Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc is venerated as one of France’s patron saints and celebrated as a national heroine for her influence during the latter phase of the Hundred Years’ War. Guided, according to her testimony, by divine visions, she inspired French forces at critical moments such as the siege of Orléans and played an important role in ensuring the coronation of Charles VII. Her leadership defied contemporary gender expectations, and her legacy has endured across religious, cultural, and national contexts.

Early Life and Historical Background

Joan was born in the small village of Domrémy-la-Pucelle in the Meuse valley, within the region of Lorraine in northeastern France. Her exact date of birth is unknown, and her own statements about her age were vague. She grew up in a propertied peasant household headed by Jacques d’Arc and Isabelle Romée. Her father combined farming with responsibilities as a local official, including tax collection and supervision of the village watch.
Joan’s childhood coincided with a turbulent period in French history. The Hundred Years’ War, ongoing since 1337, had devastated much of the French economy and countryside. Internal political conflict deepened this crisis. King Charles VI suffered from bouts of mental illness, leaving governance contested between rival factions: the Armagnacs, aligned with the Dauphin Charles (the future Charles VII), and the Burgundians, who formed an alliance with England after the assassination of John the Fearless in 1419. The Treaty of Troyes, signed in 1420 during Charles VI’s incapacity, recognised Henry V of England and his heirs as rightful successors to the French throne, effectively disinheriting the Dauphin.
Domrémy lay in the Duchy of Bar, a frontier territory affected by raiding during the 1420s. Joan worked on the family farm, tended animals, and learned her religious duties from her mother. The village supported the Armagnac cause, and attacks by Burgundian forces in 1425 and later reinforced widespread belief that the English needed to be expelled from France for peace to return.

Visions and Spiritual Inspiration

According to her later testimony, Joan’s first vision occurred around the age of thirteen. She reported seeing the archangel Michael accompanied by other heavenly figures, instructing her to aid France. Over time she also identified St Margaret and St Catherine of Alexandria among her voices. These saints were widely known as exemplars of steadfastness, purity, and courage. Joan described frequent spiritual experiences, often linked to the ringing of church bells, and she is known to have taken a vow of virginity connected to her religious mission.
Prophecies circulating in rural France at the time spoke of a maiden who would save the kingdom. Joan’s supporters believed she fulfilled these traditions, while she herself referred to such sayings to explain her role. She repeatedly identified herself simply as “the Maiden”, emphasising both her spiritual calling and her chastity.

Journey to Charles VII and the Relief of Orléans

In 1428 Joan petitioned Robert de Baudricourt, the garrison commander at Vaucouleurs, for permission to travel to the Dauphin’s court at Chinon. Initially rejected, she returned in early 1429 after gaining the support of local soldiers. Baudricourt eventually agreed to send her. Dressed in male clothing for safety on the journey, she travelled through territory threatened by opposing forces to reach the Dauphin.
Charles VII ordered an examination of her character and orthodoxy at Poitiers, where a committee of clergy and scholars assessed her convictions. Convinced of her sincerity, purity, and determination, Charles permitted her to accompany a relief force to Orléans, then under siege by the English.
Joan arrived in April 1429 carrying her standard, and her presence galvanised French morale. Within nine days the English lifted the siege. She encouraged further operations during the Loire campaign, which culminated at the Battle of Patay. This victory opened the route to Reims, the traditional coronation site of French kings. The French army advanced through largely undefended territory, enabling Charles VII to be crowned in July 1429 with Joan present.

Later Campaigns and Capture

Following the coronation, Joan urged further offensives. She participated in the unsuccessful siege of Paris in September 1429 and the failed attempt to take La Charité later that year. These reverses diminished her influence at court, yet she remained committed to military service.
In early 1430 she assembled a small force in a final effort to relieve Compiègne, then under attack by Burgundian troops allied with the English. On 23 May she was captured in a sortie outside the town. After several escape attempts, she was transferred to English custody in November 1430.

Trial and Execution

Joan’s trial was conducted in Rouen under the authority of Bishop Pierre Cauchon, who supported the English-backed Burgundian faction. The charges included heresy, blasphemy, and the wearing of male clothing—an accusation rooted in canon law but also politically motivated. The court also challenged the divine origin of her visions, suggesting demonic influence.
The proceedings were characterised by procedural irregularities and heavy political pressure. Joan defended herself with clarity and conviction, yet she was declared guilty. On 30 May 1431, at approximately nineteen years of age, she was executed by burning.

Rehabilitation and Canonisation

In 1456, an inquisitorial court convened at the request of Joan’s family and with the support of Charles VII reviewed the original trial. It overturned the verdict, declaring the 1431 judgment invalid due to errors, coercion, and deception. Joan was formally exonerated and recognised as a martyr.
Over the centuries she became a symbol of national unity, courage, and resistance. The French Revolution refashioned her as a patriotic icon. In 1920, the Catholic Church canonised her, and she was later named a patron saint of France.

Cultural Legacy and Representation

Joan of Arc has inspired an extensive cultural tradition. She appears in literature, painting, sculpture, theatre, music, and film. Her image has shifted across eras, depicting her variously as a devout mystic, military heroine, proto-feminist figure, and embodiment of national identity.
Her name was historically rendered in multiple forms, with no standard spelling before the sixteenth century. She referred to herself as “Jehanne” or “the Maiden”, underscoring her mission and identity.