Joan of Arc

Životopis

Born in 1412 in Domrémy, Joan was an illiterate peasant girl who claimed to receive messages from Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Catherine. Convinced of a divine mission, she convinced the French dauphin Charles to let her lead military forces during the Hundred Years' War. Donning armor, Joan led the French to unexpected victories at Orléans and elsewhere, reversing English military dominance and boosting French morale. After her capture by Burgundian forces and sale to the English, she was tried for heresy and witchcraft. Despite intense pressure and threats of execution, Joan remained steadfast in her faith and claims of divine guidance. Convicted of heresy, she was burned at the stake in Rouen in 1431 at age nineteen. Her trial records reveal a remarkable young woman of intelligence, courage, and spiritual clarity. Her execution shocked Christendom, and a retrial in 1456 completely exonerated her. Joan was canonized in 1920.