April 29, 1429: Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans


Joan of Arc was born in the small French village of Domremy around 1412. She was to the daughter of minor landholders, Jacques D’Arc and Isabelle Romee. During her childhood, France was in the grip of the Hundred Year War with England. When Joan was three, the French experienced a terrible defeat at the Battle of Agincourt. On top of the war with England, France was in the middle of a succession crisis. King Charles VI experienced periodic bouts of insanity and was frequently unable to rule. In response, the court split into two factions. The Armagnacs led by the heir to the throne, Charles who wanted to press his claim to the throne, and the Burgundians led by John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, wanted to establish a regency to rule in the King’s stead. France was beginning to splinter, as the teenaged Joan took fateful trip to her father’s garden on sunny afternoon.

One day in 1425, Joan walked through her father’s garden. As she walked, ethereal voices spoke to her. They were the voices of the angels. They told her to take up arms against the English, and the win Charles back his throne. At first, she ignored the voices, but they came to her again and again. By the time she was 17, she ventured off to fulfill her destiny.

She asked the commander of a local garrison to escort her to the court of Charles. At first, he laughed her off, but he soon realized that she had been sent by God, and granted the escort. When Charles met Joan, he was greatly suspicious of her. Joan relayed her story to the Dauphine, and he became intrigued. He consulted with the best theological minds he could find, and they questioned the young peasant girl. To their surprise, Joan remained calm and composed. As Joan was being interrogated, Charles received word the city of Orleans was under siege from the English. The holy man could not say whether in fact Joan was sent by God. However, they said that sending her with an army to relieve the siege could not hurt. So Charles released Joan and his army to relieve the siege at Orleans. On April 29, Joan and her troops arrived to aid the defenders. A few days later, the French soldiers were victorious in pushing the English back.



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