Joan of Arc - Maid of Heaven (original) (raw)

Long Biography and History of Saint Joan of Arc

Maid of Heaven is a complete biography about the life of Saint Joan of Arc and my hope is that anyone, after reading, will know as much about Saint Joan as I do. That said, I believe that no one's education is ever finished, as there is always more that can be learned about any subject. With this in mind, I intend the following pages here listed as a Long Biography and History to be a guide to a continuing education about Saint Joan of Arc making the most of the resources presently available on the Internet.

Background history pertinent to the life of Saint Joan of Arc - Hundred Years War
Joan of Arc's life took place during what is known in history as the Hundred Years War. To completely understand her life it is necessary to have some understanding about this War since it was the predominant influence upon the age in which she lived. The War actually covers a series of battles fought between the French and the English from 1337 to 1453. To learn more visit the following pages:

• Read a concise history about the Hundred Years War.

• Read a longer history about the Hundred Years War.

• Learn about the Battle of Agincourt.

• Read Shakespeare's famous play Henry V depicting the Battle of Agincourt

• Learn about the condition of France when Joan of Arc arrived upon the scene.

• See a list of the major battles of the Hundred Years War and the significance of Joan of Arc.

• Read about the period of the Hundred Years War when Joan of Arc participated.

• Learn about the Treaty of Troyes between England and France.

• Watch a series of videos about the Hundred Years War.

• Watch videos discussing the controversies of the Hundred Years War.

• Map of the Hundred Years War during Joan of Arc's life.
  Joan of Arc's Birth and Childhood
  Joan of Arc was born on January 6, 1412 (Actual date was not recorded but historians have generally accepted this date) in the small village of Domremy in the region of France known as Lorraine. "Joan busied herself like any other girl; she did the house work and spun and sometime- I have seen her- she kept her father's flocks."

• Learn about the birth of Joan of Arc.

• Map showing Domremy during Hundred Years War.

• Maps showing where Lorraine is located in France.

• Learn about Domremy where Joan grew up.

• Read about what medieval life was like during the Middle Ages in which Joan lived.

• See more Pictures of Joan of Arc's birthplace and home when she was young.

• Read about Joan of Arc's childhood.

• Take a tour of Domremy through photographs and maps.
  Joan of Arc's Family
  Joan's parents Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle were simple peasants similar to most of the other people who lived in Domremy. Years later, one of Joan's godmothers, for whom she was named, described them as: "Simple labourers, honest in their poverty, for they were of small means." Joan's father Jacques did hold some type of public office in their small village.

• Learn about Joan's father Jacques d'Arc

• Learn about Joan's mother Isabelle Romee

• Learn about Joan's family.

• Testimony of Joan's family and friends.

• Learn about Joan's other friends and companions

Joan of Arc's Faith & Voices
"When I was thirteen years old, I had a Voice from God to help me govern my conduct. And the first time I was very fearful. And came this Voice, about the hour of noon, in the summer-time, in my father's garden; I had not fasted on the eve preceding that day." Joan of Arc testified at her trial that the first Voice to visit her was Saint Michael who came to her to give her guidance and counseling. He was soon joined by Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret on subsequent visits. Joan also testified that: " I have seen them with my corporeal eyes as plainly as I see you, and when they went away from me I wept and I greatly wished they had taken me with them."

• Learn about Joan of Arc's Faith

• Learn about Joan's Voices and their visits.

• Learn more about Joan's Voices.

• Learn about Saint Michael the Archangel

• Learn about Saint Margaret

• Learn about Saint Catherine

• See famous painting of Joan and her Voices.

• More paintings of Joan and her Voices.
  Joan of Arc's Mission
  "I have been commanded to do two things on the part of the King of Heaven: one, to raise the siege of Orleans; the other, to conduct the King to Reims for his sacrament and his coronation." Joan later stated at her trial that: "Since God had commanded it, it was right to do it" and added that had she had a hundred fathers and a hundred mothers, and had she been the daughter of a king, she still would have gone.

• Read about Joan's mission from God.

• Read more about Joan's mission from God.

• Learn how Joan's mission is still relevent today.
  Joan of Arc Leaves Home - Vaucouleurs
  "Two or three times a week this Voice exhorted me to go to France. My father knew nothing of my going. The Voice kept urging me; I could no longer endure it. It told me I would raise the siege of Orleans. It told me to go to Robert de Baudricourt, captain, and he would give me men to come with me." Joan had to make three visits to Robert de Baudricourt and it was only after she accurately predicted the French loss at the Battle of the Herrings that he finally agreed to aid her. As she left Vaucouleurs de Baudricourt yelled to Joan: "Va, et advienne que pourra!" "Go, and let come what may!"

