Personality - Joan of Arc

"Joan was a being so uplifted from the ordinary run of mankind that she finds no equal in a thousand years."
- Winston Churchill

Joan of Arc, an ordinary French peasant girl has been immortalized as a military leader, martyr and saint. During her early years she heard the voices of St. Michael, St. Catherine and St. Margaret informing her that she had a great mission to fulfil. The purpose of her life was to render her services to her nation.

It was quite incredible that she convinced Dauphin Charles, heir to the French throne to give her an army to end the English occupation of France. In 1429, against all odds, Joan led the French to a great victory at Orleans. It seemed quite incredible as to how a young ordinary girl could accomplish such a herculean task. Her eventual capture, imprisonment, trial and execution provided a dramatic ending to a short but remarkable life.

The Inexplicable Joy
Joan of Arc was born on January 6, 1412, to Jacquot d'Arc and Isabelle in the village of Domremy. The birth of this child went in no way unnoticed in the whole of Domremy. The womenfolk of Domremy recalled later that on the night of Epiphany, when Isabelle Romee lay in childbed, the whole village was possessed with inconceivable joy. Those who were up late celebrating the holiday commented to one another of their unaccountable happiness and even the cocks on their dunghills set up a clamorous crowing as if they had seen the daystar at midnight. It was not until the following morning that Domremy learned of the birth of Joan, and the villagers wondered whether the child's coming had had anything to do with the events of that night.

The inexplicable euphoria experienced that night may account for the unusual number of godparents that stood for Joan at the font. There were at least ten, men and women of modest station, but all witnesses to the respectable position held by Jacquot d'Arc and his wife.

She was christened Jehanne ("Joan") after her godmothers Jehanne Royer and Jehanne de Viteau. Her father owned a house and a little land. Despite this security, life for the d'Arc family was hard. Instead of going to school, Joan along with her sister and three brothers spent much of their time in helping their parents on the family farm.

Her Parents

Jacquot d'Arc was a man of more than ordinary intelligence, hard-working, God-fearing, honest, and unusually aware of the hard lot of his fellows. He was not a native of Domremy. Shortly before marrying Isabelle Romee, Vouthon, he had come from his birthplace, Ceffonds in Champagne, to establish himself in a district which, perhaps because the wars had spared it, appealed to him for its comparative safety for his prospective family.

Isabelle, whose name implied a pilgrimage to the Holy City, was, like her husband, a person of strong character and probity. In her household her sphere was limited, but her own. She cared for her children, with special attention to the girls, more tempting to the Devil for their innocence. She cooked and baked, spun, wove and sewed and, when her daughters were old enough, passed on her skill to them. Joan, indeed, was proud of her domestic accomplishments. "I fear no woman in Rouen in sewing and spinning," she was to say in defending her feminine virtues.

Heavenly Visitants

Isabelle did her duty by instructing her children in the faith and lessons of the Commandments. As for more formal learning, they had none. Joan acquired "Our Father", "Hail Mary" and the "Credo" by her heart. She found them sufficient for her guidance - at least until that summer's day, in 1425, when she had the first intimation of her heavenly visitants.

Like the other children of the village Joan took her turn in the communal pastures, looking after the grazing cattle. Her declaration on this part of her childhood are oddly contradictory, as if her keeping the cows and the sheep were something to pass over quickly, or be ashamed of.

Joan was a serious child, though probably to her unimaginative parents she appeared little different from her sister Catherine, at least until that secret experience in her early adolescence which, although she spoke of it to none but the parish priest at confession, nevertheless must have filled that humble house with uneasy intimations, strong enough to trouble Jacques d' Arc's sleep. Years later Joan told how it came to pass, in words of such rapt sincerity that one hears in them the unmistakable accent of revelation.

"When I was in my thirteenth year I had a Voice from God to help me govern myself. The first time I had great fear. The Voice came to me toward noon, in the summer, in my father's garden. I had not fasted the day before. I heard the Voice on my right hand, in the direction of the church, and seldom has it come to me without a great light."

