Joan Of Arc
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There are many tales of war and its heroes but one stands out from the rest, a woman leading an army to battle and winning victories. Hearing voices and seeing profits Joan learned she needed to lead an army for France and for God. Towns surrendered to her armies as they were approaching fearing death and over whelming power. The victory was to be short lived for this woman for after two years she was accused of being a demon, witch, and heretic. Joan was then burned at the stake. Legend tells us that her heart would not burn so it and her ashes were thrown into the Seine River.
Joan of Arc began her fight at the age of seventeen. She began writing letters to the Dauphin, Charles VII. Joan wanted him reinstated at the king of France. She claimed God was on her side and she had the advice of the Saint Michael, Saint Margaret and Saint Catherine. The people believed in her and began to follow her.
Some believe the French were behind her completely, proven when she became a knight (Smith 1973). Others believe she was a political ploy to outsmart the English so France could regroup (Guillemin 1970). The King might have been using Joan to gain favor in the masses to help control the anarchy that was building pressure all around the kingdom. The king of France may have been using Joan but the people of France were behind her.
While Joan was a radical Solider, Charles VII was a king who favored making deals rather than waging war. Her passion for battle interfered with his deals, and her spiritual guidance slowly became insignificant. Her war like attitude soon became a humiliation to the court. When Joan decided to take Paris from Henry VI, her fate at the French court was sealed, and it was hoped that she would be killed in battle. Her plan to take Paris failed, but Joan remained alive. It was not until 1430 when she was captured by the English “proving” to both sides that God had abandoned her (Guillemin 1970). The English and French knew that if God were still with her she never would have been captured.
On the thirtieth of May 1431, English soldiers led nineteen-year-old Joan to a stake in Rouen, and burnt her to death. As Joan was dieing her last word was “Jesus” (Gies 1981) Already she was the theme of a number of myths. To the French she was a savior, to the church she was a heretic, and to the English she was a witch (Scott 1974). May sixteenth 1920 the Catholic Church crowned her a Saint.
It is said that her soul turned into a dove upon leaving her body. The man who kindled her fire had to immediately find a priest to confess (Warner 1948). This man also was the first to exclaim, “We killed a Saint” (Warner 1948). The fear that he must have held to his death must have been unbearable.
Joan was a just knight sending letters ahead of her army allowing the surrender or leave of the army that was occupying the locations she was on her way to seize. Joan won her battle taking Orleans and Charles VII was crowned king. France was gaining territory from her victories. Joan had several bloodless victories when armies just turned and left at the sight of her (Gies 1981). She was then set up by her beloved king and sent to Paris to die. She was captured instead.
Joan was a brave and powerful woman. I believe she was ahead of her time. She stood up for what she believed in and fought for what was right. The woman won battles with out death and destruction. She led thousands of men to victory in a time when women were no allowed to wear pants.
However, today she would be put on medication for hearing voices. I believe some people back then might have thought she was just a crazy person. I might believe she was a schizophrenic if she told me she was seeing saints and hearing voices. I dont believe if she was here today that she would be able to carry out her tasks unless she told no one about her visions.
One person can change the world, or at least France. It was changed and a woman changed it. How is it that Charles VII did not realize what he had? He was a powerful and ungrateful man. He knew she put him back on the thrown but he refused to save her.
The Catholic Church holds Joan as the saint to turn to when in need of Faith (Thurston 2003). The church has dedicated prayers to her, and believes she was acting in Gods favor. Pray to Joan and your faith will be restored (Jones 2006). The church also believes that Joan was wrongfully burned at the stake.
Warner believes that the issue of feminism was more alive in the fifteenth century than even today (1981). She also believes this is why Joan