Joan of Arc

Also known as: Ione Arc / Ione Domprin / Ione la Pusell / Ione le Pusell / Pusell · Family: France · Role: military commander · First appears: Henry VI 13

In the first week of March 1428, Joan was brought to Charles VII at Chinon by Peter Badricourt. She was the daughter of James of Arc and Isabel of Arc, raised poor in their cattle-keeping trade, and presented a prophecy that she would lift the siege of Orleance, place Charles VII on the French throne, and drive out the English. Thereupon Charles VII appointed her an army with “absolute power to lead them.” She helped defeat the siege at Orleance, encouraged his coronation at Reims, and fought alongside John II, Duke of Alençon and Poton de Xaintrailles; at Mehun and Baugencie, the French forces also seized the bridge tower and compelled the town to surrender.

During the fighting she opposed William Gladesdale at Orleance, later faced John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and fought Franquet at Laignie. In May 1430, her forces overwhelmed Franquet, whom she had held prisoner, and she had him beheaded. At Campiegne, John of Luxembourg, Lord of Ligny’s forces defeated the French sortie and captured her; one account also accused Guillaume de Flavy of shutting the gates after sending her out, while another said she was sold to the English.

After her capture, Peter Cauchon ordered an inquiry into her life and beliefs. In the presence of her mother, Ione, and her brothers John of Arc and Peter of Arc, Joan took an oath renouncing sorcery and men’s clothing, but was later judged a relapsed offender, delivered to secular power, and burned at Rone. In 1456, a contrary sentence declared her divine, cleared Charles VII of wrongdoing, and judged the process, condemnation, and sentence against her wrong and injurious; Pope Callixtus III was also associated with that reversal.