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Joan of Arc: A Life From Beginning to End
No historical figure’s life story offers a more intriguing and insightful look at a specific moment in French, and European, history than that of Joan of Arc. Over the course of a biography that sadly lasts just nineteen years, Joan of Arc completely altered the course of the Hundred Year’s War. Acting on the counsel of divine voices, Joan left her small village behind, swapped her peasant dress for a suit of armor, and transformed herself into a revered military leader. From her first miracle, freeing the besieged city of Orléans, to her finest moment, leading King Charles VII to Reims for his coronation, the Maid of Orléans stunned the world with her courage, her goodness, and her faith. Ultimately, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for her insistence that she received counsel from God but what she achieved as a result of this guidance is a truly incredible story.
53 pages, Paperback
Published July 31, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
January 23, 2021
The unbelievable courage, above everything else, of the young teenage girl Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc, 1412-1431) was beyond anyone else’s we have learned in Human history, and it deserves fair respect.
Since it was driven by her strong religious faith some might dare using her example to defend the present-day jihadist suicide bomb attacks, but she was clearly different because she didn’t hide behind civilians using them as shields, but tried to protect them with her life against her own authority’s will.
In addition to the author’s own “reasonable” analyses and comments, this book talks about the well-known story through the remaining history accounts, church trial records and folk legends in such condensed amount of pages that you can read in a day. Personally it felt quite sweet to be lost in the folk legends looking at her actions and achievements through their eyes of the 15th century.
The stories don’t seem to make any sense in our modern sense, but we are not to judge the medieval people’s world view and understanding based on the perspective of our times.
(Kindle Locations 338-343)
A woman who had lost her baby in childbirth approached Joan and asked her to pray for it. It was a medieval belief that a child who died without being baptized would spend eternity in purgatory. The woman convinced Joan to kneel with them in church, before an image of the Virgin Mother, and pray over the baby. The baby had already been dead for three days and, Joan said later during her trials was, “black as my coat of mail. Miraculously, as Joan prayed the baby came back to life, yawned three times, was immediately baptized and then died again, now guaranteed entry into heaven. This episode was celebrated by Joan’s supporters as a genuine miracle and proof of Joan’s godliness, but for her detractors, it was yet more ammunition with which to accuse Joan of witchcraft.
Again, it sounds really silly to us today, but at the time that was their world and truth in their limited understanding of natural science far behind to ours of the 21st century, and we are not supposed to judge them by our contemporary perspectives and standards.
Her story is a great example that proves all stories and legends of our world have two different angles as she fought for one side, France, in a war against her enemy England. Thus in the English point of view, especially the English leaders during the war, she had to be, in their people’s eyes, a demon to be condemned, because her objective was to thwart their greedy goals while that much of their manpower and resources were being spent.
(Kindle Locations 243-244)
...Every action Joan took that convinced the French she was virgin savior sent by God, in turn, convinced the English that she was a powerful witch sent by the devil.
Why did she have to be a demon (or a witch)? It’s simple; that was how the leaders convinced their people at the time.
Ever since any Human branch started to "build" a civilization with more and more products and properties that created different social classes, those in control as decision makers or under control as resource providers including immense manpower, due to the ancient people’s limited understanding of the nature and order of the world, religion and faith were science and truth that answered all their questions. And under this circumstance the people who interpreted heaven's will in their authorship were the people of knowledge and power in control.
No wonder the ancient wizards (wiz-ard: wise-man of wisdom, male-priest) and witches (wits-i: witty-/ wise-person, female-priest), or the Cardinals such as Richelieu and Mazarin, were the kings’ closest chief advisors (ad-vise-or with vis[e] as in Vice President: we/ ue/ ui/ wi’t/ vit/ vid/ vis/ wiz/ vict/ vitz/ witz/ byz/ bish/ vic/ vik/ big = up, ov[er], cov[er], cup, cap, gov’ern, mast’er, head, heaven, life, light, see, kn’ow, cr[e]’ate, gr[e]’at, power or rule) like Prime Ministers with the clergymen like bish’ops (district administers) to form up the 1st class in their societies above the other nobles in Christian kingdoms until the Revolution in the late-18th century.
And that’s why all the wars of religion ardently fought over our faith have always been the most secular after all.
