Imagine being a teenager and leading an entire army into battle! That’s exactly what Joan of Arc did. At just 16 years old, she picked up a sword and by 17, she was leading French troops against the English. Her life was short but incredibly impactful, as she played a key role in changing the course of the Hundred Years’ War, helping to end English control over France. Let’s dive into the story of this remarkable young woman who came from humble beginnings but left a lasting mark on history.
Joan was born around 1412 in a small village called Domrémy in northeastern France. Her family wasn’t wealthy, but they managed to own a decent amount of farmland. Joan’s early life was typical for a girl in Medieval Europe; she spent her days sewing and taking care of animals. She wasn’t taught to read or write, but she learned to pray, thanks to her devout Catholic mother, Isabelle Romée.
Isabelle might have even traveled to Rome, which was quite an adventure for a woman back then. Joan grew up hearing stories about women who were believed to have special connections with God. Little did anyone know that Joan herself would become one of these visionaries.
Joan’s life was deeply connected to the Hundred Years’ War, a long conflict between England and France that lasted 116 years. It all started when William the Conqueror, a Norman king, took over England in 1066 and claimed the French throne. Fast forward to 1328, and the French king Charles IV died without an heir. This was good news for Edward III of England, a descendant of William, who thought he should be king of France. But the French chose Philip VI instead, sparking a war in 1337.
After years of fighting, things calmed down until 1380 when a new French king, Charles VI, struggled with his sanity, causing chaos. In 1413, Henry V became king of England and wanted to marry Charles VI’s daughter, but the French refused, leading to more battles. By 1425, the English and their allies controlled much of northern France, and it seemed like only a miracle could change things. Enter Joan of Arc.
At 13, Joan began having visions of saints like St. Catherine, St. Margaret, and St. Michael. At first, they encouraged her to live a good life, but soon they told her to become a warrior and help Charles of Valois, who was trying to become king of France. Despite people doubting her, Joan was determined.
In May 1428, the saints told her to find Charles in Chinon, a town surrounded by enemy territory. She went to Vaucouleurs, a nearby stronghold, and convinced the commander, Robert de Baudricourt, to send her to Charles. With an escort, she set off on her mission.
By early 1429, the French were in trouble. The English were besieging Orléans, a crucial town. Joan arrived at Chinon and impressed Charles with her determination to lift the siege and make him king. After convincing church authorities of her divine mission, she was allowed to lead an army to Orléans.
On April 29, 1429, Joan arrived at Orléans, riding a white horse and carrying her banner. Her presence inspired the troops, and on May 4, she led a successful attack against the English, lifting the siege by May 8.
After the victory at Orléans, Joan insisted on resting on Sundays, and the soldiers respected her wishes. With the English retreating, Joan’s next goal was to get Charles to Reims for his coronation. Her army liberated towns along the way, and on July 17, 1429, Charles was crowned Charles VII of France, with Joan by his side.
Joan wanted to keep fighting, but she faced setbacks in Paris. During an attack on September 8, she was wounded, and the French retreated. Charles began to distance himself from her, cutting off her supplies.
In May 1430, Joan was captured by Burgundian forces during a siege. They sold her to the English, who put her on trial for heresy and other charges.
On March 25, 1431, Joan faced trial on 70 charges, including heresy for wearing men’s clothing. Despite her strong defense, she was kept in poor conditions and eventually forced to sign a confession. On May 30, 1431, she was executed by burning.
Nineteen years later, Charles VII ordered an inquiry into her trial, leading to her being declared innocent and recognized as a martyr. Joan’s legacy grew, and she was canonized in 1920, becoming a national hero of France.
Joan of Arc changed the world in ways that even kings and emperors rarely do. She may have started as a simple peasant girl, but she became St. Joan of Arc, the heroine of France.
Research the key events in Joan of Arc’s life and the Hundred Years’ War. Create a timeline that includes at least 10 significant events. Use drawings or digital tools to make your timeline visually appealing. Share your timeline with the class and explain why you chose each event.
