Why I admire Joan of Arc

It is not for what others made her out to be

The life of Joan of Arc is surrounded by myths and assumptions.

There is no surviving portrait she actually sat for, and the main source of documentation is the record of the trial in which she was convicted of heresy.

Her image was used as a form of propaganda in the centuries following her death, with the Catholic Church, opposing political factions in her native France, and even Nazi Germany casting her in roles that fit their agenda.

She is also frequently depicted in forms of entertainment, as a (tragic) heroine or martyr. It is easy to forget that there was a real human being from a humble village background underneath the Aryan saint she is so often depicted as.

It is actually despite, rather than due to, the countless embellishments, that Joan’s life and character struck a chord with me.

Of Simple Birth

Jehanne, as she writes her name in her surviving signatures, was born in the village of Domrémy. Situated in the northeast of France, it has since been renamed Domrémy-la-Pucelle to honor Joan’s nickname: “la Pucelle d’Orléans” (The Maid of Orléans).

There was no standard spelling of her name during her lifetime. The “d’Arc” (of Arc) part is an approximation of her father’s last name with no other meaning in particular.

Her exact date of birth is unknown, estimated to have been around 1412. Her father was a farmer, and she had three brothers and a sister.

As you can see in the image below, Joan’s signature was written rather shakily: besides the writing of her name, she appeared to have been illiterate.

At the time of her life, the Hundred Years’ War between France and England (1337–1453) was still ongoing. It was essentially a conflict revolving around competing claims to the throne of France, spiraling into a much broader series of struggles.

Far as it may seem from the daily concerns of a peasant girl, it was in this conflict that Joan entered the annals of history.

Support of Charles VII

In early 1429, Joan showed up at the court of Charles VII, the French “Dauphin” (heir apparent).

At this time, she had already adopted the habit of dressing in men’s clothing. Dark-haired, stocky, and relatively tan, she did not quite resemble the saintly images produced of her in later centuries.

In a private conversation, Joan convinced Charles VII that she was sent by God to ensure his rightful place on the throne.

Though the court theologians did not go so far as to definitively consider her inspiration divine, it was decided she would be sent to the strategically important city of Orléans.

Her mission was to aid in raising the siege on the city as a banner maiden; rather than take up the sword, she encouraged the troops by waving their banner.

It is known that she advised the commanders at times, and put herself at significant risk. Joan showed up where fighting was fierce, and even took an arrow between the neck and shoulder.

In little over a week, Orléans was relieved. On the French side, this was considered proof of Joan’s claims that she was sent by God. The English on the other hand, saw the work of the devil.

Further French victories, culminating in the Battle of Patay, secured the coronation of Charles VII at Reims.

Downfall and Arrest

Following the coronation, France was not yet quite free of English influence. There were negotiations with the political faction in support of English rule, particularly the Duke of Burgundy.

During this time, Joan took part in an unsuccessful attempt to liberate Paris, which saw Joan wounded again, and put her at odds with the court’s intention to find a diplomatic solution.

Another unsuccessful liberation attempt, this time of La Charité, in combination with a truce until Easter of 1430, further diminished Joan’s standing and relevance at court.

In March 1430, with no documented orders from Charles VII, Joan went on an expedition with an army of volunteers to relieve the siege on Compiègne. On May 23, she was captured by Burgundian forces.

While they were negotiating her handover to the English, Joan made two escape attempts, one of which involved her jumping from a tower. Towards the end of the year, the sale was concluded, and Joan was transferred to Rouen to await her trial for heresy in a pro-English court.

Though Charles VII had at an earlier time raised Joan and her family to the ranks of nobility out of gratitude for her services, he seemingly undertook nothing to rescue Joan from the English.

On Trial for Heresy

The outcome of the trial was predetermined, as accepting that Joan was on a mission from God would directly undermine the English cause.

Though meticulously documented, the trial record is not quite an objective source; even if things were written down as they were said, Joan’s life was discussed in light of her actions and the accusations leveled against her.

The trial, intended to tarnish Joan’s reputation, did ironically provide one of the strongest surviving records of her existence and attitudes.

Two topics in particular inspired discussion, and do so to this day: Joan’s male attire and her visions.

Men’s Clothing

There were two religious viewpoints at odds with each other; while the Old Testament condemns cross-dressing, Saint Thomas of Aquino had defined practical circumstances where it could be allowed in the 13th century.

These exceptional circumstances had to do with practicalities, such as hiding from enemies or no other outfit being available. It is not much of a stretch that these applied to Joan, who traveled with male warriors and was present on battlefields.

