Joan of Arc
Saint
"I am not afraid; I was born to do this."โ Response attributed to Joan when questioned about her mission.
Biography
Joan of Arc was born to a peasant family in Domrรฉmy in northeastern France, at a time when much of the country was occupied by English and Burgundian forces. She grew up hearing about war, defeat, and prophecy.
In her early teens she began to claim that heavenly voicesโwhom she identified as saintsโcommanded her to help drive out the English and lead the Dauphin to his coronation. After persistent efforts, she gained an audience with the French court and so impressed Charles and his advisors that she was allowed to join a relief army toward the besieged city of Orlรฉans.
Clad in armor and carrying a banner, Joanโs presence energized French troops. Within days, the siege of Orlรฉans was broken. She then pushed for a rapid campaign up the Loire and escorted the Dauphin to Reims, where he was crowned King Charles VII. This restored a crucial sense of legitimacy and hope to the French cause.
Captured in 1430 by Burgundian forces, Joan was sold to the English and put on trial in Rouen for heresy and cross-dressing. The trial was heavily political. She was condemned and burned at the stake in 1431. Twenty-five years later, a retrial declared her innocent, and in 1920 the Catholic Church canonized her as a saint. Today she remains one of Franceโs most powerful national symbols.