From The Commonplace To The Miraculous

What had occurred in the child's inner being to bring about such a terrifying experience ? In the external, habitual world, Domremy had quite recently suffered another raid from one of the robber lordlings. But such attacks were common that the shudder must have been mitigated by repetition. If Joan had suffered shock, it could not have been so violent as, suddenly, to lay her soul open to mystical assault. For Joan was healthy in body and mind. In that as in other misfortunes which she hared and was to share with her neighbors, she did her practical part - caring for the sick, giving up her pallet to way worn refugees, and helping wherever help was needed. Still, it may be that some experience which the child would normally have accepted touched off a world of subliminal perception in the highly sensitive adolescence. From the time she first heard the Voice that summer noon in her father's garden, divided from the church by the graveyard and its humble stones, Joan's life was removed from the commonplace to the miraculous.

The Shepherdess Of Domremy

The myth of the shepherdess of Domremy is certainly one that had no support from Joan herself. "All the time I lived at home," she said, "I worked at common household tasks and went seldom to the fields with our sheep and other cattle." Nevertheless, her red peasant skirt made a spot of color in the grass of the meadows as she sat with the other children, and lifted like a fiery wing as she ran races with them - races, they remembered, in which her feet scarcely touched the ground, but seemed rather to skim above it, leaving them far behind.

The Shimmering Cloud
They told a legend of such a race when she ran with such speed that in the end she fell to the ground at the edge of the meadow and lay like one in a trance. While she was resting there a youth appeared and bade her to go home, for her mother needed her. Joan got up obediently and was walking toward her house when she met her mother, who scolded her for not tending the sheep. "But did you not send for me?" asked Joan. As her mother shook her head, Joan left her and was retracing her steps to the meadows when her eyes were dazzled by a shimmering cloud. And out of the cloud she heard a voice calling her by name and telling her things of which for a long time she did not dare to speak.

The incident held one thing that to Joan was incontestable: the reality of the voice and the vision, both of which, now separately but more often together, began coming to her with increasing frequency. And not only in her father's garden, or in the meadow, and not merely as a disembodied voice or a light.

The Change

She had never been quite of a romping child, she now gave herself little to games and frolics. "As little as I could," she confessed, with a note of ruefulness for the childish things she had so early put away. Everything had changed. She lay in the fields, but she was no longer alone with her dumb beasts. Now the sun collected in a great shimmer and talked with the voices of angels. Now, whenever the girls of Domremy went to the Ladies' or the Fairies' Tree, the great beech from which came the fair May branches, Joan was no longer with them to weave garlands, later hung from the boughs, to dance about its huge trunk or to sing as she used to do before reaching the age of discretion and of divine obligation.

Joan's thoughts, as the years passed, were far removed from fairy trees, oak forests and mandrakes, though no one, except perhaps her father, had any inkling of the girl's secret life. The Voices came to her twice, sometimes three times a week. Most often she heard them during the hours of the offices, especially in the morning and at vespers, in the deepening twilight. She heard them in the ringing of the church bells, mingling with their music but sweeter than any music.

The Command

Always with the voices, came that dazzling cloud. She saw it many times before she knew it to be Saint Michael. That was her fourteenth year. At first he merely told her to be good. He instructed her how to conduct herself and bade her to often go to church. But as Joan grew to realize the woeful condition of her country and began to to take sides in the fierce conflicts. Saint Michael broke the news gently that she must leave her parents, her brothers, her sister and her friends to go into France. The kingdom, he told her, was in a pitiful state, and she must help the despairing people by going to the help of the Dauphin.

The words and the counsel frightened the poor child, but as if to give her confidence Saint Michael later came accompanied by Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret. Their voices were beautiful, sweet and soft, and thier presence exhaled the odor of flowers. They called her Little-Joan the Maid, Child of God.

Her whole mode of life changed under the burden of the mission to which she had been elected.

Vancouleurs

Her faith in God enabled her to muster enough courage to embark on the mission led by the voices. Joan traveled from Domremy to Vancouleurs in May 1428. There she asked the captain of the Garrison, Robert de Baudricourt for permission to visit the Dauphin. However, he did not take the 16-year-old girl and her visions seriously. Despite her attempts to explain to him of her mission, she was advised to return home. She returned home but was not demoralized so easily. She went to Vancouleurs again in January 1429. Her quietness and piety gained her the respect of the people and the captain. He permitted her to go to the Dauphin at Chinon. Dressed in masculine clothes and accomplished by six men-at-arms, she left for Vancouleurs on February 13. After traveling for 11 days she reached Chinon.

