days; a turning point of the war.
💡 Did you know? This is why she is also called "the Maid of Orléans".
Charles VII
In 1429 he was crowned king with Joan at his side.
💡 Did you know? Thanks to Jeanne's victories, the claimant Charles VII could be crowned king in Reims: just as she had foretold.
armour and men's clothing
That a young woman led an army in armour and men's clothing was outrageous for the Middle Ages and later proved her undoing.
💡 Did you know? Wearing men's clothing was later used against her at her trial.
burned at the stake (aged ~19)
The trial against her was politically motivated; she had fallen into English hands.
💡 Did you know? Captured by the English, Jeanne was burned at the stake as a heretic in Rouen at about 19.
canonised (made a saint)
Some 500 years after her death, the Catholic Church canonised Jeanne d'Arc in 1920.
💡 Did you know? About 25 years after her death, her heresy verdict had already been overturned.
national heroine of France
She stands, like few other figures, for courage, faith and strength of will.
💡 Did you know? A later court overturned the verdict: today Jeanne d'Arc is a national heroine and patron saint of France.
Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc (c. 1412 to 1431) was a French peasant girl who led France's troops in the Hundred Years' War and is venerated as a saint.
💡 Did you know? At only about 17 Jeanne convinced the heir to the throne to entrust her with an army and was executed at 19.
1412
Born: c. 1412 in Domrémy, France
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