In May 1430, while defending the town of Compiègne from a Burgundian attack, Joan was captured. She was eventually handed over to the English and put on trial for heresy in Rouen. The trial was politically motivated, seeking to discredit both Joan and Charles VII’s legitimacy.

Joan stood firm during months of interrogation, maintaining that her visions were from God. On May 30, 1431, at the age of 19, she was burned at the stake. Her final words were “Jesus, Jesus.”

Twenty-five years later, a Church retrial posthumously declared her innocent. In 1920, she was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.

Joan’s Victories: A Lasting Impact

Joan of Arc’s military victories were not just battles won—they were turning points in a war that had seemed hopeless for France. The lifting of the siege of Orléans and the coronation of Charles VII changed the course of the Hundred Years’ War. Though Joan was executed in 1431, her inspiration endured. Charles VII gradually reconquered French territories, and by 1453, the war ended with the English holding only Calais.

Joan's legacy has grown over the centuries. She became a symbol of French unity, patriotism, and divine justice. Her life represents the extraordinary power of faith, courage, and conviction to alter the course of history.

Conclusion

Joan of Arc’s victories during the Hundred Years’ War were nothing short of miraculous. A young girl with no formal training in warfare managed to reverse the tide of a nation’s despair. She brought hope to a broken kingdom, rallied armies with divine conviction, and left behind a legacy that transcends time. Her victories were not just military successes—they were moral and spiritual triumphs that redefined what a single individual could accomplish in the face of overwhelming odds. Joan of Arc remains a beacon of courage and an enduring icon of resistance and faith in the history of France and the world. shutdown123