Joan of Arc Explained in 15 Minutes

Summary

The video explores the life of Joan of Arc, a pivotal figure in French history. Born in 1412, Joan claimed divine guidance to lead France to victory against the English during the Hundred Years' War. Despite initial skepticism, her military successes, including lifting the siege of Orléans, bolstered French morale. However, she was captured, tried for heresy, and executed. Her legacy as a symbol of courage and faith was later vindicated and canonized, reflecting her enduring impact on French national identity.

Takeaways

• 😇 Joan of Arc, born in 1412, is a figure of inspiration and controversy, with debates on her sanctity or heresy ongoing even during her lifetime.
• 🏰 The France of Joan's time was divided, with internal strife between the Armagnacs and Burgundians, and England's invasion reigniting the Hundred Years' War.
• 👑 Queen Isabeau and the royal factions influenced the political landscape, with the Armagnacs conservative and the Burgundians favoring urban development influenced by English trade.
• 🗡 The assassination of the Duke of Orléans escalated the feud into civil war, weakening France against English ambitions.
• 🛡️ Joan of Arc claimed divine visions instructing her to expel the English and crown Charles at Reims Cathedral, indicating a strong belief in her mission from God.
• 🎖️ Despite initial skepticism, Joan's determination and accurate prophecy of a French defeat led to her being provided with an escort to meet the Dauphin.
• 🤴 Charles, the Dauphin, intrigued by Joan's claims, tested her and eventually granted her a private audience, leading to her involvement in the relief of Orléans.
• 🏙️ The siege of Orléans was a pivotal moment where Joan's presence boosted morale, leading to a French victory that turned the tide against the English.
• ⚔️ Joan's military successes and the coronation of Charles at Reims fulfilled her divine mission, yet her influence waned as Charles sought peace over further conflict.
• 🏰 Joan's capture and subsequent trial for heresy and witchcraft highlight the Church's authority struggles with a woman who claimed direct divine communication.
• 🔥 Joan of Arc was executed in 1431, but posthumously exonerated and canonized, reflecting the complex legacy of her life and the political and religious tensions of her era.

Q & A

Who is Joan of Arc, and why is she a controversial figure?

Joan of Arc, known as Jeanne d’Arc in France, is a historical figure born in 1412 who remains inspirational yet controversial due to debates over whether she was a saint, a heretic, or a delusional young woman with divine visions.

What was the political situation in France when Joan of Arc was born?

France was divided with internal unrest caused by the feud between the royal factions, the Armagnacs and the Burgundians, on the regency council, while there was relative peace in the long-time war with England.

What were the main differences between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians?

The Armagnacs, led by Louis, the Duke of Orléans, were conservative and wanted France to remain feudal and agricultural, while the Burgundians, allied with the English and led by the Duke of Burgundy, sought to develop stronger towns and cities and use agricultural land for pasture and sheep farms.

What significant event occurred in 1407 that contributed to the escalation of the civil war in France?

The assassination of the Duke of Orléans on the orders of the Duke of Burgundy in 1407 led to the feud erupting into an outright civil war, leaving France vulnerable to English manipulations.

How did the Treaty of Troyes in 1420 impact the French throne and the Hundred Years’ War?

The Treaty of Troyes named the English king and his heirs as successors to the French throne, which intensified the Hundred Years’ War and led to the Dauphin, Charles, being disinherited by his mother and declaring himself regent.

What was the significance of the Battle of Agincourt in 1415?

The Battle of Agincourt was a decisive defeat for the French army, mostly composed of Armagnac recruits, and marked a significant stage in the Hundred Years’ War.

Why did Joan of Arc believe she had a divine mission?

Joan of Arc believed she had a divine mission after experiencing visions of the Archangel Michael and Saints Catherine of Alexandria and Margaret of Antioch, who told her that God wanted her to drive the English out of France and ensure Charles' coronation at Reims Cathedral.

How did Joan of Arc's initial attempts to gain support from the military garrison in Vaucouleurs fare?

Joan of Arc's initial attempts were unsuccessful as Robert de Baudricourt, the garrison captain, dismissed her as a peasant girl with an outlandish request and sent her away.

What convinced Captain de Baudricourt to finally grant Joan of Arc an escort to meet the Dauphin?

