Saints

St. Joan of Arc

"The Maid of Orleans"

**There is a mention of a difficult topic for younger readers** 

Joan was born to pious parents in a small French town, Domremy on January 6, 1412. At a very early age, she heard the voices of St. Michael (chapter 10), St. Catherine of Alexandria (Chapter 17), and St. Margaret (Chapter 18). They originally were general but at 13 years old in her father's garden, she had a vision of the three telling her to drive the English from the French territory and to bring Dauphin to Reims for his coronation. 

After the evision, Joan cried because they were so beautiful. 

When she was 16, she asked Durand Lassois, her relative, to take her to Vaucouleurs. She asked Robert de Baudricourt for permission to visit the French Royal Court. Joan left with the support of two Baudricourt soldiers. 

Joan met Daudricourt and predicted a military reversal at the Battle of Rouvray and were confirmed a few days later. This was before radio and television so the only way to hear news was by word of mouth or messengers. Because of the distance betweent he battle and the time it would have taken for Joan to find out, he concluded that God truly was speaking to her and he granted Joan an escort to Chinon.  She was dressed as a male soldier to keep her safe (which led to charges of cross-dressing). Two members of the escort confirmed that they gave her clothing and were the ones to suggest her to wear it. 

Joan arrived to Orleans and turned the Anglo-French war into a religious one. Charles' advisors said this could be twisted by his enemies and claim she was a witch and make his crown works of the devil. Because of this, he ordered background inspections of the girl and a theological exam at Poitiers. These proved Joan innocent of being a witch. 

The French army was struggling to gain an effective offensive side against the British but were failing. Joan was able to turn the French army around.

During a battle while she was holding a banner she believed more powerful than her sword, an arrow hit her between her neck and shoulder. The next day, the English retreated from Orleans and the siege was over. 

Joan's rules for her soldiers were no profanity, gambling, or alcohol. She is said to have chased prostitutes out of camp with her sword as well. 

After that Orleans victory, Joan persuaded Charles VII to let her fight other battles...and won each of them. She suffered another wound. This time it was a leg wound from a crossbow bolt. Joan and her family were ennobled in reward of her actions on the battlefield. 

A truce with England was given but broken. During an English and Burgundian siege, she was captured by Burgundian troops and held for a 10,000 livres tournois ransom. There were several attempts to free her, many escape attempts one being her jumping from her 70 foot (21 m) towers and landing on a dry moat (that was soft) but nothing happened. She was eventually sold to England for 10,000 gold coins and tried as a heretic and witch. Clerical notary Nicolas Bailly had to find information for her being a witch but couldn't find anything. She was denied the right to a legal advisor and filled with pro-English clergy. 

During the first public examination, Joan said the partisans were against her and wanted a balance with French but was denied. 

Jean Lemaitre, the Vice-inquisitor of Northern France, didn't want the trial to take place since the beginning and many say that he was force to agree when he was threatened to be killed. Other members of the clergy were also threatened. The most well-known exchange of the trial was when Joan was "[a]sked if she knew she was in God's grace, she answered: 'If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me.'" The question was an attempt to trap her because no one knew of God's grace. If she said yes, they would have accused her a heretic, if no, she would have admitted her guilt.