(Kindle Locations 381-389)
There is some context to the trial of Joan of Arc that is important to get to grips with before looking at the specifics of her case. At the time, the Church in France was led both theologically and politically by the high-ranking clerics of the University of Paris. This establishment was so powerful that even popes were forced to defer to it and early in the civil war, the University had allied itself with the Duke of Burgundy. As far as the University was concerned, the Burgundian establishment was a more wealthy and stable horse to back and promised more rewards to those who were loyal to it... While the poor starved, clerics grew fat. Instead of reforming and working to stamp out corruption, the Church closed ranks against the people and labeled anything that threatened their authority heresy.
What a clear statement telling that religion was in fact the politics, rules and authority backed by the authors of books and "academic" theories who were integral parts of all the public institutes at the time.
(Kindle Location 418)
...she would not be bullied by this congregation of sixty of the most learned churchmen in the land...
At that time of ignorance and blind faith, those the most “learned” and “educated” were the farthest away from the truth: No wonder they almost burned Galilei to death.
(William Manchester, “A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance, Portrait of an Age” (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1992), pp. 26-27)
...Except for the introduction of waterwheels in the 800s and windmills in the late 1100s, there had been no inventions of significance. No startling new ideas had appeared, no new territories outside Europe had been explored. Everything was as it had been for as long as the oldest European could remember. The center of the Ptolemaic universe was the known world—Europe, with the Holy Land and North Africa on its fringes. The sun moved round it every day. Heaven was above the immovable earth, somewhere in the overarching sky; hell seethed far beneath their feet. Kings ruled at the pleasure of the Almighty; all others did what were told to do. Jesus, the son of God, had been crucified and resurrected, and his reappearance was imminent, or at any rate inevitable. Every human being adored him (the Jews and the Muslims being invisible). During the 1,436 years since the death of Saint Peter the Apostle, 211 popes had succeeded him, all chosen by God and all infallible. The Church was indivisible, the afterlife a certainty; all knowledge was already known. And nothing would ever change...
In general, ironically by nature, any author’ity can only understand the nature as much as they have learned and teach it to the young, which makes many people excited with a lot of potential discoveries still waiting for us. After many mistakes, scars and tears the world has become much better for us now, and it will be even better in the years to come.
Nothing could ever stop Human progress, even the most destructive global wars, and this book, with a story of a young brave girl who lived her courageous life in a time that was much, much “darker” than our own, gives the readers of today, “much more knowledgeable than those of the 15th century”, a kind chance to think about the “bright” truth.
Since it was driven by her strong religious faith some might dare using her example to defend the present-day jihadist suicide bomb attacks, but she was clearly different because she didn’t hide behind civilians using them as shields, but tried to protect them with her life against her own authority’s will.
In addition to the author’s own “reasonable” analyses and comments, this book talks about the well-known story through the remaining history accounts, church trial records and folk legends in such condensed amount of pages that you can read in a day. Personally it felt quite sweet to be lost in the folk legends looking at her actions and achievements through their eyes of the 15th century.
The stories don’t seem to make any sense in our modern sense, but we are not to judge the medieval people’s world view and understanding based on the perspective of our times.
(Kindle Locations 338-343)
A woman who had lost her baby in childbirth approached Joan and asked her to pray for it. It was a medieval belief that a child who died without being baptized would spend eternity in purgatory. The woman convinced Joan to kneel with them in church, before an image of the Virgin Mother, and pray over the baby. The baby had already been dead for three days and, Joan said later during her trials was, “black as my coat of mail. Miraculously, as Joan prayed the baby came back to life, yawned three times, was immediately baptized and then died again, now guaranteed entry into heaven. This episode was celebrated by Joan’s supporters as a genuine miracle and proof of Joan’s godliness, but for her detractors, it was yet more ammunition with which to accuse Joan of witchcraft.
Again, it sounds really silly to us today, but at the time that was their world and truth in their limited understanding of natural science far behind to ours of the 21st century, and we are not supposed to judge them by our contemporary perspectives and standards.
Her story is a great example that proves all stories and legends of our world have two different angles as she fought for one side, France, in a war against her enemy England. Thus in the English point of view, especially the English leaders during the war, she had to be, in their people’s eyes, a demon to be condemned, because her objective was to thwart their greedy goals while that much of their manpower and resources were being spent.
