Joan of Arc is a popular figure in today’s culture. Born as Jean on January 6th, 1412, a farm girl in France during the beginning of the hundred years’ war. At the age of thirteen, she claimed she heard voices from the archangel Michael delivering her orders from God himself.
Jean D’arch grew up religious. Although her family was too poor to afford their children go to school rather than work the farm, they always made sure to put their farming duties aside to attend church and mass. The voices Jean heard were always beautiful, coming from the direction of the church. They told her it was God’s will she aided in the hundred years’ war, to ensure the king of England did not also inherit the throne of France. Although Jean’s involvement in the war only lasted two years, it is still debated today how important she was to the war.
Jean D’arch, who preferred to be referred to as La Pucelle, or the maiden, as translated in English, met the prince of France, or the dauphin, when she was seventeen, pleading with him to allow her a chance to lead troops into battle, specifically the Battle of Orleans. After Joan easily spotted the dauphin while he was disguised as a commoner in his court, the dauphin was convinced La Pucelle was telling the truth. Her mission was from God, and not to be thwarted. Against all odds, as widely thought by strategists in the war and those of modern ages, La Pucelle led many victories over her two year involvement in the war.
La Pucelle met her end at the age of nineteen when England captured her. She was tried and executed by burning at the stake for witchcraft. Whether she was crazy, lying, or really did have God on her side, La Pucelle’s intentions were good, the question is, was she the turning point of the war?
The maiden was only a young uneducated farm girl leading troops of men into battle. She attempted every feat as she believed God to be on her side. He would aid her in battle. Despite how little strategy was involved, she won more battles than she lost. France was losing until those two years of her involvement. It is easy to think she did change things.
Even if her wins were dumb luck, she gave the French hope and courage. She discouraged England by this odd notion of the supernatural being involved. Perhaps God was involved in France ultimately winning the Hundred Years’ War. Perhaps it was completely dumb luck. Or, perhaps, was it just the psychology of the people involved that changed the way the war went?
If nothing else, La Pucelle’s good and humble intent, courage, and religious nature was enough to rally the French and give them the hope and courage to beat all odds. The French still celebrate Jean D’arch as a saint who died a hero fighting to aid God himself. we may never know what was really going on inside Joan’s head or what ultimately turned the tides.
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