Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc, also known as the Maid of Orléans, was a peasant girl born in Domrémy, France in 1412. She claimed to have received visions from saints urging her to support the Dauphin, Charles VII, in his quest to reclaim the French throne during the Hundred Years' War against the English. At the age of 17, she convinced Charles to let her lead troops into battle. Joan of Arc played a crucial role in turning the tide of the war, securing several key victories. However, she was eventually captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English. In 1431, she was tried for heresy and witchcraft and was burned at the stake in Rouen, at the age of 19. Decades later, in 1920, Joan of Arc was declared a saint by the Catholic Church. She is remembered as a symbol of courage, faith, and patriotism.