• Read about Joan's time in Vaucouleurs.

• See Pictures of Vaucouleurs.

• View map of Joan's trip to Vaucouleurs.

• Learn about Robert de Baudricourt Captain of Vaucouleurs.

• Learn about the Battle of the Herrings.
  Joan of Arc's Journey To See Charles VII
  "From Vaucouleurs I set out, clad as a man, wearing a sword which the captain had given me, without other arms. Accompanied by a knight, a squire, and four followers, I directed my course toward St. Urbain, and found shelter that night at the abbey."
  Joan's journey from Vaucouleurs to Chinon was around 400 miles through mostly enemy territory in the dead of winter. That she successfully made such a harsh journey in eleven days gave many people of her time faith that she was truly sent from God.

• Read about Joan's trip to Chinon to see Charles VII.

• Read eyewitness accounts of the journey to Chinon by Joan's escorts.

• View map of Joan's trip to Chinon.

• Learn about Joan's Knights Jean de Metz and Bertrand de Poulengy.
  Joan of Arc Meets Charles VII
  "After dinner, I went to the King, who was at the Castle. When I entered the room where he was I recognized him among many others by the counsel of my Voice, which revealed him to me. I told him that I wished to go and make war on the English."
  Charles VII, always shrewd when it came to his own survival, tested Joan by hiding himself among the crowd in hall of his palace but Joan was not fooled and immediately found him and fell to her knees before him. Joan of Arc's first words to Charles VII were: "Very noble Lord Dauphin, I am come, being sent on the part of God, to give succour to the kingdom and to you."

• See a picture of Charles VII.

• Read about Joan's mission and why she travelled to see Charles VII.

• Learn about Joan's first meeting with Charles VII.

• Read a description of Joan first meeting Charles VII.

• Learn more about Charles VII.

• Learn even more about Charles VII.
  Joan of Arc Is Tested by Charles VII
  "Why have you come? The King wishes to know what impulse prompted you to seek him out." Joan replied: "As I guarded the animals a Voice appeared to me. This Voice said to me: 'God has great pity for the people of France. It is required that thou, Joan , betake thee to France.' Having heard these words, I wept. Then the Voice said to me: 'go to Vaucouleurs. Thou will find there a captain who will conduct thee safely to France, and to the King. Be without fear.' I have done what was commanded me. And I reached the King without prevention of any sort."
  Charles was a cautious man and had Joan tested to determine that she was indeed physically pure and sent from God. Her examinations took several weeks while she was examined by the ladies of court and by theologians at Poitiers.

• Read about Joan's examination at Poitiers.

• Read more about Joan's examination at Poitiers.

• Read an account of Joan's examination at Poitiers by Mark Twain.

• Read letter sent by Doctors at Poitiers to Charles VII giving Joan their official approval.

• Read the letter that Joan sent to the English after she was made the commander-in-chief of the French army.
  Joan of Arc Prepares For Battle
  "In God's name, the soldiers will fight and God will give the victory" "En nom De, les gens d'armes batailleront et Dieu donnera victoire"
  is the famous response Joan gave when she was asked why she needed soldiers if God wished to deliver France. After gaining approval from the Church theologians that examined her, Joan was given command of the French army and proceeded to the town of Tours to prepare for battle.

• Learn about Joan of Arc's banner.

• Learn more about Joan's banner and her other pennons.

• Learn about Joan of Arc's sword.

• Learn about Joan's Coat of Arms.

• Learn about Joan's Armor.

• Even More about Joan of Arc's banner.

• More about Joan of Arc's sword.

• More about Joan of Arc's armor.

• Even more about Joan of Arc's armor.

• Learn about Joan's military household.

• Learn about the Army that Joan commanded.
  Joan of Arc Shows Her "Sign" At Orleans
  "Trust in God. God will aid the city of Orleans and expel the enemy."
  Joan of Arc's victory at Orleans is one of the great victories in the history of warfare and was the final turning point in the Hundred Years War. In only three days of fighting Joan was able to compel the English to retreat from the city ending their siege of nearly seven months.

• Learn about Orleans and Joan's arrival.

• Learn about the seige of Orleans.

• Read about the battles Joan fought at Orleans.

• Read fictional account describing the battles Joan fought around Orleans.

• Read more about Joan of Arc's Victory Over The English at Orleans.

• Read a description of Joan's "Longest Day" at the battle of Orleans.

• Read account of Joan returning from being wounded to lead final assault on Les Tourelles.

• Learn about the weapons used during the fighting at Orleans.

• More about medievel weapons.