(Kindle Locations 243-244)
...Every action Joan took that convinced the French she was virgin savior sent by God, in turn, convinced the English that she was a powerful witch sent by the devil.
Why did she have to be a demon (or a witch)? It’s simple; that was how the leaders convinced their people at the time.
Ever since any Human branch started to "build" a civilization with more and more products and properties that created different social classes, those in control as decision makers or under control as resource providers including immense manpower, due to the ancient people’s limited understanding of the nature and order of the world, religion and faith were science and truth that answered all their questions. And under this circumstance the people who interpreted heaven's will in their authorship were the people of knowledge and power in control.
No wonder the ancient wizards (wiz-ard: wise-man of wisdom, male-priest) and witches (wits-i: witty-/ wise-person, female-priest), or the Cardinals such as Richelieu and Mazarin, were the kings’ closest chief advisors (ad-vise-or with vis[e] as in Vice President: we/ ue/ ui/ wi’t/ vit/ vid/ vis/ wiz/ vict/ vitz/ witz/ byz/ bish/ vic/ vik/ big = up, ov[er], cov[er], cup, cap, gov’ern, mast’er, head, heaven, life, light, see, kn’ow, cr[e]’ate, gr[e]’at, power or rule) like Prime Ministers with the clergymen like bish’ops (district administers) to form up the 1st class in their societies above the other nobles in Christian kingdoms until the Revolution in the late-18th century.
And that’s why all the wars of religion ardently fought over our faith have always been the most secular after all.
(Kindle Locations 381-389)
There is some context to the trial of Joan of Arc that is important to get to grips with before looking at the specifics of her case. At the time, the Church in France was led both theologically and politically by the high-ranking clerics of the University of Paris. This establishment was so powerful that even popes were forced to defer to it and early in the civil war, the University had allied itself with the Duke of Burgundy. As far as the University was concerned, the Burgundian establishment was a more wealthy and stable horse to back and promised more rewards to those who were loyal to it... While the poor starved, clerics grew fat. Instead of reforming and working to stamp out corruption, the Church closed ranks against the people and labeled anything that threatened their authority heresy.
What a clear statement telling that religion was in fact the politics, rules and authority backed by the authors of books and "academic" theories who were integral parts of all the public institutes at the time.
(Kindle Location 418)
...she would not be bullied by this congregation of sixty of the most learned churchmen in the land...
At that time of ignorance and blind faith, those the most “learned” and “educated” were the farthest away from the truth: No wonder they almost burned Galilei to death.
(William Manchester, “A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance, Portrait of an Age” (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1992), pp. 26-27)
...Except for the introduction of waterwheels in the 800s and windmills in the late 1100s, there had been no inventions of significance. No startling new ideas had appeared, no new territories outside Europe had been explored. Everything was as it had been for as long as the oldest European could remember. The center of the Ptolemaic universe was the known world—Europe, with the Holy Land and North Africa on its fringes. The sun moved round it every day. Heaven was above the immovable earth, somewhere in the overarching sky; hell seethed far beneath their feet. Kings ruled at the pleasure of the Almighty; all others did what were told to do. Jesus, the son of God, had been crucified and resurrected, and his reappearance was imminent, or at any rate inevitable. Every human being adored him (the Jews and the Muslims being invisible). During the 1,436 years since the death of Saint Peter the Apostle, 211 popes had succeeded him, all chosen by God and all infallible. The Church was indivisible, the afterlife a certainty; all knowledge was already known. And nothing would ever change...
In general, ironically by nature, any author’ity can only understand the nature as much as they have learned and teach it to the young, which makes many people excited with a lot of potential discoveries still waiting for us. After many mistakes, scars and tears the world has become much better for us now, and it will be even better in the years to come.
Nothing could ever stop Human progress, even the most destructive global wars, and this book, with a story of a young brave girl who lived her courageous life in a time that was much, much “darker” than our own, gives the readers of today, “much more knowledgeable than those of the 15th century”, a kind chance to think about the “bright” truth.
December 9, 2022
a young heroine betrayed
This is my first experience of reading an entire life of Joan of Arc, albeit brief. And what they did to this young woman - the French, the English, the Church - was horrific.
It’s difficult to read. She was so young and brave - how can you defile and denigrate and destroy a heroic person like her? For the same old reasons - power, political maneuvering, and religion that has little or nothing to do with mercy, grace, a compassionate Jesus or a just and loving God.