The Royal Meeting At Chinon

At Chinon she went to the Dauphin’s castle. He was hesitant to receive her because his counselors advised him against it. Two days later she was permitted to visit him. In the royal court Joan explained to him of her mission to battle against the English and to crown him the King. The Dauphin ordered the ecclesiastical authorities to interrogate her immediately. For three weeks she was interrogated at Portiers by eminent theologians. Joan told the ecclesiastics that it was not at Portiers but at Orleans that she would give proof of her mission.

The Preparation

Joan returned to Chinon. During April the Dauphin provided her with a military at Tours. Jean d’ Aulon was her squire and her brothers Jean and Pierre also joined her. Joan had her standard (flag) painted with an image of Christ in judgment and a banner made bearing the name of Jesus. When the question of a sword arose she declared that it would be found in the church of Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois. As described by Joan the sword was in fact found there.

Several hundred men were mustered at Blois and on April 27 they set out for Orleans. Orleans, besieged since October 12, 1428 was almost surrounded by a ring of English troops. When Joan and one of the French commanders, La Hire, entered Orleans with supplies on April 29, she was instructed that further action would have to be procrastinated until further reinforcements could be brought in.

Letters Of Defiance

On May 4, when Joan was resting in the evening, she suddenly arose and announced that she must go and attack the English. Having armed herself she set out towards the east of the city towards an English fort. There a secret meeting was in progress. Even Joan was not informed of the meeting. Her arrival roused the French and they captured the fort. The following day Joan addressed another of her letters of defiance to the English.

Strength Of Spirit

On May 6, in the morning she crossed the south bank of the river and advanced towards another fort. The English immediately evacuated it in order to defend a stronger position nearby, but Joan and La Hire attacked them there and took the fort. On May 7, the French troops advanced toward the fort of Tourelles. Joan was wounded but she quickly resumed to fight. She exemplified unique will power and strength of character. It was partially owing to her that the French commanders maintained the attack until the English drew up terms. The following day the English began retreating but as it was a Sunday, Joan refused to allow any attack on the enemy troops.

The Castle At Beaugency
Joan left Orleans on May 9 and visited Charles at Tours. She earnestly tried to persuade him to immediately go to Reims, where he would be crowned the king. He hesitated because some of his wise counselors advised him to undertake the conquest of Normandy. But Joan’s importunity saved the day. First of all it was decided to clear the English out of the other towns along the Loire River. Joan along with Due d’ Alencon who had been made the lieutenant general of the French armies took on towns and an important bridge. Their next target was Beaugency but the English retreated into the castle. Joan with the help of Constable de Richemont was able to capture the castle of Beaugency.

The Confrontation

The French and the English armies came face to face at Patay on June 18, 1429. Joan promised that the French troops would be the victor. She said that Charles would win a greater victory that day than any he had ever won. Things turned out the same way as Joan had prophesized. Defeat at the hands of the French army was a crushing blow to the English army as well as to its reputation.

The Coronation

Instead of making a bold attack on Paris, Joan and the French commanders rejoined the Dauphin who was staying with La Tremoille at Suly-Sur-Loire. Again Joan tried to cajole Charles to go to Reims immediately. However, he vacillated and as he traveled through the towns on the banks of Loire, she accompanied him. Though she was quite well aware of the dangers and the difficulties involved in the coronation, she did not pay heed to them. Finally she succeeded in convincing Charles for the coronation.

The Dauphin sent out the customary letters of summons to the coronation from Giens. Joan wrote two letters. One was addressed to the people of Tournai. The other was a challenge to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy. Joan and the Dauphin set out for Reims on June 29. Before arriving at Troyes, Joan wrote a letter addressed to its inhabitants. She promised to pardon them if they submitted quietly. The people of Troyes sent the popular preacher brother Richard to convey to Joan that they would not pay heed to her. Though the friar showed full enthusiasm for Joan and her mission, the townsfolk decided to remain loyal to the Anglo Burgundian regime. At a council held by the Dauphin, Joan proposed to attack the town. The next morning she began the assault and the townsfolk surrendered soon after. The royal army then marched towards Chalons. At Chalons the count bishop handed the keys of the town to Charles, though he earlier had decided to resist. On July 17, 1429, Charles was crowned the King. Joan, who was present at the celebration stood with her banner not far from the altar. After the ceremony she knelt before Charles and addressed to him as king for the first time. On the same day Joan wrote a letter to the Duke of Burgundy, requesting him to make peace with the king and to withdraw his garrisons from the royal fortresses.

