La Pucelle

Joan of Arc or La Pucelle [French for “the Maid”]. She created quite the stir during the latter part of the Hundred Years War. With her military tactics as well as commands from God, she helped to save the French in this war against the English. She is most noted for her siege of Orleans where in just under two weeks she freed the city from English control (Devries vii). Yet she would not have a warrior’s death, instead she received a much different punishment. On the 23^rd of May in 1430, the Burgundians captured La Pucelle as she refused to leave any soldier behind, therefore leaving herself open to capture (Devris 174). The English government purchased her from the Burgundian king, before trying her for witchcraft and burning her at the stake, [the image is a 19^th century painting showing her death, the source is here].

In class, she was mentioned only fleetingly yet she played a very large role in making sure that the French actually survived the Hundred Years War. Before she arrived, the French were tired, hungry, and sick of experiencing defeat after defeat. She managed not only to rally the troops to her side, but even the populous of France came to support her and what she stood for. Yet because of her belief that she heard the divine word of God the English viewed her as a heretic and burned her for this reason among others, notably her refusal to wear women’s dress. At least for me personally her choice makes sense, first because she was a soldier, and second because after her capture she lived in constant fear of being sexually assaulted. To wear men’s clothes brought a little more protection as well as the ability to move more easily in a given situation.

*All of my information came from the book Joan of Arc A Military Leader by Kelly Devries.*

-By Jenn Kervian