Guided by the saints, this girl fought the English for her country. Her name was Joan of Arc. Joan of Arc was born in Domremy, France in 1412. Around the time that Joan was 13, she started having visions of the saints. They told her to remove the English and Burgundians, and let Charles take his rightful spot at the throne. At 19, Joan was captured and burned at the stake for heresy. She fit the criteria of a hero because she risked her life for her home and people. Joan of Arc was a well respected, brave, and a great addition to France.
Joan of Arc standing with swordwww.notablebiographies.comJoan of Arc’s bravery drove her and her troops to negotiate and engage in battle to take back their land for Charles. Her brave journey started after she received the visions from the saints. “Joan of Arc said that for some time prior to 1428 the saints in her visions had been urging her to "go to France" (in its original feudal sense - the direct Royal domain) and drive out the English and Burgundians, explaining that God supported Charles' claim to the throne”(Williamson, Allen). In order to make God’s plans a reality, she pulled together all of her courage and set out to help Charles claim the throne. Out on her mission, Joan met with Charles and and received her own troops. “she entered Orleans with an advance guard on April 29 and by May 8 forced the English to raise the siege and retire in June from the principal stronghold on the Loire,”(Kreis, Steven). She used her bravery to get to where the enemy was and was able to talk her way into getting more of her people’s land back. When battles did occur, she went in, held her banner, and stood among her troops. She went into different areas, got rid of the English, and shifted the power to Charles.
Joan of Arc seeing visions of the saintswww.franciscanmedia.orgJoan of Arc was cared for and well respected by the people who knew of her, even past her execution. After she had died, people still wanted to prove her innocent and help free her soul. “More than 20 years after her death, an inquiry into Joan’s trial ordered by Charles VII resulted in her sentence being overturned. Joan of Arc’s importance to the French people was further solidified when she was made a saint, four centuries later, in 1920,”(Bowman, Charles). Even after 20 years, Charles still cared about her case. He was determined to clear her. More people did care afterwards, but even during her execution people cried for her. “most of the judges and assessors themselves, and a few of the English soldiers and officials, were openly sobbing by the end of it,”(Williamson, Allen). Even her enemies cared for her, or found her to be a good person. So many people appreciated her because of what she fought for. Joan of Arc was very respected.
Joan of Arc’s braveness and respectability brought her the title of a hero. She got land for France and Charles but did not go out to actually fight other people. Joan of Arc inspires others with her courageous actions at such a young age. She was able to get the English and Burgundians out of areas in France. Joan of Arc’s ability to change the world she lived in while also only being a random teen in France, shows how brave and inspiring she really was.
Works Cited
Bowman, Charles, et al. “How Joan of Arc Turned the Tide in the Hundred Years' War.” National Geographic, 13 Apr. 2017,
Kreis, Steven. “Joan of Arc, C.1412-1431.” Historyguide.org, 3 Aug. 2009,
www.historyguide.org/ancient/joan.html.
Williamson, Allen. “Joan of Arc Archive.” Joan of Arc (Jeanne D'Arc) Archive, 20 Apr.
2015, archive.joan-of-arc.org/index.html.
Page created on 4/18/2018 7:26:36 PM
Last edited 6/10/2018 10:39:41 PM