Captain de Baudricourt was convinced to grant Joan of Arc an escort after her prediction of a terrible defeat for Charles' forces at the Battle of Rouvray came true.

What was the outcome of Joan of Arc's trial for heresy and witchcraft?

Joan of Arc was found guilty of heresy and witchcraft during her trial, which was heavily influenced by her gender and refusal to bow to the Church's authority, leading to her execution by burning at the stake.

How was Joan of Arc's reputation posthumously restored?

Joan of Arc's reputation was restored 25 years after her execution when Charles allowed a second trial that exonerated her, and she was officially canonized by the Church in 1920.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 The Turbulent Birth of Joan of Arc

This paragraph introduces Joan of Arc, a figure of both inspiration and controversy, born in 1412 into a divided France. The country was embroiled in internal strife between the Armagnacs and Burgundians, with Queen Isabeau at the head of the regency council. The Armagnacs, conservative and feudal, were pitted against the Burgundians, who sought urban development and were allied with the English. The assassination of the Duke of Orléans escalated the feud into civil war, leaving France vulnerable to English invasion. The Battle of Agincourt in 1415 was a crushing defeat for the French, and the Treaty of Troyes in 1420 complicated matters further by naming the English king as the successor to the French throne. The young Dauphin, rumored to be illegitimate, declared himself regent and set up his own court in Bourges, away from Paris.

05:01

🗡 Joan's Divine Mission and the Siege of Orléans

Joan of Arc, a pious girl from Domrémy, began receiving visions from Saint Michael and other saints at the age of 13, instructing her to expel the English and crown Charles at Reims Cathedral. Despite initial dismissal by the garrison captain, Robert de Baudricourt, Joan's persistence and a successful prophecy of a French defeat led to her being granted an escort to meet the Dauphin. After passing tests of faith and character in Poitiers, she was given a role in the relief of the siege of Orléans, where her presence boosted morale, and the French forces achieved victory. Her leadership and the subsequent lifting of the siege marked a significant turning point in the Hundred Years' War.

10:03

⚔️ The Trials and Triumphs of Joan of Arc

Following the lifting of the siege of Orléans, Joan continued to lead the French forces to several victories, eventually facilitating the coronation of Charles at Reims Cathedral, thus fulfilling her divine mission. However, her relationship with the Dauphin became strained as he sought peace with the Burgundians rather than continuing the fight against the English. Despite being wounded and captured at Compiègne, Joan remained steadfast, even during her trial for heresy and witchcraft. She was ultimately executed, her ashes scattered in the River Seine. Her mother's efforts led to a posthumous exoneration, and in 1920, she was canonized. The paragraph concludes with a promotional note on a book about Joan of Arc and an invitation for viewers to subscribe for more content.

Keywords

💡Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc, also known as Jeanne d’Arc in France, is a central figure in the video, symbolizing both inspiration and controversy. She is depicted as a national heroine who led the French army to several victories during the Hundred Years' War. The video discusses her visions, military leadership, and ultimate trial for heresy, which directly ties to the main theme of the video: the life and legacy of Joan of Arc.

💡Hundred Years' War

The Hundred Years' War was a series of conflicts waged between the kingdoms of England and France from 1337 to 1453. In the video, it is mentioned as the backdrop against which Joan of Arc's story unfolds, specifically highlighting the Lancastrian phase. The war is integral to understanding Joan's mission to drive the English out of France and her role in the Battle of Orléans.

💡Armagnacs and Burgundians

The Armagnacs and Burgundians were two rival royal factions in France during Joan of Arc's time. The Armagnacs, who had the backing of Queen Isabeau, were conservative and sought to maintain a feudal and agricultural France, while the Burgundians, allied with the English, aimed for urban development and economic ties with England. Their feud is a key element in the political landscape of the time and influenced the course of the Hundred Years' War.

💡Charles the Mad

Charles the Mad, or King Charles VI of France, is mentioned in the script as the king during Joan of Arc's early life. His bouts of psychosis and the power vacuum it created contributed to the internal unrest in France, setting the stage for the political and military events that Joan would later influence.