Idol For The French

Charles VII left Reims on July 20 and for a month the army wandered through Champagne and the Ile-de-France. On August 2, the king decided to retreat from Provins to the Loire. This move implied that he had given up all plans to attack Paris. The loyal towns that would have been left to the enemy’s mercy expressed their fear. Joan opposed Charles’ decision. She wrote a letter to reassure the citizens of Reims on August 5. In her letter she stated that the Duke of Burgundy who then possessed Paris had made a fortnight’s truce after which it was hoped that he would hand over Paris to the king. On August 6, the English troops disallowed the French army from crossing the Seine at Bray. By then Joan was acclaimed everywhere. According to a 15th century chronicler she was the idol of the French. At that juncture she felt that the purpose of her mission had been achieved.

The Truce
On August 14, near Senlis the French and English armies again confronted each other. Neither side dared to start a battle, though Joan openly challenged them. Meanwhile Compiegne, Beauvais, Senlis and other towns, north of Paris surrendered to the king. On August 28, a four months’ truce was made for all the territories located north of Seine as well as for Burgundy.

Reluctant Retreat

With the passage of time Joan grew increasingly impatient. She thought it was essential to take over Paris. Joan and Alencon were at Saint Denis on August 26. By that time the Parisians had started to organize their defences. On September 7, Charles arrived at Saint Denis. The next day an attack was launched on Paris. In the war Joan’s presence was strongly felt by the French as well as the English. She stood on the earthworks and told them to surrender. Though she was wounded she continued to encourage the soldiers. The next day Joan and Alencon intended to resume the attack, but unfortunately were commanded to retreat.

Charles VII went to the Loire and was followed by Joan. On September 22, the French army was disbanded at Gien Alencon and the other captains returned home. Only Joan stayed back with the king. Later when Alencon planned an attack on Normandy, he requested the king to allow Joan to rejoin him. But la Tremoille and the other courtiers did not favor his idea. Joan went to Bourges along with the king. Many years later the people of Bourges remembered Joan for her generosity to the poor. In October, she went with few men to attack Saint-Pierre-de-Mautier. Her courageous assault was a major factor in taking the town. The next target of Joan’s army was La Charite-sur-Loire. When they ran short of munitions they appealed to the neighboring towns for help. Unfortunately the supplies arrived quite late and after a month the French troops had to withdraw.

Support Of Melun

Joan rejoined the king who was in the towns along the Loire. In December 1429, Charles VII issued patent letters ennobling Joan, her parents and her brothers. In 1430, the Duke of Burgundy began to threaten Brie and Champagne. As a result the inhabitants of Reims were afraid that there would be an attack on Reims. In March, Joan wrote a letter, which was addressed to them. She assured them of the king’s concern and promised to defend them. Meanwhile the Duke of Burgundy started preparations for an assault on Compiegne. On the other hand the townsfolk determined to resist the attack. Later Joan left the king to help the townsfolk. She was accompanied only by her brother Pierre, the squire Jean d’Aulon and a small troop. In April, she arrived at Melun. There the citizens of Melun declared to support Charles.

Compiegne

On May 14, 1430 Joan was at Compiegne. There she encountered Renand de Charles, the archbishop of Reims and Louis I de Bourbon, Comte de Vendome, who was a relative of the king. Along with them she went to Soissons where the townsfolk did not allow them to enter. As a consequence Renand and Vendome decided to return to the south of the Marne and Seine rivers, while Joan preferred to return to her "good friends" in Compiegne.

While returning Joan got the news the John of Luxembourg, the captain of a Burgundian company had besieged Compiegne. She hurried and entered Compiegne secretly. On May 23, Joan led an army and almost drove away the Burgundians twice. But eventually the British forces overpowered the French troops and the French army was forced to retreat. Joan was at the last protecting the rear guard while they crossed the Oise River. She was thrown of her horse and was unable to remount. She gave herself up and along with brothers Pierre and Jean d’ Aulon was taken to Marguy. There the Duke of Burgundy went to see her. To make matters worse Renaud de Charles accused her of rejecting all counsel and acting willfully. Charles who was looking forward to sign a truce with the Duke of Burgundy made no attempt to save her.