• Even more about medievel weapons.

• Learn about the knights that served under Joan of Arc.

• Learn about the fighting men at Orleans.

• Map of Joan's movements from Chinon to Orleans.

• Map of Orleans as it was when Joan of Arc liberated the city in May of 1429.

• Picture of Orleans as it looked when Joan of Arc liberated the city in 1429.

• Read official entry in Paris Parliament record about Joan's victory at Orleans.

• Read a commentary on Joan's victory at Orleans by Pope Pius II written in the 1400's.

• Take a virtual tour of modern Orleans through photographs.
  Joan of Arc And The Loire Valley Campaign
  "Noble Dauphin, come at once to Reims."
  Having fulfilled the first part of her mission, Joan immediately went on the offensive in a march through the Loire Valley to clear the way for the coronation of Charles VII at Reims. At the battle of Patay, Joan of Arc wins her greatest military victory by annihilating a much larger English army killing thousands while losing only a few of her own soldiers. The battle of Patay is considered a mirror image of the battle of Agincourt which was the battle that had brought France to its knees and necessitated the miracle that Joan delivered.

• Read about Joan's movements after the battle of Orleans.

• Map of Joan's movements after the battle of Orleans.

• See the Coat of Arms given to Joan by Charles VII.

• Read about the battles Joan fought to clear the way to Reims.

• Read more about the Loire Valley Campaign.

• Learn about the Battle of Patay and Joan of Arc's part.

• Learn more about the Battle of Patay.

• See a map of Joan's battles during the Loire Valley campaign at Google Maps.

• Read about Joan's march to Reims with Charles VII after Patay.

• Learn more about Joan's enemies.
  Joan of Arc And The Coronation Of Charles VII
  "Noble King, now is accomplished the will of God, who desired that I should raise the siege of Orleans, and should bring you to this city of Reims to receive you holy coronation, thus showing that you are the true King, him to whom the throne of France must belong."
  With the coronation of Charles VII as King of France, Joan of Arc reached the height of her success. She accomplished her impossible prediction "to conduct the King to Reims for his sacrament and his coronation" in only a matter of months after she had arrived in Chinon a simple maid with a mission from God.

• Read about Joan and the coronation of Charles VII in Reims.

• See map of Joan's march to Reims with Charles VII.

• Learn about the tradition of the cornoation.

• Read eyewitness account of the coronation and anointing of Charles VII.

• See paintings of Joan of Arc at the coronation of Charles VII in Reims.

• See pictures of Reims Cathedral and a reenactment of the coronation ceremony.
  Joan of Arc And Paris
  "By my staff, the place would have been taken!"
  After crowning Charles VII, Joan and her best military commanders wanted to immediately march to Paris and liberate France's largest city. If Joan had been fully supported by Charles and immediately gone to Paris she would have succeeded because the city was lightly fortified at that time. Unfortunately, Charles either lost his nerve or allowed himself to be overly influenced by his corrupt advisors because he entered into two useless treaties that delayed Joan's attack on Paris by over a month. The delay proved very costly.

• Read about Joan's march to Paris.

• Read about Joan's attempt to liberate Paris.

• Read about the failure at Paris.

• Read eyewitness accounts about Joan's assault at Paris.

• See map of Joan's march to the walls of Paris.

• See pictures of Paris.

• See painting of Joan of Arc leaving her armor at the alter of St. Denis.
  Joan of Arc's Last Campaigns
  "I am not alone! I have fifty thousand of my own company to fight with me!"
  After Joan of Arc's defeat at Paris, Charles and his corrupt advisors disbanded the army and withdrew back toward the Loire. Joan was forced to stay at court with Charles as a sort of trophy but was occasionally allowed to lead small bands of soldiers sent to aid certain cities that had petitioned Charles for help.

• Read about Joan's movements after Paris.

• Read an account of Joan's movements after Paris by Mark Twain.

• Read about Joan's movements in the Autumn of 1429.

• Read about Joan's last great victory at St. Pierre-le-Moutier.

Joan of Arc Captured At Compiegne
"By my staff! We are enough! I shall go to see my good friends in Compiegne!"
Joan of Arc responded to the cry for help by the city of Compiegne and arrived on the morning of May 23, 1430, with about three to four hundred soldiers. In the afternoon while making a sortie against a Burgundian camp, more Burgundian and English reinforcements arrived and the French were forced to retreat. Joan lead the rearguard action and was cut off from re-entering Compiegne when the drawbridge was raised. Fighting to the last she was surrounded and pulled from her horse by a Burgundian soldier.

• Read about Joan's last campaign in 1430.