💡Prophecy

The concept of prophecy is significant in the video as it is tied to Joan of Arc's visions and her belief in a divine mission. The script refers to a prophecy that France would be saved by a virgin from Lorraine, which Joan believed applied to her. This belief was a driving force behind her actions and is central to her narrative.

💡Visions

Visions are a recurring theme in the video, describing the supernatural experiences Joan of Arc had, in which she claimed to see and hear saints and angels. These visions are portrayed as the source of her conviction to lead the French army and are a key aspect of her story, illustrating her faith and the claims of divine guidance.

💡Siege of Orléans

The Siege of Orléans was a pivotal event during the Hundred Years' War and is highlighted in the video as the moment when Joan of Arc gained prominence. Her leadership during the siege led to a significant French victory, lifting the siege and marking a turning point in the war.

💡Coronation of Charles

The coronation of Charles at Reims Cathedral is a critical event in the video, representing the fulfillment of Joan's divine mission. It signifies the recognition of Charles as the rightful king of France and is a testament to Joan's influence and the impact of her military successes.

💡Heresy

Heresy is a key term in the video, referring to the religious crime of believing or teaching doctrines that contradict the Church's official teachings. Joan of Arc was accused of heresy for claiming to receive divine messages, which ultimately led to her trial and execution.

💡Canonization

Canonization is the process by which the Catholic Church declares a deceased person to be a saint. In the video, Joan of Arc's canonization in 1920 is mentioned, reflecting the Church's posthumous recognition of her sanctity and the rehabilitation of her reputation after her execution for heresy.

💡Cross-dressing

Cross-dressing is the act of dressing in clothes typically associated with the opposite sex. In the video, Joan of Arc's cross-dressing is noted as a significant aspect of her story and her trial. She wore men's clothing for practical reasons during her military campaigns, which was considered a transgression and contributed to her heresy charges.

Highlights

Joan of Arc, born in 1412, remains a controversial and inspirational figure 600 years after her birth.

France during Joan's birth was divided by internal unrest and the feud between the Armagnacs and Burgundians.

The Armagnacs, supported by Queen Isabeau, were conservative and sought to maintain a feudal and agricultural France.

The Burgundians, allied with England and led by the Duke of Burgundy, aimed to develop towns and cities influenced by English models.

The assassination of the Duke of Orléans in 1407 escalated the feud into a full-blown civil war, opening France to English manipulation.

In 1415, Henry V of England invaded France, reigniting the Hundred Years’ War and leading to the decisive French defeat at the Battle of Agincourt.

The Treaty of Troyes in 1420 named the English king as the successor to the French throne, further complicating the succession crisis.

Joan of Arc grew up in the village of Domrémy, known for her piety and loyalty to the French crown despite surrounding Burgundian territory.

A prophecy attributed to Merlin suggested that France would be saved by a virgin from Lorraine, resonating with Joan's visions.

Joan began receiving visions from Saint Michael and other saints at the age of 13, instructing her to drive out the English and crown Charles.

In 1428, Joan, insistent on her divine mission, sought an escort to meet the Dauphin, initially dismissed by the garrison captain.

After predicting a French defeat that came true, Joan was granted an audience with the Dauphin, who was intrigued by her claims.

Joan was sent to Poitiers for theological examination, where she convinced scholars of her moral integrity and divine mission.

Despite initial skepticism, Joan led the French forces to lift the siege of Orléans, becoming a symbol of hope and victory.

Joan's success in battle led to Charles' coronation at Reims Cathedral, fulfilling part of her divine mission.

Joan was captured in 1430 and put on trial for heresy and witchcraft, facing a trial designed to secure a guilty verdict.

On May 30, 1431, Joan was executed, her ashes scattered in the River Seine, despite her unwavering faith and service to France.

Posthumously, Joan was exonerated and canonized, with her mother Isabelle playing a key role in clearing her name.

A book titled 'Joan of Arc: A Captivating Guide to a Heroine of France and Her Role During the Lancastrian Phase of the Hundred Years’ War' is available for further reading.

Transcripts

This video is brought to  you by Captivating History.

Joan of Arc (or Jeanne d’Arc, as she is known  in France), remains an inspirational and  

controversial figure 600 years after her birth.  Saint or heretic? Touched by the grace of God or  

a tragically delusional young woman? Even while  alive, these points of view were hotly debated.