Captured

Later John of Luxembourg sent Joan and Jean d’ Aulon to his castle in Vormandois. When she tried to escape, he sent her to one of his more distant castles. Though she was treated kindly, she became increasingly distressed whenever she thought of Compiegne. She was so desperate to escape to Compiegne that she jumped from the top of a tower and fell unconscious into a moat. Fortunately she was not seriously injured. After she recovered, she was taken to Arras, a town which adhered to the Duke of Burgundy.

On May 25, news of her capture had reached Paris. The following day the University of Paris requested the Duke to give custody of Joan either to the chief inquisitor or to the bishop of Beauvais, Pierre Cauchon. A letter requesting the same was dispatched to John of Luxembourg. On July 14, the Bishop had a visit to the Duke of Burgundy. He requested the English to hand over Joan in return for a payment of 10,000 francs. As a result of this Joan was handed over to the Bishop by January 3, 1431. Joan’s trial was to take place at Roven. She was kept in a tower in the castle of Bouvreil. Joan was brought to trial before a church because the University of Paris insisted that she was to be tried as a heretic. Cauchon, bishop of Beauvais and Lemaitre, the vice inquisitor of France were the judges at Joan’s trial.

The Interrogation

From January 13, 1431 onwards Joan’s statements were read before the Bishop and other assessors. Those statements were to provide the framework for Joan’s interrogation. When Joan was asked to appear before her judges on February 21, she asked for permission to attend the mass before it. Joan was not granted permission on account of the seriousness of her crimes, which included having attempted suicide by jumping into a moat. Joan swore the truth when she was asked to but she refused to reveal what she had said to Charles. Canchon did not allow her to leave the prison. But Joan said that she was morally free to attempt an escape. As a result Joan was chained to a wooden block and sometimes bound with iron chains. Moreover, guards were assigned to remain in the cell. Joan was interrogated nearly a dozen times between February 21 and March 24. Joan had to swear before every interrogation to tell the truth. But Joan always told the assessors that she would not necessarily reveal everything to her judges owing to the fact that they were enemies of King Charles. On March 24, the report of the preliminary questioning was read out to her. Joan admitted that except for two points the report was accurate.

The Trial

When the proper trial began, it took Joan two days to answer the 70 charges that were held against her. The charges were mainly based on the assumption that her whole attitude and behavior displayed profane presumption. For instance, she claimed that her acts were inspired by the saints; she prophesized the future, she signed the names of Jesus and Mary on her letter (thereby identifying herself with the name of Jesus); she openly claimed that the saints had assured her of salvation; and finally that she wore men’s clothes. The most serious charge held against her was that of proffering what she believed to be the direct commands of God to those of the church.

On March 31, Joan was interrogated again on several points because earlier she had given evasive answers, regarding them. Those questions dealt mostly with respect to her submission to the church. The questions were put forward before Joan as a trap to judge her wrongly. Joan tried her best to avoid the trap. She said that she very well knew that the ecclesiastical authorities could not commit a mistake but it was the will of God and her saints that she would be held answerable for her words and actions. The 70 charges against Joan were reduced to 12, which were sent to eminent theologians for further consideration.

Unrelenting Faith
Meanwhile, Joan fell ill in prison and was attended by two doctors. On April, Cauchon along with his assistants visited to her in the prison, to persuade her to submit to the Church. Joan’s serious condition aggravated to the extent that she thought that she was dying. She begged of them to allow her to go to the church to make her confessions and receive Holy Communion. She further insisted them to bury her in the consecrated ground after she died. In spite of Joan’s serious condition the assessors continued to harass her. Whenever asked, Joan’s response was, "I am relying on our Lord", "I hold to say what I have already said." The authorities became increasingly insistent and on May 9 threatened her with torture if she would not clarify certain points. Joan replied that even if they tortured her to death she would not change her statements. On May 12, majority of her interrogators (10 out of three) perceived the fact that torture or threat would not be effective. On May 23, Joan was informed of the final decision of the University of Paris. They had decided that if she would continue giving the same answers then she would be handed over to the secular authorities. Thereafter they (and the church) would execute her as a condemned heretic.