In groups, choose a scene from Joan of Arc’s life to act out. You can select from her visions, her meeting with Charles VII, or her trial. Write a short script and assign roles. Perform your scene for the class, and discuss how Joan’s actions influenced the outcome of the Hundred Years’ War.
Joan of Arc was a symbol of courage and faith. Design a coat of arms that represents her values and achievements. Include symbols that reflect her life, such as a sword, a crown, or a cross. Present your design to the class and explain the significance of each symbol.
Imagine you are Joan of Arc during a pivotal moment in her life, such as the Siege of Orléans or her trial. Write a diary entry expressing her thoughts and feelings. Consider her motivations, fears, and hopes. Share your entry with a partner and discuss how Joan’s faith and determination influenced her actions.
Joan of Arc is one of many women who have made significant contributions to history. Choose another historical female figure and research her life and achievements. Create a presentation comparing her to Joan of Arc, highlighting similarities and differences in their challenges and accomplishments. Present your findings to the class.
Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript, removing any potentially sensitive or inappropriate language while maintaining the essence of the content:
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She’s one of history’s youngest warriors. At an age when most of us were still stressing over what to wear to school, Joan of Arc was leading thousands of French troops into battle against the English. Inspired by divine visions of Catholicism’s greatest saints, Joan first took up her sword at 16, was leading armies by 17, and was executed before she was 20. In her short life, she managed to change the course of the Hundred Years’ War, ending English domination of France. Not bad for a girl from a humble background.
While most of us know the name Joan of Arc and know her tragic end, how much do we know about her life? Join us today as we take a look at the simple peasant girl who changed European history before dying alone and disgraced, convinced she was a failure.
**A Lowly Birth**
We don’t know the exact date of Joan’s birth, but it was sometime in 1412, to a farming family of some means. Joan’s village of Domrémy in northeastern France was quite poor. Still, her father Jean managed to scrape together 50 acres of farmland, and the family lived in the biggest house in town. For young Joan, life in Domrémy meant a life of sewing and taking care of animals. As a girl in Medieval Europe, she was never taught to read or write. They did teach her to pray, though. Joan’s mother, Isabelle Romée, was a devout Catholic.
Isabelle may have made a pilgrimage to Rome earlier in life, a remarkable feat for a woman at that time. Early 15th Century France was filled with female visionaries who were believed to communicate with God. While Isabelle herself never claimed to be a mystic, she likely told young Joan about these women. Joan’s early life was relatively uneventful. She became a master seamstress, worked on her father’s farm, and made a handful of friends. Had she been born at a different time, it’s doubtful we’d be talking about her now.
But Joan wasn’t born at any time. She was born in 1412, in northern France, right in the middle of the Hundred Years’ War.
**One Hundred Years of War**
The Hundred Years’ War was a series of conflicts between England and France that lasted 116 years. Joan of Arc’s life was so tied up in this war that we need to understand its context. In 1066, Norman king William the Conqueror earned his nickname by conquering England, retaining his claim on the French throne. Nearly 300 years later, in 1328, King Charles IV of France died, which was good news for William’s descendant, Edward III, who was next in line for the throne. However, the French crowned local noble Philip VI instead.
Fed up with this, Edward went to war with France in 1337. By 1360, everyone was tired of fighting, and Edward accepted a chunk of northern France in return for abandoning his claims to the throne. The warring stopped until 1380 when the French crowned Charles VI, a ruler who struggled with his sanity, creating a power vacuum.
In 1413, Henry V was crowned king of England and sought to marry one of Charles VI’s daughters. The French refused, leading to renewed conflict. The House of Burgundy allied with the English, resulting in the Treaty of Troyes in 1420, which was humiliating for France.
By 1425, the English and Burgundians controlled much of northern France, while Charles of Valois was unable to become king until he made it to Reims. It would take a miracle to break this deadlock, and that’s where Joan of Arc comes in.
