This Day in History: 1430-05-23
On this day in 1430, Joan of Arc was captured by the English allies.
Joan of Arc was a 16-year-old peasant girl who first began to hear voices at the age of 16. Believing it was the voices of religious saints giving her a holy quest to rid France of the English, she met with the French dauphin, Charles. Joan convinced Charles of her divinity and gave her the small force and mission to aid the besieged castle. Her success led to her growing popularity and the brave young girl led French troops to many victories against the English.
After the French defeat at Agincourt on the 25th of October 1415 where Henry V’s forces defeated a much larger French force, morale had been low for years. When further victories by Henry V led to the signing of the “Treaty of Troyes”, which proclaimed Henry the King of France after Charles VI’s death, the war seemed over and France was defeated. But when Henry V and Charles VI died both thrones were left to Henry’s heir, 11-month-old Henry VI. Charles VI’s son was not willing to give up the throne and the war continued with self-proclaimed Charles VII of France only controlling land below the Loire River.
But with Joan came new hope and renewed energy in the French army. The defeat of the English at the besieged castle in Orleans was the first major victory for the French in decades and would lead to many more. Continued victories by Joan’s armies would eventually lead to France winning the war after 116 years and Charles VII reclaiming the French throne for his people.
Joan of Arc was captured by the English allies on the 23rd of May 1430 and given to English forces in Normandy. She was put on trial for heresy among other charges and after being found guilty, burnt at the stake on the 30th of May 1431 aged 19. 25 years after her trial Pope Callixtus III examined the evidence and pronounced her innocent of heresy and proclaimed her a Martyr.