Research of Joan of Arc

Résumé du document

Saint Joan of Arc, the 'Maid of Orleans' (Orleans -a French city) is considered a national heroine of France. She was also a Catholic Saint. Joan was a peasant girl born in eastern France at Domrémy, just next to the Loraine, who claimed divine guidance. She said she could hear God speaking to her; she was investigated by a mission. She led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War (1335 to 1453) which paved the way for the coronation of Charles VII. The Hundred Year War was fought between France and England. Both countries were trying to win the French throne. Both Henry VIII in England and Charles VIII in France were legitimate to become the next king of France. So this long fight was about winning France. The English army was based in France in the North part of the country. Charles VIII was hiding next to the Loire, away from the conflict. One of the Joan of Arc exploits was the siege of the English of Orléans.

This city was strategic for the English and its loss was a huge loss for them. We have to understand the importance of this victory for France which had been ineffective until the arrival of Joan. Thanks to Joan, the English started to back down.

She was captured by the Burgundians during a battle. The Duke of Burgundians had a deal with English and they sold her to the enemy. She was tried by an ecclesiastical court and burned at the stake when she was 19 years old in May 1431. 25 years after the execution, Pope Callixtus III examined the trial, pronounced her innocent and declared her a martyr. She was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920.

Extraits

[...] She never accused him of something despite of the huge pressure on her during the trial. She has been burn on May 30th The English wanted that absolutely nothing stay after her death because they didn't want any relics, nothing that can continue to make the symbol of Joan of Arc. When everything had burned, her heart and her lungs were stayed intact. Most spectators would see a miracle, a sign of God. Scientist explains that today because the moisture content in the heart prevents this one to burn as fast as the rest of the body. [...]

[...] As we said, Joan introduces herself as a maid. The king, Charles VIII asked a medical examination to be sure she said the truth. If she had lain about that; the credibility of her message would have been lost. But the fact she was Maid made her powerful. She was pure and people were ready to believe she could be sending here by God. Joan was also considered has a Warrior, almost a soldier against English people. Joan of arc has the education of a normal young woman, with a normal wife destiny. [...]

[...] There, she had been recognizing on the battle field, kidnapped and judge by the English and the Church. The trial was religious. Joan had been condemned because she was a danger for the Church. She jeopardized the authority of the Church. The Church is supposed to be a link between God and the believer. But with her voices, Joan was no longer in this scheme. She didn't need an intermediate. She could speak and listen to god without the Church. That was not good for the Church, not a good example. [...]

[...] She hoped to get closer to God. Anatole France, another French historian, thinks that Joan could have been indoctrinated by the priest of her church. But we have no sources to prove this theory. However, this bigotry can be a first step to understand why Joan thinks she heard voices. She was immerging herself in such a religious world that she could have been predestinated to feel investigate of a mission. She said having the revelation of her mission in her parent's garden. [...]

[...] But let start to understand who Joan of Arc was. Joan of Arc was calling herself Maid”. According to Olivier Bouzy, a French historian, Joan of Arc was really pious. She lived in the little town called Domrémy, just next to a church. She was so pious that it could be consider as bigotry. It was exaggerated even if for a really religious context. She was anorexic and she fasted a lot, because she wanted to eat exclusively Ostia, the body of Jesus. [...]