Schoolwork
In 1412, Joan of Arc was born. During her childhood, Joan was looked up to by the other children, because of her “power” to convince people to do things that they should do, a “power” she kept for the rest of her life. As well, she had the “Seeing Eye”, which showed her the “true” nature of things; thus her childhood went on peacefully, till she was 13 years old. Then, her life began to change, drastically. God intervened on her peaceful shepherdess life. He sent His angels to tell her that He was going to deliver France from English control. When she was almost 17, He revealed whom He had in mind. It was her.
When she was 17 years old, God told her to go to the governor of Vaucouleurs, to plead for an army so she could go to the Dauphin a.k.a. The un-crowned King of the French. She went and did as she was bidden. What was the answer she received? A firm, “No”. So, she went back home. But God told her to back after a couple weeks. So she went back. She asked again. Another “No.” So she went home again. But, she had to go a third time. She did. She asked again. The answer? A “Yes.” She had her permission. She went to the Dauphin.
When she arrived at the Dauphin, she asked for permission to speak to him. The Dauphin was persuaded otherwise by his Chancellor. The Chancellor had the Dauphin send some bishops to inquire as to what she would say to the Dauphin. She said her message was for the Dauphin and the Dauphin alone. But, they persisted. After weeks of the bishops coming in the morning, and leaving in the afternoon, she finally gained access to speak with the Dauphin. There was one thing, however. She had to speak with him in front of the Royal Court. She went with her secretary and a couple Knights already pledged to her cause. She stepped through the vast door leading into the Royal Throne Room. Joan looked at the man on the throne, rather quizzically. It was not the Dauphin. Then she looked around at the Royal Court, and saw the man she had never seen before. It was the Dauphin. She proclaimed it. The Dauphin denied it, saying that the man on the throne was the King (that’s what everyone else called the Dauphin). She persisted in saying that the man in the “audience” was the Dauphin. After a while of “arguing” back and forth, the man finally relented. She earned respect right then and there. The Dauphin walked up to her. He told her he wanted proof that she was divinely inspired. So she told him of something that only he and God (and apparently Joan, too) knew. So he believed.
However, this is not a fairy tale, as you might suppose. Persuading the Dauphin was not quite that easy, oh no, not while his Chancellor and the Archbishop were around. The Chancellor and the Archbishop didn’t want to lose their esteemed positions, which they would if France was liberated. So they “kindly” and snake-like persuaded the Dauphin to have the bishops test Joan to see if she was not from Satan, because, they put it, Satan as well as God has the ability to see into men’s hearts. That convinced the Dauphin easily. So he did as he was suggested to do. The bishops tested her long and hard. For two or more weeks they did so. Those weeks were long and tiresome. After a long while, they finally concluded that it was beyond their ability to tell. So they had the Dauphin send her to the University of Poitiers, where the well-educated doctors and professors could test her.
They tested Joan even longer and even harder. By the end, when they finally concluded that she was of God and not of Satan, she was extremely tuckered out.
However, it was well worth the long wait, as many men joined her banner. Already, before she had begun to recruit people, her army was pretty large. See what a name she had, as being the first woman to be a soldier!
When the Chancellor and Archbishop heard that, they could not come up with any argument for the moment. When the Dauphin heard that she was from God, he made her Commander-in-Chief. Then, because of her position, she had even more recruits! Thus, she decided to go on her mission: lift the siege of Orleans.
However, she had to go to a general, for an expansion, first. The general’s name was La Hire. But I shan’t get too deep into those details. Anyway, they went to Orleans, and the Governor (called the Bastard) came to meet them. Then he decided to see if there was a way to trick Joan, who wanted to take out the siegers by storm, to siege the siegers. His plan worked. However, when Joan saw she had been tricked, she knew who to go to. She reproached him bitterly, saying that they had just lost precious time. Now they would have to go back to where Joan met up with La Hire and start over.
While they were on their way back to Orleans, Joan noticed one of their soldiers on a wagon, tied down. When Joan asked what the meaning of that was, the soldier responsible for it said to her that he had abandoned the army, and was to be put to death. Joan then asked the man tied down why he had left, the man said that his wife, the only member of his family left alive, was dreadfully sick, and he went to her, so he could comfort her. Then Joan asked the solider who was to kill the man if he came back of his own will. The soldier said that he did. Joan then said that he should be freed, and shame on the men who did this to him. She cleaned the wounds from the ropes, as the ropes were tied way too tight. She then put the man in her personal staff.
When they arrived at Orleans, they fought and they killed, and they won, and they were victorious. But they didn’t raise the siege, yet. They then went back to camp.
While Joan was sleeping, an angel—or God—told Joan that, “French blood is being spilt.” She jumped out of the chair she had been sleeping on and called for her arms. They were brought to her. She then went with her army to Orleans, the place where the battle was going on. When the French saw Joan and her army, they let loose a cheer; her presence, encouraging them, caused them to fight back hard and strong. Then, when the fighting there had ceased, they went to where the English camp was. There was Joan, weeping amidst a bunch of dead bodies not all enemy; however, she was not the only one standing alive. After that hard battle, they proceeded to a bastille, St. Augustine by name, and fought long and hard there; when the battle was won, they burned the bastille to the ground. It was then that they found that Joan had a wound in her foot. The Bastard of Orleans urged her to go back to camp for some rest. She accepted his advice. They had raised the siege of Orleans.
