Joan of Arc
A young peasant woman who became a military and religious figure during the Hundred Years’ War. Her intervention contributed to Charles VII’s political recovery before her capture and execution.
Life of Joan of Arc
Domrémy
Born around 1412 into a peasant family at Domrémy, on the borders of Lorraine, she later said that from the age of thirteen she had heard the voices of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret. In the midst of the Hundred Years’ War, with northern France in English and Burgundian hands, she presented herself to the Dauphin Charles at Chinon in 1429.
References: Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica
Orléans and Reims
After being examined by theologians at Poitiers, she accompanied the army that lifted the siege of Orléans in May 1429. The victory at Patay opened the road to Reims, where the Dauphin was crowned Charles VII on 17 July. The attack on Paris failed in September.
References: Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica
Capture and trial
Captured by the Burgundians at Compiègne in May 1430, she was sold to the English and tried for heresy at Rouen by a court presided over by Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Condemned as a relapsed heretic, she was burned in the Place du Vieux-Marché on 30 May 1431.
References: Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica
Rehabilitation
A nullification trial promoted by her family and authorised by Pope Callixtus III annulled the sentence in 1456. She was beatified in 1909 and canonised in 1920. Since the nineteenth century very different political traditions have claimed her as their own.
References: Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica
This complete profile is available in English. Bibliographic titles retain their original language. Links marked ES open the Spanish edition.
Key details
Birth: 6 January 1412 Documented
Death: 30 May 1431 Documented
Role: Military leader and saint
Other recorded names: Jeanne d’Arc · Saint Joan of Arc · The Maid
Dynasty: No identified house · ES
Territories: France (ES)
Recorded relationships
No direct relationships are recorded for this person.
Sources for this profile
Biographical and contextual references in their original language. Sources and methodology.
Evidence for this profile
2 recorded claims · 0 without a claim-specific source. Context references do not by themselves verify every fact.
Dates (2/2 with a precise source)
- BirthDocumented
6 January 1412
The authority record gives the birth as 1412-01-06. - DeathDocumented
30 May 1431
The authority record gives the death as 1431-05-30.
Biographical and contextual references (2)
Editorial history
- 2026-10-12 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
- 2026-10-08 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
- 2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
- 2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
- 2026-10-03 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
- 2026-09-30 · The duchy is limited to Dijon and Autun; each other fief now enters the map only under its dated ruler. John III of Namur and the Nevers/Rethel branch were added. The previous shape combined later counties and unrelated lands as if all belonged to the duchy from 1363.
- 2026-09-28 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
