Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc, born around 1412, became a key figure in French history during the Hundred Years' War. She claimed divine guidance from saints led her to support Charles VII, helping to turn the war in France's favor. Her most famous victory was at the siege of Orléans in 1429, where her leadership boosted French morale and led to Charles’s coronation.

Despite early successes, Joan faced setbacks and was captured by the Burgundians in 1430. She was tried for heresy and executed by burning at the stake in Rouen in 1431. Later, her conviction was overturned, and she was canonized as a saint in 1920, becoming a lasting symbol of courage and national pride in France. Her story continues to inspire many around the world. Domrémy archangel Michael Saint Margaret Saint Catherine siege of Orléans coronation Charles VII of France Hundred Years' War Loire Campaign victory at Patay Reims siege of Paris siege of La Charité Compiègne Burgundians trial Pierre Cauchon heresy burned at the stake Catholic Church French Revolution canonized Pope Benedict XV numerous cultural works

Name

Joan of Arc's name was written in many different ways. Before the sixteenth century, there was no standard spelling of her name. Her last name was often written as "Darc" without an apostrophe, but there were also versions like "Tarc", "Dart", or "Day". She might not have ever heard herself called "Jeanne d'Arc"; the first time she was recorded with this name was in 1455, long after she passed away.

Joan could not read or write when she was a child and had to dictate her letters. She later may have learned to sign her name, as some letters exist with her signature. She often called herself Jeanne la Pucelle, meaning "Joan the Maiden," to highlight her virginity. By the sixteenth century, she was widely known as the "Maid of Orleans."

Birth and historical background

Joan of Arc was born around 1412 in Domrémy, a small village in the Vosges department in northeast France. Her parents, Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle Romée, were peasant farmers. She grew up during the Hundred Years' War, a long conflict between England and France. At the time, France was struggling with political chaos, as the French king Charles VI suffered from mental illness, and two powerful nobles, the Duke of Orléans and the Duke of Burgundy, were fighting for control of the country. This division allowed England to invade France and weaken its power.

Early life

Joan of Arc grew up in a small village in northeast France, helping with chores, working in the fields, and caring for animals. Her mother taught her about religion, and Joan later said she began having special visions when she was about thirteen. These visions involved saints who encouraged her to support France during a difficult time in its history.

As a young woman, Joan felt strongly that she should help the French leader, Charles, who had not yet been officially crowned king. Despite facing doubts and refusals, she eventually gained support and traveled to meet Charles, beginning her important role in French history.

Chinon

Charles VII met Joan of Arc for the first time at the Royal Court in Chinon in early 1429. She was seventeen and told him she had come to help raise the siege of Orléans and lead him to his coronation in Reims. After talking with Charles, Joan was sent to Poitiers where theologians examined her and found her to be a good person and a good Catholic. She was also examined by women to prove her purity.

With these tests completed, Charles gave Joan plate armor and she created her own banner. She believed she was acting under divine guidance, which inspired hope and devotion among the French forces. Before traveling to Orléans, Joan sent a letter to the Duke of Bedford, warning him that she was sent by God to drive the English out of France.

Military campaigns

Orléans

In the last week of April 1429, Joan set out from Blois as part of an army carrying supplies for the relief of Orléans. She arrived there on 29 April and met the commander Jean, the Bastard of Orléans and future Count of Dunois. Joan was initially treated as a figurehead to raise morale, flying her banner on the battlefield. She was not given any formal command or included in military councils but quickly gained the support of the Armagnac troops. She always seemed to be present where the fighting was most intense, and she gave them a sense she was fighting for their salvation. Armagnac commanders would sometimes accept the advice she gave them.

On 4 May, the Armagnacs went on the offensive, attacking the outlying bastille de Saint-Loup (fortress of Saint Loup). Once Joan learned of the attack, she rode out with her banner to the site of the battle, a mile east of Orléans. She arrived as the Armagnac soldiers were retreating after a failed assault. Her appearance rallied the soldiers, who attacked again and took the fortress. On 5 May, no combat occurred since it was Ascension Thursday, a feast day. The Armagnacs resumed their offensive on 6 May, capturing Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, which the English had deserted.

The Armagnacs captured Saint-Jean-le-Blanc on 6 May. On 7 May, they attacked the main English stronghold, les Tourelles. Joan was wounded by an arrow between the neck and shoulder while holding her banner but later returned to encourage the final assault that took the fortress. The English retreated from Orléans on 8 May, ending the siege.

Loire Campaign

After the success at Orléans, Joan insisted that the Armagnac forces should advance promptly toward Reims to crown the Dauphin. Charles allowed her to accompany the army under the command of John II, Duke of Alençon, who collaboratively worked with Joan and regularly heeded her advice. Before advancing toward Reims, the Armagnacs needed to recapture the bridge towns along the Loire: Jargeau, Meung-sur-Loire, and Beaugency.

The campaign to clear the Loire towns began on 11 June when the Armagnac forces led by Alençon and Joan arrived at Jargeau and forced the English to withdraw inside the town's walls. The Armagnac took few prisoners and many of the English who surrendered were killed. Alençon and Joan's army advanced on Meung-sur-Loire. On 15 June, they took control of the town's bridge, and the English garrison withdrew to a castle on the Loire's north bank. The main English army retreated toward Paris; Joan urged the Armagnacs to pursue them, and the two armies clashed at the Battle of Patay later that day. A rout ensued that decimated the English army. Fastolf escaped with a small band of soldiers, but many of the English leaders were captured.