While she was at the camp, she was chatting with a friend, and her secretary was in the room, as well. It was then that Joan dictated a letter for her secretary. The letter was to be sent to her parents. In it was a line saying that she has a terrible wound. Her friend said that she shouldn’t worry her mother with the petty wound on her foot. Joan then said that it was not a wound she already had, but a wound she was going to get in the next battle. After she was done with the dictating of the letter, she was in a sort of trance. While she was talking to her friend, she said that before 2 years were over, she would be killed. That was too much for her friend. Her secretary told her to leave and not ask anything when she was like that.
After a while, she decided to go back to the army. So she rallied her men together and left. However, the whole thing had been a trick. When they arrived at the bridge they had to cross, there was a guard, set there by the Bastard. So what they did was they just charged through the guard and his forces.
Then they arrived at Tourelles. Joan had the men bombard the Bastille with artillery all morning; then about noon she led the charge. As she was climbing up one of the siege ladders, an arrow came and struck her between the neck and the shoulder. She fell of the ladder. It was then that the battle of a lifetime began. If the English caught her, then they would have France forever. If the French got her, they would regain France. Eventually the French won that battle. They then carried Joan away back to their “safe” zone. The Bastard then resumed the attack. Toward the fall of night, he sounded the retreat. Then Joan jumped up, her wound forgotten and went out to the Bastille herself. She asked the Standard-bearer to tell her when the flag touched the Bastille. When it touched she ordered her men inside the Bastille to take it by storm. They charged in with a rush and slaughtered every English-man inside.
When they arrived back at “civilized” lands, the Dauphin was there to meet them. He told Joan to ask anything and he would give it. She asked that he would accompany them on their “exploits.” He at first was going to, until the Chancellor told him not too. Joan persisted. He then said he would, when the road was clear for him.
They then went forth to Beaugency, where the fear of the French, an Englishman named Talbot with a dreadfully large army, was in charge, ready for what might come. However, Talbot himself was not there, as he had gone out to meet Fastolfe, who was coming to reinforce Talbot with 5000 men. While Joan was bombarding the castle, some wonderful news came. Richemont, Constable of France was coming with reinforcements. However, Richemont had fallen out of favor with the Dauphin, thanks to the Chancellor. Joan, La Hire, and the Bastard (yes, she had won the Bastard to her side) were willing to take him in. But there were a few captains who would not have him. But Joan made very short work of that. She told them to accept him. That did it. They accepted her proposal. Or, at least, obeyed.
In the morning, they received news from their scouts that Talbot and Fastolfe were approaching with their army. The French made the call to arms. By the time the English sent a message with an offer of battle, it was nightfall, so Joan denied and said that the day after, in the morning is when they would kill each other mercilessly.
In the morning, though, Talbot and Fastolfe had left. So there was no merciless killing. Then Joan and her army went to Patay. A deer, frightened by the French, bolted. After a while they heard an excited yell—the English! Now the French knew where the English were!
Well, then Joan told La Hire to lead his troops in a charge. La Hire did as was told. After a while, Joan issued the command for everyone to charge. After a long battle, the bugle sounded. The battle of Patay was won!
After that, they went back to the Dauphin. Joan convinced him to reconcile Richemont, constable of France. And now, the road being clear, the Dauphin would accompany Joan. They went to Troyes, and in 8 days it was theirs.
After they had accomplished that, the Dauphin’s coronation was held. So they went back to a “civilized” location that without doubt was theirs. The priests went for the holy flask of oil that was supposedly made in heaven. It was this flask of oil that had anointed the Kings since Clovis. When the Dauphin was made King, he asked Joan what reward she would have for her loyalty. Her answer was simply this: that her hometown of Domremy would be tax-free forever. This was granted. However, this promise was only kept for about 3-400 years.
After, they decided to do the one thing left: the march upon Paris. So they went. While there, Joan got struck with a crossbow bolt. She was literally carried off to where she could rest. She then heard that the King was not going to let the men take the city. He would have them leave. So, extremely reluctantly, everyone followed the King.
The war being “over”, as declared so by the King, Joan really had no use. So, when her temper was at the fullest, and she was really impatient, the King allowed her to go on skirmishes. During one of these skirmishes she was caught by the Duke of Burgundy, the King’s brother—who doesn’t deserve to call himself French—who held her up for ransom. Turns out that the English had a bishop pay the ransom for them, so she could be put on trial for anything against Catholicism.
During her trials, she was more at peace then even the judges. The judges, being English, were making complete fools of themselves. Joan would say something that would anger them, and they would be on their feet, shouting curses.
Eventually, after 3 months of tedious prying, they found something that they could use. It was a sign of witchcraft. They named the punishment: to be burned at the stake till fried. She was 19 years old.
This is my tribute to Joan of Arc, who, at 17 years old,
Led an army against the English, and won every battle,
Without killing anyone. With bravery she faced the stake,
With excitement left this world, to dwell with our Father who is in Heaven.
Robbie Myers 2/3/09