Joan of Arc.

The woman that today is called Joan of Arc was actually born as Jehanne D'arc on January 6th 1412 in the small french town of Domremy, her name was anglicized for the english population. Joans parents were both peasants but the family lived comfortably.

She was the youngest child in her Family she had 3 older brothers and one substantially older sister.

Joan allegedy first heard the voice of god at age 12. When Joan was 16 she left home in order to answer the call of god who informed her that she was to assist the future king in recapturing french territory form its english invaders.

She became a succesful military leader, in fact some historians consider her one of the reasons for the turning point in the hundred years war. She was the youngest person in history to have ever commanded the armies of a nation, she was only 17 years old at the time.

The young lady was the individual who Crowned King Charles VII at his coronation ceremony after being told to by the voice of god she allegedly heard.

During her battles she was wounded twice, once in the chest with an arrow and once in the thigh after being hit by a crossbow. It is said in several contemporary sources that she predicted both of these injuries prior to their happening.

In 1430 Joan of Arc was captured by Burgundian soldiers who later sold her to English officials later that year for ten thousand gold francs. During her time in jail, Joan was tied to a bed in a regular prison. Tradition stated that she was supposed to have been held in a Church prison and be guarded by women but the english refused her this treatment.

In 1431 she was put on trial for heresy by her english captures. Although the Trial was performed by the church it is believed to have been rigged and paid for by the english government. The English supposedly threatened to torture Joan if she did not deny the voices she had been hearing. She eventually abjured and gave in to the wishes of the judge.

On MAy 30th 1431 Joan of arc was burned at the stake for heresy at the old square of Rouen. She was only 19 years old at the time. Witnesses stated that her last word was Jesus.

In 1456 her original trial was overturned. The church declared that Arc had been completely innocent of all crimes and was indeed a martyr. In 1920 the Catholic church cannonized her and made her into Saint. Which was rather ironic because this was the same church that burned her at the stake centuries earlier.