One thing I was hoping would be discussed was her voices. Of course I’m sure this has been ground well worked over by the 21st century so I’ll just have to find other books. Though I’m positive I’m going to read about schizophrenia and an assorted number of mental ills. Somehow I hope I find a better analysis than simply defaulting to a standard psychiatric diagnosis.
The biography does a good job of tying everything together.
This is my first experience of reading an entire life of Joan of Arc, albeit brief. And what they did to this young woman - the French, the English, the Church - was horrific.
It’s difficult to read. She was so young and brave - how can you defile and denigrate and destroy a heroic person like her? For the same old reasons - power, political maneuvering, and religion that has little or nothing to do with mercy, grace, a compassionate Jesus or a just and loving God.
One thing I was hoping would be discussed was her voices. Of course I’m sure this has been ground well worked over by the 21st century so I’ll just have to find other books. Though I’m positive I’m going to read about schizophrenia and an assorted number of mental ills. Somehow I hope I find a better analysis than simply defaulting to a standard psychiatric diagnosis.
The biography does a good job of tying everything together.
November 8, 2021
Joan of arc
Excellent book, it's good to read a book that you haven't read in sometime. Must read for all ages & all history lovers.
Excellent book, it's good to read a book that you haven't read in sometime. Must read for all ages & all history lovers.
December 6, 2022
This small volume takes a look at the life of Joan of Arc and manages to pack a lot of history into not a lot of pages. I knew her basic story, but I liked learning more details in this quick book (it honestly only took so long because of Thanksgiving). It definitely made me want to learn more about her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2018
They condemned her as an irreparable heretic, apostate, idolater, and witch and then burned her at stake even though she saved them from their enemy. And yet, in spite of such egregious treachery of her own countrymen, she knew no surrender to fear with stalwart faith in the Cause she intransigently believed to be her divine mission from the greatest man above as the flame rose to her nose, and then engulfed her therein, turning her to ashes. She was no less a figure than Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans, the Virgin of Lorraine, whose bravery and belief – be it ever spiritual or psychological- epitomizes existential ego qua meaningfulness, will to meaningfulness to live a purposeful life, as is vividly and elegantly related in this book.
Each chapter draws up on the substantial aspects of Joan’s purposes, acts, and achievements rather than illustrates religious or spiritual overtones in anecdotes or legends to glow her in a halo. The narrative takes us to where Joan of Arc witnessed the English occupiers hectoring of her village folks, including little children by beating, to feel her indignation at the perpetrators of such violence on her soil. We also come to know that the divine messages she received were not directly from God but through St. Michael, the archangel, St. Margaret, and St. Catherine as the messengers of God with the three divine missions. That Joan of Arch had three cardinal missions of (1) taking up arms; (2) rallying the French to defeat the English occupying army; and (3) putting the Dauphine Charles on the French throne betokens her guiding lights of her life, her purpose of life that constantly reminded her of a “why” to live for. So we follow Joan, a tall and lean girl with her raven hair cut in bob attired in shining armor that weighted about twenty pounds to the frontlines of hand-to-hand combats fighting against the English army without her helmet on to boost morale of the French soldiers and got her neck pierced by an arrow. Then the narrative puts us forward to the dark cell of Joan harassed by five lewd English guards and to the heaps of stake where her body was consumed to ashes.
The lucidly vivid descriptions of each chapter in cogently casual narrative are the elemental force of this book that brings the grist to the mill for the visualization of the whole story as though it were played on a screen. In fact, while I was reading toward the end of the book, a song called “Bigmouth Strikes Again” by the Smiths, in which Morrissey sings, “Now I know how Joan of Arch felt” was starting to being played in my mental stereo with heightened emotions. It also illustrates the canonical facts that many of us may be unaware of: (1) that it was the French, including the dauphin who later became Charles VI wholly thanks to Joan, who sold her to the English; (2) that Joan, for none other reason than being only human, attempted at several escapes which ended in foils; and that (3) it was twenty-two years after her death on fraudulent grounds of treachery and heresy that the Trial of Rehabilitation exonerated her from such preposterously erroneous charges, thanks to the troubling conscience of Charles VI who belatedly endeavored to make it happen.
