During the Hundred Years’ War, France was in serious danger. England controlled large areas of the country, many towns had been damaged, and the French army…
During the Hundred Years’ War, France faced a serious political and military crisis. English forces controlled large areas of the country, while the French army had suffered several defeats. Many towns had been damaged, and people had lost confidence in their leaders. Charles, the French crown prince, claimed the throne, but his legitimacy was questioned because he had not been officially crowned at Reims, the traditional place where French kings received their crowns.
Joan of Arc was born around 1412 in Domrémy, a small village in north-eastern France. Her parents were farmers, and she received no formal education. She could not read or write, but she was deeply religious. When she was about thirteen, Joan began hearing voices that she believed came from saints. According to her, these voices gave her a divine mission: she had to help Charles become king and support the French struggle against England.
As a teenage girl from a farming family, Joan seemed an unlikely person to influence a war. Nevertheless, she remained determined. In 1429, she travelled through dangerous territory to meet Charles. At first, his advisers were suspicious of her claims. Church officials questioned her carefully to decide whether her religious experiences were genuine. Joan impressed them with her confidence, and Charles eventually allowed her to accompany the French army.
At that time, Orléans was besieged by English forces. The city was strategically important because its fall would have allowed the English to advance further into French territory. When Joan arrived, the French defenders were exhausted and discouraged. She wore armour, carried a white banner and encouraged the soldiers to continue fighting.
Although Joan was not the army’s official commander, her presence helped galvanise the French troops. She took part in military discussions, delivered messages and appeared close to the fighting. During one attack, she was wounded by an arrow but later returned to support the soldiers. Her courage strengthened their confidence, and within days, the English abandoned the siege.
The victory at Orléans transformed Joan’s reputation. Many French people began to see her as a sign that their country could recover. Joan then encouraged Charles to travel to Reims for his coronation. The journey was risky because several towns along the route were controlled by enemy forces or their allies. However, the French army successfully reached the city.
On 17 July 1429, Charles was crowned King Charles VII in Reims Cathedral. The ceremony strengthened his legitimacy and publicly confirmed his position as the rightful French king. For Joan, the coronation was the successful completion of one of the main parts of her mission.
However, her success did not continue for long. In 1430, Joan was captured during a battle near Compiègne by Burgundian soldiers, who were allied with the English. She was later handed over to the English authorities. Instead of being treated simply as a prisoner of war, Joan was placed on trial before a church court.
She was accused of several religious crimes, including claiming that she received messages directly from God. Her decision to wear men’s clothing was also used against her. The trial was strongly influenced by politics because the English wanted to damage her reputation. If Joan could be presented as dishonest or dangerous, her support for Charles might also appear less believable.
Joan was found guilty and burned at the stake on 30 May 1431. She was only about nineteen years old. Her martyrdom strengthened her image as a symbol of courage, faith and resistance.
Joan did not command the entire French army or win the Hundred Years’ War alone. However, she helped restore confidence at a critical moment, inspired soldiers and supported Charles’s claim to the throne. In 1456, a new court declared that her original trial had been unfair. Almost five centuries later, in 1920, the Catholic Church made her a saint. Today, Joan of Arc remains one of the most important and recognisable figures in French history.
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