Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc (1412–1431) was a French peasant girl who became a legendary military figure and martyr during the Hundred Years' War between France and England. At approximately age 16, Joan claimed to have received divine visions and voices commanding her to lead French forces against English occupation. Despite her lack of military training and the skepticism of French nobility, her unwavering conviction and charismatic leadership inspired soldiers and contributed to significant French military victories, particularly at the Siege of Orléans in 1429. Her victories boosted French morale and altered the course of the war. However, Joan was eventually captured by Burgundian forces and sold to the English. She was tried for heresy before a church court and, despite her protests of innocence, was convicted and executed by burning at the stake in 1431 at the age of 19. Five centuries later, she was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1920. Joan of Arc remains an enduring symbol of courage, faith, justice, and national pride, inspiring countless literary works, artistic interpretations, and cultural references.