Joan of Arc....burned at the stake on May 30th 1431

Joan of Arc, the great heroine of France during the Hundred Years War between the French and the English, was burned at the stake on this day in 1431. Her courage and valor for what she believed in, has been remembered throughout history as one of the greatest military determinations man has ever witnessed.


On the right is a signature of Joan of Arc. Although her letters were dictated, she would sign them at their completion.


First thing of note, Joan claimed to hear the "voices", of which their were 3 different ones she was to have heard. They were St. Michael the Archangel, St. Catherine of Alexandria, and St. Margaret, sometimes known as "Marina".
 St. Michael was the more brilliant and bold figure of the 3 and basically was to have outlined a plan to her in order to liberate France from the English during the "Hundred Years War". In one of her letters, Joan states her reaction to the plan unveiled by St. Michael: "I was a poor girl who knew nothing of riding and warfare".
 The 2 other voices were more of a comfort theme. St. Catherine of Alexandra was a saint Joan prayed to often as a child ( a statue was in her own village), and was known as a virgin martyr born of an influential family in Alexandria. She had converted to Christianity through what is recorded as a vision of Mother Mary, and began to denounce the persecution of Christians by the Emperor Maxentius. St. Catherine dedicated her life to God and was asked in marriage by the Emperor with one requirement...she must deny her faith. She refused.
 She was later imprisoned and was said to have great influence over many she was in contact with for her Christian faith. She was imprisoned and went through numerous questionings, and was then sentenced to be tortured and put to death by being tied to a spiked wheel. Legend says the wheel itself was shattered, and she was beheaded. It is also recorded at her death her body was lifted by angels and carried to Mt. Sinai for an honorable burial.
 Joan of Arc seemed to have much identity with St. Catherine, and it must be noted that although "Christianity" was being spread, it was often in the form of stories passed down from one another on the courage of saints who embraced the Christian faith. The Sacred Scriptures were in Latin, and since most people did not speak or understand Latin, their only way of hearing about Christ Jesus was through the stories of the saints.
 The 3rd voice was from a St. Margaret, who is written to be the daughter of a pagan priest and her conversion to Christianity did not go well with the wishes of her family.
 Margaret was a shepherdess and she too was given opportunity to marry, but instead gave her life totally to God. She was also imprisoned for her faith and was threatened to be burned unless she would recant her Christian faith. She was beheaded  because of her belief in Christ Jesus

 One other thing of note: in the story of Joan of Arc, you read of the heir apparent to the King of France referred to as "the Dauphin". This was a term that was used at that time to identify the heir apparent and was a part of French history going back to identity with "family colors", much like the Scottish would do to identify with a certain clan. 

                                       Joan of Arc

 Born in 1412 in the village of Dememy, France, she was the daughter of a tenant farmer named Jacques Darc. Joan's name became Joan d'Arc which translates into English as Joan of Arc.
 In 1415, the Hundred Years War between France and England was getting intense, and King Henry V of England had invaded France. By 1422, most of northern France was controlled by the English, including Paris.
 Around age 13, Joan began hearing what was to be known as "the Voices" and was committed to doing their bidding. A quote from Joan reads: " Whatever I have done that was good, I have done at the bidding of my voices".
 Meanwhile, King Charles VI of France had passed, and now the Dauphin was his son, who was to be the next king of France. But, because the English had control of parts of France, including the traditional city of Reims where the coronation of the new king of France took place, everything was on hold. On top of that, King Henry VI of England, and infant son of King Henry V, whose mother was Catherine of Valois, the very daughter of King Charles VI of France, was proclaimed by the English as the new King of France.
 So Joan of Arc now comes on the scene because of her hearing the Voices: St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret.
 When Joan was about 16, she claimed the voices had told her to aid the Dauphin (French for dolphin) in recapturing France, and particularly Reims so the coronation could take place for Charles.
 At first, in May of 1428, Joan tried to reach the Dauphin but was denied and sent home. Then, in January of 1429 she made another attempt and spoke with the captain of the garrison. He was very impressed by Joan's plea and granted her access to the Dauphin.
 The first time she was in the audience with the Dauphin, he actually hid among the honored patrons to see if she was for real and would be able to recognize him. She immediately went to him and for the next several weeks she was questioned by theologians as to the "call' on her life. It was concluded it would be well-advised for the Dauphin to listen to her and adhere to what this young girl was proclaiming.

 Charles soon provided Joan with a small army, and on April 27th 1429 she set out to regain Orleans in France which was now occupied by the English. She used a guerrilla type tactic ( very rare in those days) and distracted the English on one side and went into Orleans unopposed through its eastern gate. She brought with her greatly needed supplies and the French became very passionate about this Joan of Arc!
 Joan led several battles at Orleans and on May 7th she was struck by an arrow. She dressed her wound, returned to the battle, and on May 8th Orleans was retaken by the French people.
 The French army, now inspired by Joan, attacked Paris. It turned out to be unsuccessful, and Charles himself called off the battle to regain Paris. Yet, the French continued to fight in numerous campaigns.
 In May of 1430, the Burgundians (allies to the English), attacked Compiene, and Joan went into the town at night to aid in its defense. On May 23rd, Joan was captured and then sold to the English.

 In March of 1431, she went on trial...her major crime being rejection of Church Authority in favor of her obedience to the "Voices". She refused to submit to Church Authority, and was sentenced to be executed by civil authority. Joan was shocked and horrified by the verdict, recanted in favor of life imprisonment instead.
 Joan regularly wore male clothes, and was ordered now to dress in women's attire. In only a few days, when she was visited in her cell, she was found again to be in men's clothing, and told the local authorities she had spoke with the "Voices", and they had reprimanded her, particularly St. Catherine and St. Margaret for giving in to the fears of the Church sentencing and demands, and that she should stand strong and fight against it.

 The authorities concluded she was a "hopeless heretic" and on May 30th, 1431, at the tender age of 19 years old, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in Rouen, France...at a place called Place du Vieux-Marde. Her final request was for a priest to hold a crucifix high for her to see and to shout out prayers that she could hear above the roar of the flames and the screams of the crowd.
 Joan of Arc became a military inspiration for France. her courage, valor, and determination turned the Hundred Years War into the France's favor, and Charles VII went on to regain all of France. The English had relinquished all of its hold on France  by 1458.

 In 1920, Joan of Arc was recognized as truly a great heroine of France, and became a Catholic Saint herself by Church Authority. Her annual Feast Day is May 30th!