The Woman in Front of the Man: Jeanne d'Arc

"Martyr, saint and military leader Joan of Arc, acting under divine guidance, led the French army to victory over the English during the Hundred Years' War." (1)

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A Historical Account of Joan of Arc

Born in 1412 in the middle of the Hundred Year War between France and England, Joan grew up a poor peasant farm girl with her mother and father. Through the early years of her life, Northern France became a lawless battleground for the armies of the French and English as they fought over the heir to the French throne. It was in this time of peak turmoil that Joan began having divine visions to lead a more pious life. Following this divine guidance, Joan sought audience with the would-be heir Charles VII to fight on his behalf and seat him as king. (1)

Initially stopping at the stronghold of Vaucouleurs, Joan persuaded loyalists to Charles of her divine purpose and garnered a band of followers to her cause. At this same time, Joan took upon the visage of a man to further garner respect and authority; she cropped her hair short and began dressing as a man. From there, Joan and her followers made the trek to Chinon where Charles VII resided. (2)

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Upon arrival at Chinon, Joan went immediately to the castle of the dauphin Charles, and was met with a mixed response as to whether she was worthy of his audience and trust. Joan was eventually granted entrance to his court, and to test her he hid himself amongst the rest of the audience. She was not fooled by any means as she easily picked Charles out, and requested to fight the English forces to properly crown Charles VII as king of France at Reims. In attempt to be sure of her intent, Charles VII had Joan interrogated for three weeks for fear of heresy and malicious, alternative motives. The interrogations ended with Joan claiming she would provide proof by ending the ongoing English siege at Orléans. She was granted permission to undertake this mission, and Charles VII provided Joan of Arc a fighting force to take on the English. (3)

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Prior to engaging the English troops, Joan declared the King of England must withdraw his forces from French soil. As might be expected, the English commanders were outraged that woman would assume a position of authority, and Joan took advantage of the situation and rapidly engaged the English forts surrounding Orléans. Within two weeks time, the English forces were overwhelmed and the siege on Orléans was lifted, although Joan was injured during the exchange. Joan, egged on by the divine voices in her head, sought to continue her campaign despite the hesitancy of the King and his advisers. (4)

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After sufficient convincing, Joan carried on her campaign and was successful in several battles culminating in a victory at Patay. At this point, the route to Reims, their final destination, was practically open, but once again the King and commanders were reluctant to carry on to finish their mission. Joan, who would not be deterred, persevered through the reluctance and delivered Charles VII to Reims. (6)

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"On Sunday, 17 July, 1429, Charles VII was solemnly crowned, the Maid standing by with her standard, for — as she explained — 'as it had shared in the toil, it was just that it should share in the victory.'" (4)

Following the conclusion of Charles VII's coronation, Joan pursued a number of subsequent campaigns with mixed results. Joan sought to recapture Paris from the English, and despite her best efforts, her impatience to succeed was her undoing and she was forced to retreat. The battles to follow included some victories, but also a number of defeats that resulted in her capture. (5)

The capture of Joan of Arc
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Joan was placed on trial, after ransomed for 10,000 francs, and tried for heresy before a church court. Throughout her trial she was defiant of the court, though they were Frenchmen they were enemies of Charles VII. After long and numerous proceedings, Joan was sentenced to death by immolation. Those who witnessed her death were quoted to say she died a faithful Christian. (3)

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Almost 20 years post-mortem in 1450, after a thorough investigation into the trial, Pope Calixtus III revoked and annulled the sentencing placed on Joan in 1431, though it did little to bring her back from the dead. A few hundred years later, Pope Benedict XV canonized her as a martyr and granted her Sainthood in 1920 to grant her the honors she rightly deserves. (5)

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Joan of Arc for the Modern Era

Joan of Arc's story has been recounted and retold many times and many forms of art and media have been produced of her and her feats. May statues have been erected in her visage, most often ahorse as seen in Paris, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.

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In my opinion, Joan of Arc's heroism and unfaltering dedication to her country are admirable qualities that easily make her a feminist by today's standards. Even in facing the threat of death, Joan believed her cause to be more valuable than her own life. I was aware of Joan of Arc by name and that she was a notable figure in war, but researching her story in detail gave me a newfound respect for her. The adversity she faced not only from the English forces, but also from internal conflict with the French only further stacked the odds against her. However, her faith and belief in carrying out God's will, as she believed, drove her forward in seemingly hopeless situations to achieve amazing feats in battle.

Though the average person in today's society may not be driven to pursue battle with their enemies, the moral lessons and perseverance Joan exhibited can still resonate with the contemporary audience. Adversity is still felt in many ways today, and sometimes we need a Jeanne d'Arc to engage the masses and rally them to incite greater change within society.

Works Cited

Editors, Biography.com. “Joan of Arc.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 27 Feb. 2018, www.biography.com/people/joan-of-arc-9354756. (1)

Editors, History.com. “Joan of Arc.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 21 Aug. 2018, <www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/saint-joan-of-arc>. (2)

Lanhers, Yvonne, and Malcolm G.A. Vale. “Saint Joan of Arc.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 14 Sept. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Joan-of-Arc. (3)

Thurston, Herbert. "St. Joan of Arc." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 23 Oct. 2018 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08409c.htm>. (4)

Wikipedia contributors. "Joan of Arc." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 23 Oct. 2018. Web. 24 Oct. 2018. (5)

Williamson, Allen. “Joan of Arc (Jeanne D'Arc) Archive.” Joan of Arc (Jeanne D'Arc) Archive, 20 Apr. 2015, <archive.joan-of-arc.org/>. (6)