Joan of Arc

Date of Birth: January 6, 1412

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Date of Death: May 30, 1431

Biography

Joan of Arc, also known as Jeanne d’Arc, was a French peasant girl who became a national heroine and a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. She was born around 1412 in Domrémy, a small village in northeastern France. Joan claimed to have received visions from saints instructing her to support Charles VII and recover France from English domination during the Hundred Years’ War. At the age of 17, she gained an audience with Charles VII and successfully persuaded him to allow her to lead an army to the besieged city of Orléans, where she achieved a momentous victory in 1429. This victory marked the turning point in the war. Joan’s influence continued to grow, and she played a pivotal role in the coronation of Charles VII in Reims. However, her success was short-lived. In 1430, she was captured by the Burgundians, allies of the English, and was handed over to the English. Joan was put on trial for charges including heresy, witchcraft, and dressing as a man. She was found guilty and was burned at the stake on May 30, 1431, at the age of 19. In 1456, a posthumous retrial declared her innocent, and in 1920, she was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.

5 Interesting Facts about Joan of Arc

1. Joan of Arc claimed to have visions from Archangel Michael, Saint Margaret, and Saint Catherine instructing her to support Charles VII.

2. She was only 17 years old when she led the French army to victory at the Siege of Orléans.

3. Joan was captured by the Burgundians while trying to defend Compiègne and was later sold to the English.

4. Her trial and execution were highly political, and she was charged with heresy, witchcraft, and cross-dressing.

5. Joan of Arc was canonized as a saint by Pope Benedict XV in 1920, nearly 500 years after her death.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Joan of Arc

1. “I am not afraid… I was born to do this.”

2. “Act, and God will act.”

3. “One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.”

4. “I would rather die than do something which I know to be a sin, or to be against God’s will.”

5. “If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Joan of Arc did not accumulate wealth during her lifetime as her role was that of a military leader and a devout follower of her visions, rather than a figure of financial or material wealth.