The France into which Jeanne was born in 1412  was divided. There was relative peace in the  

long-time war with England. However, internal  unrest was caused by the feud between the two  

royal factions who sat on the regency  council: the Armagnacs and the Burgundians.  

The council was headed by Queen Isabeau,  the wife of King Charles VI. He was also  

known as Charles the Mad, due to periods of  psychosis which had begun in the early 1390s.  

The Armagnacs, led by the king’s brother, Louis,  the Duke of Orléans, had the Queen’s backing.  

Politically, the Armagnacs were conservative and  wanted France to remain feudal and agricultural.

The king’s cousin John, the Duke of  Burgundy, was allied with the English.  

His lands included Flanders, the  center for the textile industry.  

Close ties to England’s wool trade meant that  the Burgundians wanted to develop stronger  

towns and cities along English lines and use  agricultural land as pasture and sheep farms.

When the Duke of Orléans was assassinated  on the orders of the Duke of Burgundy  

in 1407, the feud erupted into outright civil war.  

It left the country wide open to  further machinations by the English.

In 1415, England’s Henry V invaded, igniting  the next stage of the Hundred Years’ War.  

While the Duke of Burgundy remained neutral, the  French army, mostly made up of Armagnac recruits,  

was decisively defeated at the  Battle of Agincourt that October.

Five years later, in May 1420, the Treaty of  Troyes named the English king and his heirs  

as successors to the French throne.  The 17-year-old French Dauphin,  

Charles, long-rumored to be illegitimate son,  was willingly disinherited by his mother. A  

marriage between the French princess, Catherine of  Valois, and Henry strengthened the English claim.

The Dauphin had fled Paris but responded  to his ousting from the line of succession  

by declaring himself regent for his father.  He seized royal authority and, defying his  

father's order to return to the capital, set  up his own court in Bourges in central France. 

By the end of 1422, both kings had died, leaving  a nine-month-old baby as the nominal monarch  

of the two countries. The Dauphin’s rival  in Bourges also claimed the French throne.

Meanwhile, in the village of Domrémy near Lorraine  in northeastern France, Jeanne was growing up.  

Her father, Jacques d’Arc, was a farmer and  local official. Her mother, Isabelle Romée,  

taught Jeanne all the domestic  arts, including how to spin wool.  

Jeanne was known as a pious girl who regularly  attended mass and took to heart the stories she  

heard from the priest about God, Jesus, and the  saints. As a girl of her time and social class,  

she did not go to school and  didn’t know how to read or write.

In 1425, when Jeanne was 13, the village was  raided by a gang of cattle-stealing mercenaries.  

The animals were eventually retrieved, but  the incident only reinforced the opinion  

that peace would only come with the English  invaders gone. The village had remained loyal  

to the crown–even though it was surrounded by  Burgundian territory and had endured past raids.

A well-known prophecy, reputedly made by the  legendary Arthurian magician, Merlin, gave people  

hope: France will be lost by a woman. But it will  be saved by a virgin from the borders of Lorraine.  

The first woman was obviously Queen  Isabeau, but who was the second?

Jeanne must have known the prophecy. While working  in the garden none summer’s day after the raid,  

she surprised by a sudden blinding light near  the church. In the glare, the girl made out the  

towering shape of an angel. Instinctively,  she knew that it was the Archangel Michael.  

He was joined by two other figures whom she  recognized as Saints Catherine of Alexandria  

and Margaret of Antioch, both of whom had  been martyred as teenagers for their faith.

Jeanne fell to her knees in terror. The saints  reassured her they had been sent by God,  

with an important mission for her.  He wanted her to drive the English  

out of France and see that Charles  was crowned at Reims Cathedral.

The figures then disappeared, but over  the next three years made their presence  

known by continuing to press upon her the  necessity of the Dauphin becoming king.  

They told her she would lead the French  army to victory against the English.  

Jeanne said nothing about her visions or  voices to anyone. But that was soon to change.

In 1428, the English landed at Calais  and claimed multiple towns, culminating  

in the siege of Orléans. On the Loire River, this  strategic city was the gateway to central France.  

The English and their Burgundian allies controlled  the rest of northern France, including Paris.