**The Girl Who Talked With Saints**
At age 13, Joan began having visions of St. Catherine, St. Margaret of Antioch, and St. Michael. Initially, these visions encouraged her to live a pious life, but they later urged her to become a warrior and support Charles of Valois. Despite skepticism from others, Joan persisted.
In May 1428, at 16, the saints told her to seek out Charles in Chinon. This was a challenge, as her village was surrounded by hostile territory. Instead, she went to the nearby stronghold of Vaucouleurs, where she met the garrison commander, Robert de Baudricourt, and demanded to be sent to the king. Initially, he dismissed her, but as news of her visions spread, he eventually agreed to send her with an escort to Chinon.
**A Time to Fight**
By early 1429, the French were desperate. The English had laid siege to the vital town of Orléans, and if it fell, it would be disastrous for the French. On February 13, 1429, Joan and her escort set out for Chinon. Upon arrival, she impressed Charles by declaring her mission to lift the siege on Orléans and make him king.
After convincing Church authorities of her divine mission, Joan was given the chance to lead an army to Orléans. On April 29, 1429, she arrived, riding a white horse and carrying her banner. Despite initial resistance from local leaders, Joan’s presence inspired the troops.
On May 4, she received a vision to attack the English. Her leadership rallied the French forces, and they successfully broke the siege of Orléans by May 8.
**Making a King**
After the victory at Orléans, Joan insisted on a pause in fighting on Sundays, and the soldiers respected her wishes. With the English in retreat, Joan’s next goal was to get Charles to Reims for his coronation. Over the following weeks, her army liberated towns, and on July 17, 1429, Charles was crowned Charles VII of France, with Joan by his side.
**Defeat**
However, Joan’s desire to continue fighting led her to Paris, where she faced a setback. During an attack on September 8, she was wounded and the French retreated. Charles, distancing himself from her, eventually cut off her supplies.
In May 1430, during an attempt to relieve a siege, Joan was captured by Burgundian forces. The Burgundians sold her to the English, who put her on trial for heresy and other charges.
**Joan the Martyr**
On March 25, 1431, Joan faced trial on 70 charges, including heresy for dressing in men’s clothing. Despite her strong defense, she was kept in poor conditions and eventually coerced into signing a confession. On May 30, 1431, she was executed by burning.
Nineteen years later, Charles VII ordered an inquiry into her trial, leading to her posthumous exoneration and elevation to martyr status. Joan’s legacy grew, and she was canonized in 1920, becoming a national hero of France.
Joan of Arc changed the world in ways even kings and emperors rarely do. She may have been born a nobody, but she died as St. Joan of Arc, the heroine of France.
Joan – A French heroine and military leader inspired by religious visions to organize French resistance against the English and to have Charles VII crowned king. – Joan of Arc is remembered for her courage and faith during the Hundred Years’ War.
Arc – A term often associated with Joan of Arc, referring to her role in French history as a leader and symbol of resistance. – The story of Joan of Arc is a significant chapter in the history of France.
France – A country in Western Europe with a rich history, known for its role in major historical events like the Hundred Years’ War. – During the Middle Ages, France was a central battleground in the conflict with England.
English – Relating to England or its people, especially during historical conflicts with France. – The English army was a formidable opponent during the Hundred Years’ War.
War – A state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country. – The Hundred Years’ War was a prolonged conflict that shaped the future of both France and England.
Saints – Individuals recognized for their holiness and virtue, often canonized by the Church. – Joan of Arc was canonized as one of the saints of the Catholic Church in 1920.
Visions – Supernatural appearances or experiences, often with religious significance, that inspire individuals to take action. – Joan of Arc claimed to have visions of saints instructing her to support the French king.
King – The male ruler of an independent state, especially one who inherits the position by right of birth. – Charles VII was crowned king of France with the help of Joan of Arc.
Martyr – A person who is killed because of their religious or other beliefs. – Joan of Arc became a martyr after being executed for her role in the French resistance.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – Learning about history helps us understand the events that shaped our world today.
