The saint known to all as Joan of Arc, began her life as a French peasant in a town known as Domrémy. She was born during a time of civil war, and of great hardship for France.
A legend had evolved decades prior that in great times of peril, a maid of honor and sacrifice would make herself be known and save the people of France, the Maid of Lorraine. This maid would be born of humble beginnings, come from the area of the Oak Forrest, be told what to do by voices from God, wear the armor of a man, and save all of France. With the events of the Dauphin being withheld from the throne, and an enemy duchy on the rise, it seemed that France was in need of a savior. The call was answered by a teenaged girl by the name of Joan d’Ark. Riding a white stallion, holding a sword given to her by God and the saints, and wearing the plate-armor of a man, Joan became the embodiment of the Maid of Lorraine.
The Makings of a Saint
Joan d’Ark was born around the year 1412, and lived with her family on a farm, mainly tending to her father’s sheep. She didn’t know how to read or write anything other then her name.
During Joan’s early life, the town of Domrémy was divided. One part of the town paid homage to the French duchy of Lorraine. The rest, were loyal to the duchy of Bar, which was a smaller faction that was gaining followers and was beginning to threaten the French crown, and all of France.
When she was a small child, Joan was different then the other village children. She concentrated more on church, and was most concerned with her soul, asking for the rite of confession often.
When she was approximately thirteen-years-old, Joan began to hear voices. She claimed that the voices where that of Saints Michael, Catherine, and Margaret. As time when on, these voices became more urgent, telling her to be strong and save the country of France from the enemies.
The Rise and Fall of the Maid
Hearing that Joan was on her way to confront him, the Dauphin tested Joan to see if she was truly the Maid to deliver France from the invading forces. He invited her to a function, where a fake Dauphin was planted. Joan passed the test by finding the Dauphin in the crowd, and begged for a small army to aid her in the saving of France. He sent her with a small unit of men, where she won major battles, including Paris and Orleans. These battles were to push the British out of France, so France could once again govern itself.
Joan’s life ended when she was estimated to be nineteen-years-old. The British army captured her in 1430, at the battle of Compiègne. They held her for ransom, and the Dauphin turned his back on her. The British then turned her over to the Catholic Church, where they questioned and tortured her until she declared herself insane and a witch.
Joan didn’t know how to read, and was tricked into signing a document declaring herself insane. It was decided that she was incompetent. Her crime was wearing men’s clothes, bewitching a faction of innocent soldiers to fight which lead to their death, being a heretic, and lying about the voices of her saints.
In 1431, at her hearing, she was found guilty, and Joan was sentenced to be burned at the stake in Rouen. After her ashes where thrown in the Rhine, Joan was denounced and ignored for the next five-hundred years. In an act of appeal in 1456 to clear her name of the charges, Joan was officially found not guilty, but the appeals court was an insignificant issue due to the country’s upheaval. It wasn’t until the twentieth century where she was recognized once again, canonized and given saint-hood.
Sources:
- Hobbins, Daniel. (2005). The Trial of Joan of Arc. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
- Lovasik, Rev. Lawrence G. (1981). Book of Saints: Part 2. New York, New York: Catholic Book Publishing Co.
- Williams, Jay. (1963). Joan of Arc. New York, New York: American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc.
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