Joan of Arc, a well known historical personality certainly knew how to gather a crowd for a barbeque!!! From an innocent peasant girl to a French saint in her short lifetime, she definitely made a name for herself in the Middle Ages.
Joan, daughter of farmers, Jacques and Isobel D’arc, grew up in the life of a peasant in the town of Domremy in northern France around 1412.
Although not learning to read or write, she did learn religiously, and when Joan was 12 she heard voices of three saints instructing her to drive out the invading English. By the time she was 16 she requested to visit the French court, but was rejected. Despite this she make a prediction of a battle and was correct, finally being granted permission to visit the courtroom. While visiting Charles VII in the courtroom she impressed him and convinced him to let her lead the French Army to the captured city of Orleans to battle the English in the Hundred Years War.
“I am not afraid. I was born to do this” was Joan’s motto!
Against all odds, Joan’s Army was victorious in 1429. Amazingly the English were beaten by a girl who not only couldn’t read or write, but wore trousers!! To rub dirt in their wounds (haha…!) she was then granted co-commander of the French Army. The Army achieved great success and won several battles against the English.
Finally the French and English had made a truce, although that truce didn't last long. It was broken when Joan was captured by the English and was trialled for heracy - which is going against their belief of religion. Also, she was charged for dressing like a man! So basically Joan was found guilty and burnt at the stake at only 19 years of age! The English couldn’t execute an enemy leader so they cowardly named her a witch and accused her of all kinds of magic and superstition!
Finally the French and English had made a truce, although that truce didn't last long. It was broken when Joan was captured by the English and was trialled for heracy - which is going against their belief of religion. Also, she was charged for dressing like a man! So basically Joan was found guilty and burnt at the stake at only 19 years of age! The English couldn’t execute an enemy leader so they cowardly named her a witch and accused her of all kinds of magic and superstition!
Twenty long years after her death, her case was re-trialled and she was found innocent (not to anyone’s surprise) . Shortly after Joan was made a French saint by Pope Benedict the 16th.