Jeanne’s voices had become more insistent.  Accompanied by a cousin, she went to the military  

garrison in Vaucouleurs, which was still loyal  to Charles. Meeting with Robert de Baudricourt,  

(the garrison captain), she asked for an escort  to Chinon, where the Dauphin was stationed.

De Baudricourt sent the teenager away, seeing  only a peasant girl with an outlandish request.  

He underestimated her determination to  fulfill the commands of the heavenly voices.

A few weeks after returning home, the war  came to Domrémy. The Burgundians and English  

struck Vaucouleurs and the surrounding villages,  

punishing the residents for their  continuing support for the Dauphin.

Once again, Jeanne left Domrémy  for Vaucouleurs in January 1429.  

It would be the last time she saw home.

Her next meeting with Captain de Baudricourt  was aided by two knights, Jean de Metz and  

Bertrand de Poulengy. They had been won over  by her fervent belief in her God-given mission.

Jeanne once again asked the garrison captain  for safe passage through enemy territory  

to meet the Dauphin. She then predicted  that Charles' forces were about to suffer  

a terrible defeat. Unbeknownst to either  of them, hundreds of miles away at the  

Battle of Rouvray, the Dauphin’s men  were being routed by the English.

Although de Baudricourt had once again  thrown Jeanne out of their meeting,  

when news of the defeat reached him, he realized  that her prediction had come true. De Baudricourt  

granted her wish. It would be a dangerous 300-mile  journey to Chinon, but she would come with her two  

knights. One further means of protection was  to disguise her as a man. Moved by her story,  

the people of Vaucouleurs banded together to  provide her with clothing, a horse, and a sword.

When she arrived in Chinon in early March, the  Dauphin was intrigued, wanting to meet this  

strangely dressed young woman. He had learned  of her mission from God, that of saving France.  

After the bitterness of his mother’s betrayal,  

and the never-ending string of defeats and  setbacks, he was willing to try anything.

To test Jeanne’s purported divine powers, he and  a courtier exchanged places. The young woman,  

who had never seen the Dauphin before,  immediately picked him out in the crowd of nobles.  

An impressed Charles granted  her a private audience.  

While the details of their  conversation have never been revealed,  

it eventually resulted in Jeanne being put front  and center at the relief of the siege of Orléans.

Charles’ advisors wanted the young,  illiterate peasant to be examined  

to ensure that she was neither witch nor heretic,  which would detract from the French cause.  

Jeanne was sent to Poitiers, where learned  theologians quizzed her on her faith,  

and she was secretly watched to ensure  that her character was spotless.  

She both charmed and convinced her scrutinizers.  She also showed herself to be no fool,  

was not intimidated, and held calmly-yet-firmly  in her belief that she was an instrument of God

.

In April, the verdict came that Jeanne  was a morally upstanding Christian.  

Whether she could lift the six-month  siege as promised was unknown.  

Some suggested that she be sent to Orléans,  and if she died in the attempt, then so be it.

Jeanne was given a basic course in battle  tactics before leaving with the relief force.  

She dictated a letter to be sent to the English  commander at Orléans, in which she offered them  

the chance to flee France before she and her  army made them leave. She signed it La Pucelle or  

“The Maiden.” You can only imagine the  reception such a letter received. Such threats,  

and from a woman. A peasant at that. The English,  however, would soon take a much humbler stand.

At first, the French commanders at Orléans were  reluctant to be led by an armored teenaged girl  

riding a white charger and carrying a fluttering  white banner. However, soldiers were often  

sentimental and superstitious; this was in  Jeanne’s favor. As she moved amongst them,  

something in the way she spoke and carried  herself gave them confidence. She was  

the “Maid of France,” the embodiment of the Virgin  Savior of the prophecies. She became their mascot,  

and when the assault finally began, the  French prevailed after four bloody days.

Jeanne seemed to be everywhere on the field  at one, rallying the troops with her cries of  

“Au nom de Dieu” - “In the name of God.” She was  wounded, slightly, in the foot on the second day  

of the attack, and received a more serious injury  when an arrow struck her shoulder as she clambered  

up a siege ladder at Les Tourelles. Rumors of  her death swept through the ranks. The next day,  

she was back on the battlefield, doing  her best to uplift the soldiers’ hearts.  

