Essay Examples on Joan of Arc Essay Example

Essay Examples on Joan of Arc Paper 1st Essay Sample on Joan of Arc In 1412, Joan of Arc was born to Jacques Darc and his wife Isabelle de Vouthon, in the town of Domremy, France. Her childhood was spent attending her father’s herds in the fields and learning religion and housekeeping skills from her mother. At the age of twelve, she started hearing voices in her head that belonged to St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret. Joan thought that they were bringing her messages from God. These voices told her that it was her divine mission to free her country from the English and help the dauphin, or eldest son of the king, gain the French throne. They told her to cut her hair, dress in man’s uniform and to pick up the arms. In 1429, the English had occupied Paris and all of France north of the Loire, which is Frances longest river. This capturing was due in most part to the lack of leadership within the French. It was a total sense of hopelessness among them. Joan then convinced the captain of the dauphin, and then the dauphin himself, of her calling from a higher power. After passing an examination, she was given the title of captain. At the battle of Orleans in May of 1429, Joan led the troops to a miraculous triumph over the English. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on Joan of Arc specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on Joan of Arc specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on Joan of Arc specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer She continued fighting the English in other locations along the Loire. The fear of the troops under her leadership was so formidable that when she approached Lord Talbot’s army at Patay, most of the English troops, including a commander, fled the battlefield. Even with a good portion of her troops fleeing, she still went on to win this battle, capturing the Lord and killing 1800 of his soldiers. Charles VII was then crowned king of France, and at the coronation, Joan was given a place of honor next to the king. Later, she was ennobled for her services to the country. In 1430, Joan was captured by the Burgundy forces while defending Compiegne near Paris, and then sold to the English. 2nd Essay Sample on Joan of Arc France and England had an unstable history with one another and in 1337, King Edward III of England decided to lay claim to the French throne based on a relation on his mothers side (Walker 219). This led to the Hundred Years War, which would consume the peoples lives from 1337 to 1453 (Walker 220). During this time there was a great plague sweeping Europe, the Black Death which was the cause of millions of peoples unseemly demise. Joan was a young peasant girl born in 1412, whose strong faith and belief in God led her to fight in his name for her country (Walker 221). Why English political leaders wanted Joan of Arc discredited and burned as a witch. English political leaders used the Roman Catholic Church to have Joan of Arc discredited and burned as a witch because they feared she had supernatural powers, was being used as a symbol by the French Nationalists and that she might become a martyr in the event of her death. English political leaders believed Joan of Arc possessed supernatural powers of some sort and they feared what kind of advantage this could bring to the French armies. The English political leaders didnt like that the French Nationalists, particularly King Charles VII and the Duke of Alencon, were using Joan as a symbol of French family and purity. English political leaders feared that if Joan were to die in the heat of battle, then the French people would make her a martyr. English political leaders believed Joan of Arc possessed some sort of supernatural powers and they feared what kind of advantage this could bring to the French armies (Nardo 42). Joan had admitted openly to hearing voices from saints since the age of thirteen (Gies 24). Joan said the voices told her what to do in order to fight the war for France (Moritz). Miraculously, Joan was never seriously injured in battle (Encarta 2001).