• Read about Joan's final military action and capture.

• Read an account of Joan's capture by Mark Twain.

• See pictures of Compiegne.

• See pictures of Compiegne related to Joan's capture.
  Joan of Arc's Captivity
  "I would rather die than be in the hands of the English."
  Joan of Arc was a prisoner of the Burgundians for six months. She made several attempts to escape the most daring being a jump from a tower at least sixty feet high. In mid-November 1430, she was sold to the English for ten thousand francs and transferred to Rouen. Once in English hands she was kept in chains and guarded constantly by harsh English soldiers.

• Read what it was like for Joan to be a prisoner.

• Read Article Joan's Leap for Freedom about Joan's Daring Escape Attempt.

• See Pictures of the Prisons where Joan was held.

• See Painting depicting Joan in Prison.

• Map showing Joan's final journey to Rouen.
  The Trial Of Joan of Arc
  "I came into France at God's command, and I have never acted except at God's command."
  The outcome of the trial of Joan of Arc was arranged long before it ever started but the Church officials involved still went to great lengths to make it appear that she was given a fair trial even though they violated Church rules throughout. Joan was the only witness, one of the clear violations of Church rules, but she proved to be a very formidable witness for herself. The trial lasted through the spring during which time the Church officials used every trick they knew, including threatening her with torture, to try to get her to publicly confess that her Voices were not from God. Finally, they took her to the cemetery of Ouen on May 24, 1431, and told her she would burn unless she agreed to "abjure." Afraid of the fire she agreed after she was promised she would save her life and be taken to a Church prison to be guarded by woman instead of soldiers.

• Read about Joan's trial.

• Learn about medieval trials and the beginning of Joan's.

• Read an overview of Joan's trial.

• Read an analysis of Joan's trial.

• Read about the opening of the Trial from the official record.

• Read the actual transcripts from Joan's trial.

• Learn about Joan being threatened with torture and how she responded.

• Read about Joan's trial transcripts and the rehabilitation documents.

• Read the official Abjuration Document from Joan's trial record.

• Watch movie about Joan's trial called The Passion of Joan of Arc.
  Joan of Arc's Execution and Death
  "Alas! Am I to be so horribly and cruelly treated? Alas! That my body, clean and whole, which has never been corrupted, should this day be consumed and burned to ashes! Ah! I would far rather have my head chopped off seven times over, than to be burned!"
  After Joan abjured she expected to be taken to a Church prison but the head Church official Pierre Cauchon was not going to allow her to escape being burned. He ordered her taken back to her prison cell and arranged for her English guards to threaten her with rape. Since Joan's only protection was her soldier's clothes this was an evil trick by Cauchon to get her to resume dressing as a man so that he could pronounce her a relapsed heretic. After suffering in prison like this for three days and being subjected to unknown cruelty at the hands of her English guards, Joan resumed her forbidden attire. Three days later on May 30, 1430, she was burned in Rouen as a relapsed heretic.

• Read about the end of Joan's trial and her death.

• See pictures of St. Ouen and Rouen's square.

• Learn about Rouen where Joan of Arc died.

• See pictures of modern day Rouen and the Old Market Square.

• Read eyewitness accounts of Joan's last day and execution.

• Read Joan of Arc's Death Sentence.

• Read the Sentence of Excommunication for Joan of Arc.

• Watch a video depicting the execution of Joan of Arc.

• Read an account of Joan's execution by Mark Twain.

• See a painting of Saint Joan of Arc's execution.

• Read an analysis of how Joan of Arc died.
  Aftermath of Joan of Arc's Death
  "We are all lost for it is a good and holy woman that has been burned. I believe her soul is in the hands of God, and I believe damned all who joined in her condemnation" lamented Jean Tressard, secretary for the King of England, shortly after Joan's execution and were sentiments shared by many who witnessed her death.
  Out of all the people of her time then thought of as important it is only the simple maid known as Joan of Arc that is still remembered and loved today.

• Read about the primary charges used to convict Joan.

• Read commentary about the true reasons behind Joan's capture and death.

• Read statement by Joan's mother Isabelle Romee at opening of Trial of Nullification.

• Read Joan of Arc's Trial of Nullification testimony.

• Read the sentence of nullification.

• The Great Deeds of Joan of Arc

• Learn about Joan of Arc's canonization process.

• Read the official decree declaring Joan Venerable in 1894.

• Read the official pronouncement of Beatification and learn about the Beatification ceremony.

• Read the official pronouncement of Canonization document for Saint Joan of Arc. For even more historical resources about Joan of Arc please try the Joan of Arc History Index page here at MaidOfHeaven.com
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