France wouldn't be France today if it weren't for Joan of Arc. At the age of 13, Joan heard voices that told her she was to drive the English from France to end the 100 years war. When she was 17, Joan took command of the French army, brought supplies to the besieged city of Orleans, attacked the British forts placed around the city, and repelled the British from the city.

     Her other famous achievement was crowning the foolish king, the Dauphin at Rheims. He did not want to go, but Joan insisted that he should. 

But, when leading an attack to liberate the city of Compeigne, Joan was captured by the Burgundians who were allied with the British. They sold her to the British. After being found guilty of being a witch, Joan was burned at the stake.

About 25 years after her death, the French drove the British from France. Nearly 500 years after being burned at the stake,  the Pope declared Joan a saint.

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     William the Conqueror was the man who brought castles to England. He was Duke of the powerful Duchy of Normandy. But king Edward of England told him that since he had no children, that William would become king of England. But a sly man named Harold took the throne when Edward died. So William invaded England, intent on capturing the throne.

     He took with him an army of 7,000 men. The armies of king Harold and William met at the battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. The battle raged on for hours, but William won. King Harold was killed in the battle by an arrow in the eye.

    Two weeks later, William was crowned king in London, forever going down in  history as William the Conqueror. William built over 500 castles in England to stay in power. Years later, William ordered the construction of the Bayeux tapestry, which tells about Williams conquering of England.

   

 

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