Meet Joan of Arc, or, if you've got a French accent, Jeanne d'Arc. She’s the patron saint of France, a pin-up for determination and courage at a young age and famous today around the world. Let's hear it for girls who lead the way! Now hear her story!
Joan was born 6 Jan 1412 in the country village of Domrémy in northern France. And what you’ve got to know is that in the 14th century, France was being fought over by the English and the French. And the country we know today as France was a messy patchwork of different territories and states. Joan’s parents were lowly peasant farmers who worked on their small piece of land outside the village and Joan didn’t go to school and never learnt to read or write. Her mum gave her a deep faith in God and a love of the Catholic church and its saints.
When she was 13, young Joan was shocked to see English soldiers setting fire to her village and driving away all the cattle. Not long afterwards, she started hearing voices ….the voices of her favourite saints, Saint Michael and Saint Catherine. They told her it was SHE, Joan, who must come to France’s rescue, defeat the baddies and make sure Charles was crowned as France’s rightful king.
Around the same time, people were whispering about a prophecy that said “a young maiden” would appear among them to save France. Hmmmm. Spooky, right?
Her father thought this was nonsense! Absolute cobblers! He wanted Joan to marry a local farmer but she said she'd taken a vow of chastity and was now on a mission from God.
At just 14, she went off to see the local nobleman to ask him to arrange an audience with the Dauphin - Charles - who had still not been crowned king. Talk about gutsy!!
But at first Robert de Baudricort laughed at her but something about her made him change his mind. So Joan cut off all her hair, put on men’s clothes and followed by her band of supporters, she set off for the town of Chinon to see the young Dauphin, Charles.
During her audience with the Charles, Joan swore that she would see him crowned king at Reims, the city where all French kings are traditionally crowned. Then she told him details of his most private prayers - stuff no one else could know - and this convinced him that she really had been sent by God.
So he gave her a horse, a suit of armour and his blessing and she headed to the city of Orleans for her first challenge. In Orléans, the French were under siege from the English army. They were desperate! Joan’s arrival brought hope and faith….. and VICTORY to the French forces and for the first time, the English were crushed!!
Charles could at last be crowned in Reims! Joan was a total heroine!…but it didn’t last long.
A few months later, during a battle with the English at Compiègne, Joan was thrown from her horse just as the town’s gates were closing. She was caught, arrested and thrown in jail.
The English put Joan on trial on charges of witchcraft, heresy…… and dressing like a man. And Charles, the French king, made no effort to help her.
After a year in prison, Joan was forced to sign a confession denying that she had ever received divine guidance.
A few days later, she renounced her confession, defied English orders by putting on men’s clothes and was sentenced to death.
On May 30 1431, 19 year old Joan of Arc was taken to the market square in the centre of Rouen and burned at the stake.
20 years later, a new trial cleared her name - but by then it was a bit late.
However it wasn’t long before word spread and she became famous through France as a symbol of bravery, patriotism and strength. Not bad for a country girl who couldn’t read or write!
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