This is an excellent primer on further study on Joan of Arch with a comprehensive overview of the time as regards the relationship between the Church and the politics, the role of the Church, and its dominance over society, let alone people. It will induce you to look at Joan of Arch not as mythological French virgin whose story exclusively appertains to the French as their patron saint only, but as a human who tried to do what she believed was right despite any biological or social inhibitions that she had to rise above. In this regard, Joan is an emblematic figure of courage, hope, and self will to achieve her existential values as someone with purposes in life, someone whom we can identify with in one way or another in our daily struggles of contemporary life. Upon reading this book, you will come to understand what made the American humorist Mark Twain offer such approbation: “Whatever thing men call great, look for it in Joan of Arc, and there you will find it.” Indeed, her steadfast attitude toward her firm belief is something we can deem truly inspiring and remedial to apply it to our own way of fulfilling demands placed upon our daily tasks in life.
Each chapter draws up on the substantial aspects of Joan’s purposes, acts, and achievements rather than illustrates religious or spiritual overtones in anecdotes or legends to glow her in a halo. The narrative takes us to where Joan of Arc witnessed the English occupiers hectoring of her village folks, including little children by beating, to feel her indignation at the perpetrators of such violence on her soil. We also come to know that the divine messages she received were not directly from God but through St. Michael, the archangel, St. Margaret, and St. Catherine as the messengers of God with the three divine missions. That Joan of Arch had three cardinal missions of (1) taking up arms; (2) rallying the French to defeat the English occupying army; and (3) putting the Dauphine Charles on the French throne betokens her guiding lights of her life, her purpose of life that constantly reminded her of a “why” to live for. So we follow Joan, a tall and lean girl with her raven hair cut in bob attired in shining armor that weighted about twenty pounds to the frontlines of hand-to-hand combats fighting against the English army without her helmet on to boost morale of the French soldiers and got her neck pierced by an arrow. Then the narrative puts us forward to the dark cell of Joan harassed by five lewd English guards and to the heaps of stake where her body was consumed to ashes.
The lucidly vivid descriptions of each chapter in cogently casual narrative are the elemental force of this book that brings the grist to the mill for the visualization of the whole story as though it were played on a screen. In fact, while I was reading toward the end of the book, a song called “Bigmouth Strikes Again” by the Smiths, in which Morrissey sings, “Now I know how Joan of Arch felt” was starting to being played in my mental stereo with heightened emotions. It also illustrates the canonical facts that many of us may be unaware of: (1) that it was the French, including the dauphin who later became Charles VI wholly thanks to Joan, who sold her to the English; (2) that Joan, for none other reason than being only human, attempted at several escapes which ended in foils; and that (3) it was twenty-two years after her death on fraudulent grounds of treachery and heresy that the Trial of Rehabilitation exonerated her from such preposterously erroneous charges, thanks to the troubling conscience of Charles VI who belatedly endeavored to make it happen.
This is an excellent primer on further study on Joan of Arch with a comprehensive overview of the time as regards the relationship between the Church and the politics, the role of the Church, and its dominance over society, let alone people. It will induce you to look at Joan of Arch not as mythological French virgin whose story exclusively appertains to the French as their patron saint only, but as a human who tried to do what she believed was right despite any biological or social inhibitions that she had to rise above. In this regard, Joan is an emblematic figure of courage, hope, and self will to achieve her existential values as someone with purposes in life, someone whom we can identify with in one way or another in our daily struggles of contemporary life. Upon reading this book, you will come to understand what made the American humorist Mark Twain offer such approbation: “Whatever thing men call great, look for it in Joan of Arc, and there you will find it.” Indeed, her steadfast attitude toward her firm belief is something we can deem truly inspiring and remedial to apply it to our own way of fulfilling demands placed upon our daily tasks in life.
August 12, 2017
“If I am not, may God put me there; if I am, may God keep me there.
I would be the most miserable person in the world if I were not in God’s grace.”
Jeanne d’Arcy
Jeanne d’Arcy (Joan of Arc) was born in the rural village of Domremy, Duchy of Bar, the Kingdom of France on January 6, 1412. She was born into the peasant class (one of the three prevalent classes in the late Middle Ages; peasant, clergy, and noble). Her life may have been much longer and far more peaceful if she had chosen to take another road in life. Little is really documented about Joan’s youth but historians agree on a few key elements. She could neither read nor write (as was the custom for females in her social class), she was very pious, a virgin, and very driven to do what she considered her life’s mission. That mission was to put the crown of France on the head of Charles VII and to rid France of her English invaders. France and England had been embroiled in a war that would later be known as the Hundred Years War. France was, at this time, also torn apart in a civil war, putting them on the losing end against the English under Henry V.