When les Tourelles fell, the siege was over,  and the south bank of the Loire was regained.  

The English suffered heavy losses, yet considered  it to be a setback rather than a defeat.

Jeanne had been horrified by the  carnage, yet she stood firm in her  

resolution to do God’s holy work and  drive the English from French shores.

With the way into the north now reopened, the  French pressed on with renewed morale and vigor.  

Victory followed victory, and the  Dauphin’s confidence in Jeanne grew.  

The English had been put to flight,  and now it was time to accomplish the  

second part of her God-sent mission: the  coronation of Charles at Reims Cathedral.

Reims lay deep inside enemy territory. In  five days, the French moved the English out  

of the Loire Valley. The Battle of Patay was a  massacre; the English put up little resistance  

and were cut down as they ran. Even though they  were the enemy, Jeanne wept at their deaths.

On July 17, 1429, Charles was crowned in  the traditional seat of the French kings.  

Jeanne had done what the voices had asked of her.

However, she still felt she had work to do as  the English remained in France, but Charles was  

in a more conciliatory mood. He wanted to  negotiate peace with the Duke of Burgundy  

instead of attacking Paris, as Jeanne desired.  She had been of immense use in gaining the throne,  

but now he had matters of state to consider. As  thanks, he ennobled her family and even granted  

tax-free status to her village, Domrémy.  Seemingly, he would have been most happy if  

she just quietly disappeared, but that was  not Jeanne’s style. Within a short while,  

she went from being indispensable to royalty, to  gradually becoming a thorn in the new king’s side.

However, in September, the King’s forces did  attack Paris, which was a formidable target.  

Jeanne once again came under enemy fire when  she took a crossbow arrow to the thigh. Charles  

called off the attack. It was the first defeat  for French troops since Jeanne had joined them.

Even with her influence greatly reduced,  Jeanne continued to fight the English and  

their Burgundian allies. Some months later, in May  1430, she was captured at Compiègne. Her voices  

had warned her of such an event, saying it would  be a long and unhappy period of imprisonment.  

Some historians say that Charles did  not try to rescue her or pay a ransom;  

she was abandoned in a tower at Beaurevoir Castle,  

while others report that his attempts at rescue  failed, and his feeble ransom offer was declined.

Jeanne lingered there for months, under  constant threat of molestation by her jailers.  

She kept firmly to her habit of wearing  men’s clothing, despite efforts to  

convince her otherwise. Finally, in a fit of  desperation, she flung herself from the tower,  

and amazingly, survived. Shortly after, in  November 1430, she was sold to the English.

By the following February, she was on  trial for her life, accused of heresy  

and witchcraft. Even though great pains were  taken to record everything that was said,  

her fate was sealed with only  one possible outcome: death.

A major obstacle in her  defense hinged on her gender.  

Jeanne went on trial for two equally egregious  transgressions: the first was that she claimed  

to have heard voices from God (heresy),  and she had dressed in men’s clothing;  

cross-dressing was forbidden by the Book of  Deuteronomy. The simple fact was that Jeanne  

refused to bow to the Church’s authority, or,  more accurately, the authority of the men of the  

Church. She withstood hours of questioning about  her faith and the truthfulness of her visions  

with calmness and sharpness of wit  that stunned. But it was all in vain.

On the morning of May 30, 1431,  Jeanne was led to the stake  

in the Vieux-Marché in Rouen.  Her body was burnt three times  

until it was reduced to ashes, which were then  tossed into the River Seine by the English.

She had fought for France and her  king, yet, still been betrayed.  

Her mother, Isabelle, never gave up  the fight to clear her daughter’s name.  

Some 25 years later, Charles allowed a second  trial to take place where Jeanne was exonerated.

In 1920, she was officially canonized by  the Church, which had so sorely abused her.  

Her feast day is the anniversary  of her death, May 30.

To discover more about the  fascinating life of Joan of Arc,  

then check out our book, Joan of Arc: A  Captivating Guide to a Heroine of France  

and Her Role During the Lancastrian  Phase of the Hundred Years’ War.

It’s available as an e-book, paperback, and  audiobook. Also, grab your free mythology bundle  

e-book for free while still available. All links  are in the description. If you enjoyed the video,  

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