Joan of Arc was born to poor parents at Domremy on the borders of Lorraine and Champagne on 6th June 1412. Joan was not what one would call the usual visionary.She was a healthy country girl who went about her daily chores around the house in a cheery manner.
At the age of thirteen she began to hear voices which often came when she was alone in the woods or sitting quietly in church. The message they gave was to go to the aid of France’s rightful king and save her country. God would lead her.
That is exactly what she did until the coronation of Charles VII.
After that period Joan then felt her mission was over and asked permission to hang up her sword.
Many nobles were jealous of her success, whilst the English wanted her dead. A treacherous deal was arranged, and for a large sum of money, the Burgundians handed her over to her enemies.
The King of France, the only one who could save her was too cowardly to save her. Abandoned by her voices and brought before the inquisition she was indicated on 70 counts, many of them sorcery and witchcraft.
By the time the trail was over the charges had been reduced to 12. However, she was convicted and executed 30th May 1431.
Joan was subsequently declared innocent by the Inquisition on 7th July 1456 who ruled that the original trail had been tainted by fraud. She was therefore described as a martyr by the Inquisitor.
Joan of Arc was beautified in 1909, and later cannonised as a saint in 1920.
Maid of Heaven A website dedicated to telling the true story of Saint Joan of Arc.
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