Coronation and siege of Paris

After the destruction of the English army at Patay, some Armagnac leaders argued for an invasion of English-held Normandy, but Joan remained insistent that Charles must be crowned. The Dauphin agreed, and the army left Gien on 29 June to march on Reims. Reims opened its gates on 16 July 1429, and Charles's consecration took place the following morning. Joan was given a place of honor at the ceremony.

After the consecration, the royal court negotiated a truce of fifteen days with the Duke of Burgundy. At the end of the truce, Burgundy reneged on his promise. Joan and the Duke of Alençon favored a quick march on Paris, but divisions in Charles's court and continued peace negotiations with Burgundy led to a slow advance. The Armagnacs launched an assault on Paris on 8 September. During the fighting, Joan was wounded in the leg by a crossbow bolt. The Armagnacs had suffered 1,500 casualties. The following morning, Charles ordered an end to the assault.

Siege of Compiègne and capture

The Duke of Burgundy began to reclaim towns which had been ceded to him by treaty but had not submitted. Compiègne was one such town. Joan set out with a company of volunteers at the end of March 1430 to relieve the town, which was under siege.

In April, Joan arrived at Melun. As Joan advanced, her force grew as other commanders joined her. Joan's troops advanced to Lagny-sur-Marne and defeated an Anglo-Burgundian force commanded by the mercenary Franquet d'Arras who was captured.

Joan reached Compiègne on 14 May. On 23 May 1430, Joan accompanied an Armagnac force which sortied from Compiègne to attack the Burgundian camp at Margny, northeast of the town. The attack failed, and Joan was captured. She agreed to surrender to a pro-Burgundian nobleman named Lyonnel de Wandomme, a member of Jean de Luxembourg's contingent, who quickly moved her to his castle at Beaulieu-les-Fontaines, near Noyes. After her first attempt to escape, she was transferred to Beaurevoir Castle. She made another escape attempt while there, jumping from a window of a tower and landing in a dry moat; she was injured but survived. In November, she was moved to the Burgundian town of Arras.

The English and Burgundians rejoiced that Joan had been removed as a military threat. The English negotiated with their Burgundian allies to pay Joan's ransom and transfer her to their custody. Bishop Pierre Cauchon of Beauvais played a prominent part in these negotiations. After the English paid the ransom, they moved Joan to Rouen, their main headquarters in France.

Trials and execution

Trial

Main article: Trial of Joan of Arc

Joan faced a trial for heresy in Rouen on January 9, 1431. She was accused of wearing men's clothes and claiming divine guidance for her actions. The trial was influenced by political motives, aiming to challenge the legitimacy of Charles VII’s rule. Despite many unfair practices, Joan remained strong, skillfully answering questions and avoiding traps set by her interrogators.

Execution

Public heresy was considered a serious crime. After agreeing to give up wearing men's clothes, Joan was later accused of breaking this promise. On May 30, 1431, Joan was executed at the age of nineteen. She was allowed to receive religious comforts before her death and was given a cross to hold. Her execution marked a tragic end to her life, but her efforts helped inspire France during a difficult time.

Aftermath and rehabilitation trial

Main article: Rehabilitation trial of Joan of Arc

Even after her death, Joan’s legacy continued to grow. Years later, a new trial cleared her name, declaring the original trial unfair and unjust. This helped restore honor to Joan and highlighted her importance in French history.

Visions

Joan of Arc believed that her visions came from divine guidance. These visions gave her strength and hope, especially during difficult times. However, her visions also led to her trial, where people questioned whether they were truly from a divine source.

Later scholars have tried to explain her visions using medical reasons, such as epilepsy or other conditions. But these ideas are debated, and the records from her trial make it hard to know for sure what caused her visions.

Clothing

Main article: Cross-dressing, gender identity, and sexuality of Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc often wore men's clothing during her time as a leader in battles. She chose to dress this way because she felt it was a sign from God. Her choice of clothing became an important part of the trials against her. Some people thought it was wrong, but Joan believed it was right for her role.

She wore items like a coat of mail, a breastplate, and boots, which helped her during battles. Joan said she would wear women’s clothes again once her mission was complete. Some believed her choice of clothing helped protect her and showed her unique role as a warrior.

Legacy

Joan is one of the most studied people of the Middle Ages. People have seen her in many ways: as the savior of France, a loyal member of the Catholic Church, an early advocate for women's rights, and a symbol of freedom.

She became famous as a military leader who helped drive the English out of France. Even before her death, people honored her for helping France. After her death, she was remembered as a key figure in celebrations, especially in the city of Orléans. Over time, she became a important symbol for France, representing both the country’s history and its identity.

Joan is also a saint in the Catholic Church. She was officially recognized as a saint in 1920, and her feast day is celebrated on May 30th, the day she died. People have admired her for her courage, strong beliefs, and role as a leader, inspiring many artists and writers through the centuries. Her story continues to influence people around the world.