Joan of Arc
-Chrissie

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            Jeanne d’Arc was key to the French victory over England in the Hundred Years’ War. Her involvement, which she claimed was at the behest Christ Himself, gave the French a reason beyond mere politics to rally around. The restoration of the Dauphin, Charles, took on the feeling of a crusade.

            Joan was born in 1412 in Domrémy, France. Little is known about her childhood—her parents were tenant farmers in a frontier area which had shifted between French and English control throughout the war, though the people remained loyal to the French crown. Because of where she lived, she was likely familiar with the war and its consequences. She began to have visions around the time she was thirteen of St. Michael (the Archangel and patron of soldiers), St. Catherine (patroness of unmarried women and spinners of thread), and St. Margaret (a virgin martyr and patron of peasants). They tasked her with escorting the Dauphin to the city of Reims, where French kings had been consecrated since Clovis nine centuries earlier.

            Having been given this holy task, Joan determined she must meet with the Charles. She travelled to the closest group of French soldiers, where she requested of their commander an escort to Charles in the city of Chinon. The garrison commander, Robert de Baudricourt, reportedly laughed at the idea and sent her home. She returned a few months later, in January 1429, with support from some of the soldiers of the garrison, who trusted her and believed her message. de Baudricourt became convinced when she was able to provide information about a recent battle that she had no reason to have known. She was provided with soldier’s clothes (as a precaution against assault) and sent to Chinon. She met with the Dauphin, who seemed quite impressed, if cautious. She was equipped for war out of the Royal stores, including a horse, banner, sword, and armor. At the same time, however, Charles arranged for her to speak with theologians and sent people to inquire about her background, just to be sure she was as pious as she claimed. It would not help his cause if it turned out the Dauphin had been duped by a sorceress. Her claims were validated, though the theologians hesitated to confirm her mission was divinely inspired. She was to be put to a final test, however, by sending her to the besieged city of Orléans, where she said she would provide a sign, which many people took to mean the siege would be lifted.

            She arrived at Orléans at the end of April, and the siege was lifted ten days later. Joan was not hesitant to provide advice or plans to the commanders of the army and, after the success at Orléans, she was listened to by many. Her plan to march deep into English territory in order to get to Reims was taken seriously by Duke Jean II of Alencon, who led the campaign. Her successes prompted more and more support from the French while also prompting claims by the losing English that she was being led by the Devil. The Dauphin’s army, with Joan at his side, took Reims on 16 July 1429 and King Charles VII was officially crowned the next day. She and her family were ennobled later in the year in recognition of her efforts.

            Having fulfilled the mission requested of her by the saints, she continued with the French army, inspiring them to more victories. It is said that she never killed anyone in battle, preferring to carry her banner to rally the troops than a sword. Her capture became an objective for the English, who hoped to discredit her and thereby demoralize the French army. She was captured by the Burgundians, during one of their times of being allied to the English, and turned over to them in mid-1430. Several attempts were made to rescue her before she was moved to Rouen, where the English government on the continent was centered.

            In Rouen, she was tried for heresy by a group of English and English-supporting bishops and priests. The political motivation was obvious from the beginning and prompted a great deal of criticism, even from their fellow English clerics. They tried every means at their disposal to prompt an admission of heretical beliefs, but she was able to answer with orthodox ideas every time. Eventually, they gave up trying to prompt her into a heretical mistake and simply falsified the records, then forced her to sign a document renouncing her heresy.

            Heresy was a capital charge only if repeated, and they had only been able to create evidence of heresy in one instance for her. However, she was known to have dressed as a man for long periods of time and cross-dressing was an act of heresy. While she was being tried, she had kept her soldier’s clothes, explaining that they protected her against potential rape because they could be fastened together, making them difficult to remove. After her renunciation, she was given a dress to wear and was supposed to be sent to a convent for her imprisonment; she was not. Within days of being put into women’s clothes, she reported that one of the guards attempted to rape her. She insisted on being given her soldier’s clothes back, which they gave to her knowing they would be able to point to this as a relapse into heresy, giving them grounds to execute her. This was a questionable premise: Catholic doctrine did mark cross-dressing as heretical but required that each instance be considered in context. Thomas Aquinas’ discussion of it stated that for a woman to dress as a man for her own protection, particularly to protect her virginity or chastity, was not an heretical act, but a practical one, and should not be prosecuted.

            She was executed by burning on 30 May 1431. The executioner said later that he feared for his soul because he had “burned a Holy woman.” Her burned corpse was displayed, so as to assure that no claim of her escape could be made, then she was burned again until only ashes, which were then tossed into the Seine River.

            A posthumous retrial was conducted in 1452, at the request of Joan’s mother and a local official for the Inquisition. They found that Joan had been falsely accused and convicted and turned the charge of heresy on her accusers. They specifically cited the doctrinal exceptions to cross-dressing, the ignoring of which by those who tried her indicated the corrupt nature of the proceedings. She was declared innocent on 7 July 1456 and named a martyr.

            Joan was venerated long before she was officially made a saint by the Catholic Church in 1920. Even in her own time, she was praised by noted author Christine de Pizan, who point to her as an example for all women. She is the patroness of France and of Catholic soldiers anywhere.