Along comes a fiery virgin and self-proclaimed soldier, to lead the French to victory over their English oppressors. Her road to success was not paved in bricks of yellow and she had to fight for everything she got. If tenacity would have a living icon, it would take the form of this Maid of Orleans. In a time of desperation, Joan proudly carried the sword and banner to success. This mere girl of nineteen truly performed miracles, but unfortunately, the greed, mistrust, and jealousy of the Church she represented and the king she helped crown, was too much for a mere girl of simple stock to combat. She was truly bitten by the one she fed.
I reserve judgment on Joan’s ecclesiastical prowess and powers and, instead, concentrate on her military accomplishments. Joan was clearly no Bonaparte in the art of war, but like Napoleon, Joan inspired the men and women around her to perform far above their expectations. Helped with the prophecy of a virgin savior, she appeared at just the right time and place to change her world and write history. Like Joan, this short history inspires the reader to learn more about this Maid of Orleans.
I would be the most miserable person in the world if I were not in God’s grace.”
Jeanne d’Arcy
Jeanne d’Arcy (Joan of Arc) was born in the rural village of Domremy, Duchy of Bar, the Kingdom of France on January 6, 1412. She was born into the peasant class (one of the three prevalent classes in the late Middle Ages; peasant, clergy, and noble). Her life may have been much longer and far more peaceful if she had chosen to take another road in life. Little is really documented about Joan’s youth but historians agree on a few key elements. She could neither read nor write (as was the custom for females in her social class), she was very pious, a virgin, and very driven to do what she considered her life’s mission. That mission was to put the crown of France on the head of Charles VII and to rid France of her English invaders. France and England had been embroiled in a war that would later be known as the Hundred Years War. France was, at this time, also torn apart in a civil war, putting them on the losing end against the English under Henry V.
Along comes a fiery virgin and self-proclaimed soldier, to lead the French to victory over their English oppressors. Her road to success was not paved in bricks of yellow and she had to fight for everything she got. If tenacity would have a living icon, it would take the form of this Maid of Orleans. In a time of desperation, Joan proudly carried the sword and banner to success. This mere girl of nineteen truly performed miracles, but unfortunately, the greed, mistrust, and jealousy of the Church she represented and the king she helped crown, was too much for a mere girl of simple stock to combat. She was truly bitten by the one she fed.
I reserve judgment on Joan’s ecclesiastical prowess and powers and, instead, concentrate on her military accomplishments. Joan was clearly no Bonaparte in the art of war, but like Napoleon, Joan inspired the men and women around her to perform far above their expectations. Helped with the prophecy of a virgin savior, she appeared at just the right time and place to change her world and write history. Like Joan, this short history inspires the reader to learn more about this Maid of Orleans.
September 5, 2018
Just completed this fantastic book
JOAN of Arc-life from beginning to end.
1425, and the rout of the French at Agincourt, we are led through a country convulsed by civil war before we encounter the 16-year-old Joan at the court of the dauphin Charles. We see her as contemporaries would have: a charismatic village girl, bizarrely dressed (in men’s clothes), with a forceful message from God. Her astonishing progress in lifting a six-month siege on Orleans in four days is followed in visceral detail, as are her subsequent capture, trial and burning as a heretic. As her end nears, Joan’s humanity becomes agonising to witness. A vulnerable young girl fighting off the groping hands of captors who see her not as “the maid” but as the “whore of the Armagnacs”. The teenage warrior impresses, but nothing has more power and pathos than “what happened, in the end, when the miracles stopped”
Great read .
June 5, 2021
◾On May 30, 1431, Joan was woken at dawn and told that today was the day that she would die. Dressed in a long black shift and a conical hat emblazoned with the words “heretic, relapsed, apostate, idolater,” Joan was led out of her cell and past a crowd of people who had gathered to watch her burn. Joan was led up to a high wooden platform on which a huge stake stood, surrounded by piles of wood.
