Jeanne d’Arc, or La Pucelle, the Maid of Orleans became a national heroine and patron saint of France in the fifteenth century. She was born to Isabelle de Vouthon and Jacques Darc, small peasant farmers in the town of Domremy, near Champagne. She was the youngest of fivechildren, and grew up learning to attend in the fields and housekeeping duties. She was quiteskilled in sewing and spinning. Although illiterate, Joan was taught about religion and wasknown to be a pious child who spent a lot of time in prayer and petition, often kneeling in thechurch in quiet humility. People in her community thought of Joan as exceptionally advancedand mature for her age and had the reputation of being a tender hearted individual, especially tothe poor.At around the age of thirteen, Joan became conscious of these voices or “counsel” thatshe heard. These voices were supposedly those of St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret,believing that they had been sent by God. At first, she reported just hearing a voice, later, thevoice(s) were accompanied by a figure. She was somewhat reluctant to speak of these voices. Itwas these voices that revealed her saintly “mission” gradually, that it was her divine mission tofree her country from the English, aid the dauphin gain the French throne, and became certainthat she was to go and help the King. It was then she felt urged to present herself to thecommander of the King for a neighboring town, Robert Baudricourt. He treated herdisrespectfully and treated her mission with scant respect as well. Her insistence eventually paidoff, and Baudricourt listened to her announcement of a great defeat that had befallen the Frencharms outside Orleans, which turned out to be the Battle of the Herrings, and officially confirmeda few days later, which proved her credibility somewhat to Baudricourt.Once Joan had convinced the captain of the dauphin’s forces, she went on to anex...