The Sentence

Joan’s trial had reached such a critical condition that it seemed as if nothing would have saved her. On May 24, Joan was taken out of the prison after 14 months. She was taken to the cemetery of the church of Saint Oven, where her sentence was to be read out. One of the theologians delivered a sermon criticizing Charles VII. After the sermon ended she requested them to send to Rome a message which would be the evidence of her words and deeds. But the judges ignored her appeal and began to read out the death sentence. Joan was terrified when she heard that dreadful pronouncement. She declared that she would do all according to the will of the church. Joan was given a form of abjuration. She hesitated in signing it but eventually did so because she believed that it was "pleasing to our Lord". She was then condemned to life imprisonment.

The Accusation

In accordance with the vice–inquisitor’s order, Joan from then onwards dressed herself in women’s attire. When the judges visited her after a couple of days she was found in male attire. Joan said that she had made the change of her own free will because she preferred men’s clothes. When questioned further by the authorities, she replied that the voices of St. Catherine and St. Margaret had accused her of ‘treason’ in making an abjuration. Her reverting back to the faith in the voices was perceived as a relapse. On May 29, the judges and 39 assessors unanimously agreed to hand over her to the secular authority.

Undying Grace

A friar was sent to inform the prisoner of the death sentence and to administer the last rites. Joan cried – "Ah, I had rather be seven times beheaded than to be burned." Fear of fire had made her restless. But after making her confession and receiving communion at the place du Vieu–March, a certain peace came over her. It sustained her through the terrible rituals of the following few hours : wearing an old dress dipped in sulfur (to help it to catch fire quickly), the lonely ride to the town square in the executioner’s cart, the first view of the scaffold with the sticks piled high around its bases, the masses of hostile Britishers, the dozens of churchmen arrayed on a dais. Joan remained serene and composed through the lengthy sermon that was preached to her.

Then, Bishop Cauchon began to read the final sentence in which he declared that Joan was a relapsed heretic and thus would be turned over to the Civil authorities to be dealt with accordingly. With the reading of the sentence Joan’s seething emotions that had been held in check for hours broke loose. Joan began to pray aloud. With tears and great passion she called on God and the saints. She begged over and over for the crowd to forgive her, to pray for her and promised in turn to forgive them.

Very soon many people in the assembly were also in tears including many churchmen who had condemned her. Even the English were deeply moved. When Joan asked for a crucifix, an English soldier rushed to tie two sticks together and hand them to her.

Joan took the makeshift cross and stuffed it into the front of her dress. An unearthly calm came over her. Then quietly with dignity she mounted the great pile of wood and sticks at the base of the scaffold. She stood still as the executioner bound her to the pole. She had just one last wish : That someone would go to the church, get the crucifix, bind it to a long stick and hold it close to her face so that she would have the comfort of gazing on it during her last moments. One of the churchmen sped off to do her bidding.

The flames rose quickly. As the tongues of fire caught the sulfur soaked robe Joan began to call out. For several minutes all that could be heard was the crackling of the flames and the piercing cries of a young girl : "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus." And then just the liberation of Orleans, bound the crowning of the king.

Extraordinary Integrity

When the world began to see the truly extraordinary measure of that integrity which remained unshaken right till death, Joan’s ability to inspire and influence became greater than ever.

Among the people of France, the feelings of loyalty to king and country awakened while Joan lived were only deepened by the news of her tragic end. Their desire to rid their land once and for all of foreign control soon became stronger than ever.

The English were as deeply touched by the spectacle of the spitting of the fire, and it was all over.

To the last Joan claimed that the voices were from God and had not deceived her. In that last moment the full force and significance of Joan’s character was felt as it had been at no other time in her life.

A Saddened Enemy

The greatness of Joan of Arc was in her willingness to place loyalty to that which was deepest and truest in her above all, above what others thought of her or said of her, and even above life itself. It was this blazing integrity that had inspired her men and given rise to the great accomplishments of her lifetime and inspired others after her death. Rather than feeling jubilant, most came away from the Old Market Square of Roven deeply unnerved. What had they done by burning at stake a girl who in her last moments could say, "I forgive you !" and even call on her executioners to forgive her ? One Englishman said, "We are all lost, We have burned a saint." From that time on the arrogance that stemmed from several English triumphs in France, gradually began to erode.

Within 25 years of the burning at Roven the English were almost completely routed from France. Their holdings reduced from half of the French territory to first two cities. Thus the third of Joan’s missions had been nearly fulfilled. And in a way, Joan had been as much a part of that triumph as she had been of the victory at Orleans or the crowning at Reims.