In modern terms, Joan’s cross-dressing is commonly mentioned in the context of gender fluidity. We need to however be careful to impose modern constructs on her, as she would not have thought along those terms herself.

It is not unthinkable, however, that two reasons for her attire held true at the same time.

There were clear practical benefits, not in the least for simply moving around and standing out less. Joan did not hide her gender and decidedly identified as a maiden, but the male clothing could still have helped to desexualize her.

What is true as well, is that Joan did not at all seem uncomfortable wearing male clothes. Whether inspired by her divine mission and thus her faith, or as a more personal part of her identity, she remained defiant about her attire.

While the French had had no particular issues with the way Joan dressed, the English saw it as grounds for condemning her as a heretic.

Visions and the Grace of God

Joan claimed her mission originated in visions of Saint Michael, Saint Margaret, and Saint Catherine, which started at the age of 13. She considered her actions and circumstances to have been as God willed it.

Through a modern prism, especially for those who do not believe in divine guidance whatsoever, we might ascribe Joan’s visions to some kind of mental issue.

Too much time has passed, and too little is known, to diagnose her with any certainty. In general, however, she seemed both physically and mentally sane. Theorists therefore mainly consider forms of temporary insanity, such as that caused by a psychotic episode or epileptic seizure.

If anything, there seems to be some influence from countryside myths regarding a maiden who would deliver France. They might have left an impression on the young Joan, who implied herself to be that savior.

It should be noted that in her trial it was not questioned whether she had visions, but what the source of the visions was.

At the time, the general populace and learned men alike accepted the possibility of this sort of guidance; the real question was whether it was divine or devilish.

It was also in this part of the trial where Joan showcased her shrewdness, when asked whether or not she was in God’s grace.

This was a trick question, as the Church held that no one could be certain of being in God’s grace, while denying it could obviously be held against her as an admittance of sin.

The perfect answer rang:

If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me. I should be the saddest creature in the world if I knew I were not in His grace.

Verdict, Death and Rehabilitation

To no one’s surprise, the accusation of heresy stuck. The only question was whether Joan would stick to her convictions to the end, or renounce her clothing and visions.

When confronted with the prospect of being burned alive, Joan agreed to sign an abjuration document; she would no longer wear male clothing and submitted that her visions were not to be believed.

Now deemed a repentant heretic, she would live out her days in prison, rather than being executed. Some days later, however, she was found to be wearing men’s clothing again and stated her recantation was false.

Though we cannot quite see into her mind, Joan seemed to not have understood exactly what she agreed to in the abjuration, and admitted to giving in for fear of the fire. She made it clear that she would rather die than deny her visions again.

So it happened. Upon being burned at the stake as a relapsed heretic, she was overheard praying until the very end.

With the French definitively ousting the English in 1453, Charles VII was awkwardly left with the guilty verdict against the supposed heretic who supported him.

A rehabilitation trial was to be the answer for this political liability; the court this time found that the original trial had been wrong, and Joan’s asentence was annulled.

Thus, within 25 years after her death, started the (ab)use of Joan’s legacy as an image to fit whatever cause was in vogue. There are just enough facts, while there is no imagery, to fill in the blanks in ways that make Joan a symbol to anyone.

As an interesting note to close this segment on, in the early twentieth century the Roman Catholic Church proclaimed Joan of Arc a patron saint of France.

Courage

What sticks with me the most, is the image of a young woman of great courage in a time where women’s rights and standing were virtually non-existent. Dying at approximately 19 years old, Joan had accomplished more than many do over their entire lifetime.

She appeared at the Dauphin’s court with bold claims, and delivered on them; though not all her military involvement was successful, she played an important role in securing Charles VII his crown.

This came at great personal risk to her, and she was wounded in battle more than once. Furthermore, after the court became more interested in diplomatic solutions, Joan kept joining military efforts to relieve the French from English rule.

When captured, Joan tried to escape twice, to the point of jumping off a tower. Though her king did not come to her rescue, she upheld her beliefs that she had done the right thing.

During her trial, with her humble background, she kept answering a court of learned judges that was stacked against her to the best of her abilities.

Even by her own admittance, Joan was afraid of the fire that would claim her life. Despite this fear and the abjuration she signed, she ultimately decided to stay true to herself and accepted her fate to die for her faith.

Whatever value you ascribe to Joan’s visions, it was clear that her Christian faith was an extraordinary source of strength for her. She was however not an angelic warrior who could fight her way out of situations, and no one, human or divine, rescued her from the fire she feared.

To my mind, facing a hostile world from a position of weakness is all the more impressive.