◾Joan was given a crude cross made from two sticks to hold against her chest as she was tied to the stake and a fire was lit beneath her. Joan didn’t stop calling out to her saints even as the flames rose to her feet and legs. Eventually, as the flames blackened her body and took the breath from her lungs her last words of, “Jesus, Jesus,” could be heard. The fire was fed and burned until nothing of Joan of Arc but a handful of ashes remained.
◾“God forgive us, we have burned a saint.”
◾Joan was given a crude cross made from two sticks to hold against her chest as she was tied to the stake and a fire was lit beneath her. Joan didn’t stop calling out to her saints even as the flames rose to her feet and legs. Eventually, as the flames blackened her body and took the breath from her lungs her last words of, “Jesus, Jesus,” could be heard. The fire was fed and burned until nothing of Joan of Arc but a handful of ashes remained.
◾“God forgive us, we have burned a saint.”
January 21, 2021
Como de costumbre: información precisa, practica , concisa que permite formarse un panorama sobre el tema, pero esta biografía tan descriptiva es conmovedora y me permitió formarme mi imagen de Juana de Arco que fue una Joven que fue sacrificada por sus ideales y por escuchar voces de ángeles. Es increíble además la saña con la que fue tratada por eclesiásticos constituidos en jueces y que hicieron con ella cosas totalmente indignas, vergonzosas y despreciables para después de todo ello llevarla a la hoguera. Existen en el mundo grandes vilezas; esta es una de ellas.
Juana de Arco merece un lugar especial entre los personajes femeninos históricos y merece ser recordada siempre como una heroína.
Juana de Arco merece un lugar especial entre los personajes femeninos históricos y merece ser recordada siempre como una heroína.
September 3, 2021
“Lifted above the human realm by the angelic voices that guided her to victory in battle and gave her the power to perform miracles, Joan was destined to be immortal, and to that end, she had to die.”
“I must go…because it is my Lord’s will.”
“God forgive us, we have burned a saint.”
An interesting biography about a very interesting historical figure. I am sure there is still so much about Joan of Arc we don’t know and much that has probably has been exaggerated. Did she really hear voices from God? Was she really on a mission from God? And how did a peasant girl help lead armies into battle against the English and claim many victories? Very fascinating stuff with a tragic ending, no matter what was truly in Joan of Arc’s heart.
“I must go…because it is my Lord’s will.”
“God forgive us, we have burned a saint.”
An interesting biography about a very interesting historical figure. I am sure there is still so much about Joan of Arc we don’t know and much that has probably has been exaggerated. Did she really hear voices from God? Was she really on a mission from God? And how did a peasant girl help lead armies into battle against the English and claim many victories? Very fascinating stuff with a tragic ending, no matter what was truly in Joan of Arc’s heart.
March 20, 2020
The Greatest Heroine in History
This woman is my idol and has secretly been for years. Such a brave and determined soul.
.."In an attempt to trip Joan up on a tricky theological conundrum, one churchman asked Joan whether or not she was in a state of grace. This question had no clear answer—to say yes was to imply she knew better than God, to say no would be to admit sin—and it prompted Joan to give her most famous retort: “If I am not, may God put me there; if I am, may God keep me there. I would be the most miserable person in the world if I were not in God’s grace.”
This woman is my idol and has secretly been for years. Such a brave and determined soul.
.."In an attempt to trip Joan up on a tricky theological conundrum, one churchman asked Joan whether or not she was in a state of grace. This question had no clear answer—to say yes was to imply she knew better than God, to say no would be to admit sin—and it prompted Joan to give her most famous retort: “If I am not, may God put me there; if I am, may God keep me there. I would be the most miserable person in the world if I were not in God’s grace.”
January 5, 2019
This is one of my favorite Hourly History books so far.
I can't help but admire Joan of Arc for her courage and obsessive determination and her fearlessness in the face of death. I wish I could put myself into that time period of kings and knights and the beliefs and attitudes of that day. it just seems so corrupt. And here Joan is supporting and defending it only to become another one of its many innocent victims.
I can't help but admire Joan of Arc for her courage and obsessive determination and her fearlessness in the face of death. I wish I could put myself into that time period of kings and knights and the beliefs and attitudes of that day. it just seems so corrupt. And here Joan is supporting and defending it only to become another one of its many innocent victims.
