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Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc was born to a somewhat wealthy peasant family in Eastern France in 1412, shortly before a third portion of the hundred years war between England and France broke out. Joan was devoutly religious. At age 13, she claimed to have heard the voices of saints in her father’s garden. At age 16, she heard them again, telling her to go help the dauphin, Charles soon to be Charles the VII. She donned men’s clothing, and traveled toward the fighting. She sought an audience with the dauphin, and was eventually granted it. Her sincerity in wishing to help him end the siege of Orleans and to attain the French throne was so strong that he even allowed her to command his armies. She was a brilliant military leader, and after several successful battles ended the city of Orleans, and succeeded in getting Charles VII crowned king. Her efforts against the British continued for she believed she was on a mission from God. While trying to protect Paris with her armies in an attack by the English in 1430, Joan was captured and sold to the British. They and the Catholic church tried her for several counts of heresy. She denied it fervently, but Charles VII, who she had been so instrumental in assisting, did nothing to help her. On May 31, 1431, at the age of 19, she was burned at the stake. Not until 1456 was her name cleared. She later became a celebrated French saint and heroine.
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