Joan Of Arc Essay -- Biography Biographies Joan of Arc Essays

A French saint and a heroine in the Hundred Years' war was Joan of Arc. This farm girl helped save the French from English command and was often called the Maid Orleans and the Maid of France. Her inspiration led the French to many victories. Joan Of Arc (In French Jeanne d'Arc) was born around 1412, in the village of Domremy, France. She was a peasant girl who, like many girls of that time, could not read or write. Her father, Jacques, was a wealthy tenant farmer and her mother, Isabelle Romee, taught her how to sow, spin, and cook which she was proud of. She also spent much of her time praying to and serving God. She lived like most children did at that time, until when she was about thirteen. According to Wagenknecht: "The Vision first came when she was first thirteen...." 1 The vision was Saint Michael who said she should be a good girl and go to church. When more and more Visions had come it started coming clearer to her and when she saw Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret her duty was clear, she was the chosen one to crown Charles the VII. 2 Since France had been fighting with England in what was called the Hundred Years' War, much of Northern France was captured by the English, including Reims where the coronation for kings had been held for over centuries before him. Since Reims was captured, Charles the VII, who had not yet been crowned; was still called the Dauphin. When Joan had these visions of Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret, she told her family and friends. When she told her father, he would not let her go. After when these Visions told her that England and Burgundy, England's ally, were going to capture Orleans, one of France's last strong forces, she knew she had to react. She needed to go to the governor of Vaucouleurs, an agent of the Dauphin, and convince him to give her an army to escort her to the Dauphin. She first needed an escort to come with her to see the governor so she asked her cousin, Durand Laxart. He, at first, was skeptical about it, but then he soon came to Joan's side. When she told the governor, Robert de Baudricourt, he said she was a fool and she should go home. But after some time of waiting, Baudri-court let her go, under his protection, to the Dauphin with male clothing, a sword, 3 a safe conduct pass, and a small escort. They departed February 23. They safel... ...tried as a witch under an ecclesiastical court. She was handed over to Pierre Cauchon, bishop of Beauvais, on January 3rd, 1431. The sittings had begun on February 21 and continued over a period of months. She was held in chains, harassed by countless questions, and threatened with torture over this period of months; Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret still gave her advice through all this. On May 24, 1431, Joan was taken to the cemetery where she she was to been burned at the stake unless she recanted, which she did. This is not really to clear to historians why she did that, but many believe that she did not understand what the recant meant. Wagenknecht stated that "Her own view, after she was herself again, or perhaps one should say her report and interpretation of the view of her Voices in that matter, was that she had imperiled her soul to save her life: 'It was the fear of the fire which made me say what I did." 7 After her recanting she was sentenced from death to life of imprisonment. Of her being treated so softly, the English were furious. Joan had thought she was going 10 to be sent free but instead Cauchon sentenced her to perpetual imprisonment.