Jeanne d'Arc A Brief Biography
Born in 1412? to Jacques and Isabelle d'Arc in Doremy, France.
Her mother taught her domestic skills and religion, and she was known throughout the region for her kindness to others. During her childhood, France was fighting a war not only against the English but also against a French splinter group from Burgundy.

When she was 13, Jeanne began hearing revelations from God through the voices of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret.

Over the next five years, these voices instructed her to lead the siege at Orleans, and bring Charles to Reims for his crowning -- and drive out the invading English troops.

In February of 1429, she traveled to Chinon where she met with the Dauphin Charles on March 9th. She received the Dauphin's approval to win back the city of Orleans which she and her men took in just one week.

In July of 1429, the Dauphin Charles was crowned King of France in the cathedral in Reims. After his crowning, the king soon lost interest in Jeanne's advice. nBut she kept fighting on until she was captured in battle against the Burgundians.

After a year she was handed over to the English by the Burgundians. The English condemned Jeanne as a witch and a heretic. She was finally burnt at the stake in market square in Rouen on May 30th, 1431.

In 1920, almost 500 years later, Pope Benedict XV read the bull of canonization declaring her a saint.

The details of the life of Jeanne d'Arc form a biography which is unique among the world's biographies in one respect: It is the only story of a human life which comes to us under oath, the only one which comes to us from the witness-stand.

	Jeanne d'Arc & the 100 Years' War's historical background The Hundred Years' War is the generic name given to a succession of Anglo-French conflicts. The troubles started when Edward III of England, grand-son of King of France Philippe IV le Bel, claimed the throne of France. Edward III attacked France and defeated King Philippe VI de Valois in Crécy (1346), and seized Calais (1347). Philippe VI's successor, Jean II le Bon, was defeated and captured in Poitiers (1356), and had to sign the treaty of Brétigny (1360), by which a quarter of the Kingdom of France was annexed by England. During the second half of XIVth century, King of France Charles V and Constable Du Guesclin expelled the English from most of France. In 1380, only Guyenne and Calais were still under English control. Under the reign of Charles VI, the civil war between the House of Orléans and Duke of Burgundy, as well as Charles VI's insanity, helped the English to reconquer the lost territories. After the battle of Agincourt (1415), the treaty of Troyes imposed the deposition of Charles VI and the regency of King of England (1420). In 1429, Jeanne d'Arc seized Orléans and crowned King Charles VII in Reims. She was caught in Compiègne and burnt at the stake in Rouen in 1431. However, the English were defeated in Formigny (1450) and Castillon (1453), and expelled from France. They only kept Calais, which was given back to France in 1558.