Joan of Arc (1412-1431)
Joan of Arc burning at the stake
Memorial near spot of her death in Rouen
May 30th 1431: Joan of Arc burned at the stake
On this day in 1431, in Rouen, France the 19-year-old Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. The peasant girl, who claimed that God had chosen her and gave her divine guidance, led France’s army to several victories during the Hundred Years’ War. This long-running war aimed to liberate France from English control and establish the French crown prince Charles of Valois as King, making Joan of Arc a national heroine in France. She famously defied many of the gender norms of her day, refusing to marry, and dressing as a man in order to cross enemy territory to reach Charles’s palace. Joan had no military experience, but successfully led French forces to victory in several battles, including in the city of Orléans. However, Joan of Arc was captured by the English and put on trial for witchcraft and heresy, of which she was convicted. As was customary at the time, she was burned at the stake for her crimes. She was posthumously declared innocent and made a Catholic saint; this day is often celebrated to commemorate the remarkable story of Joan of Arc.
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