May 19, 2025
The book assumes the legitimacy of Joan's visions from the beginning. Biblically speaking it seems quite unlikely that they were actually of the Lord for several good reasons. Since this is a book review I'll not weigh this down with them but be glad to share if anyone is really interested.
That said, the book covers what I needed to know about Joan and answered some questions I had about her life. A good read just take it tongue in cheek.
That said, the book covers what I needed to know about Joan and answered some questions I had about her life. A good read just take it tongue in cheek.
January 8, 2018
Very interesting read
I started reading this book thinking I knew everything about Joan of Arc. Having seen or read other versions of her life, this book enlightened me to other facts. Just too compressed with the information, but I guess that's a good thing, it leaves me to read up on more about the life and trial of Joan of Arc.
I started reading this book thinking I knew everything about Joan of Arc. Having seen or read other versions of her life, this book enlightened me to other facts. Just too compressed with the information, but I guess that's a good thing, it leaves me to read up on more about the life and trial of Joan of Arc.
September 25, 2020
The life of Joan of Arc
I enjoyed reading this. A great deal of information about her bravery and dedication to help free France. She was only 19 years. old. Endured much pain & suffering. She is my patron saint, as my name is Joan too. Her life has inspired me to be strong.
I enjoyed reading this. A great deal of information about her bravery and dedication to help free France. She was only 19 years. old. Endured much pain & suffering. She is my patron saint, as my name is Joan too. Her life has inspired me to be strong.
September 11, 2021
Just a girl
I've been fascinated with Joan of Arc since I was in junior high taking French classes. To have a girl around my age fighting war roughened men trying to take over France. Her exploits are quite miraculous when you think about the support she gained and what she was able to accomplish. She made sure the Prince of France was crowned king instead of the English.
I've been fascinated with Joan of Arc since I was in junior high taking French classes. To have a girl around my age fighting war roughened men trying to take over France. Her exploits are quite miraculous when you think about the support she gained and what she was able to accomplish. She made sure the Prince of France was crowned king instead of the English.
June 1, 2023
I've read several of these "Life from Beginning to End" books. This one seems a bit lighter in content than some of the others, but she was only a child at her death. They are an excellent way to brush up on, or to learn, pieces of history in a condensed manner, and are well worth the hour or so it takes to read each one.
August 7, 2023
Saint Joan of Arc
A young farmer's daughter who listened to the voices spoken to her raised up to lead an army to push the English out of France. It was the Catholic church who executed her for being a liar and heretic. Decades later her verdict was overturned. Finally in1920 she was made a Saint for helpless and imprisoned!
A young farmer's daughter who listened to the voices spoken to her raised up to lead an army to push the English out of France. It was the Catholic church who executed her for being a liar and heretic. Decades later her verdict was overturned. Finally in1920 she was made a Saint for helpless and imprisoned!
August 29, 2025
Heroine
This book provides a fascinating review of the life of Joan of Arc, including the circumstances leading to her capture and fraudulent trial as a heretic. Years later, she was cleared of all charges of heresy and rightfully recognized for her service in behalf of France against the English.
This book provides a fascinating review of the life of Joan of Arc, including the circumstances leading to her capture and fraudulent trial as a heretic. Years later, she was cleared of all charges of heresy and rightfully recognized for her service in behalf of France against the English.
January 17, 2018
Incredible piece of work...incredibly written. I felt as though I was sitting right there through the entire account of her life. I knew nothing of her life until reading this and was just enthralled. If you want to know more about Joan of Arc, I highly recommend this volume.
September 18, 2018
Terrific bio
This biography of St Joan is deep enough to cover all the events in her life, but concise enough to be read quickly. If you need a fact packed story about Joan's life this book is perfect.
This biography of St Joan is deep enough to cover all the events in her life, but concise enough to be read quickly. If you need a fact packed story about Joan's life this book is perfect.
August 11, 2018
A great, informative quick read on the life of Joan of Arc. I found it a little tedious since much of it is about the battles she fought-- which consumed much of her (public) life. I didn't realize how 'used' she was by those in power... so sad.
February 1, 2021
A much talked about and much misunderstood figure. Joan of Arc stands out at a time when the French needed someone to rally to.
A compact and good insight into the life of a woman who changed history for France.
It took nearly 500 years for her to be recognised for the person she was.
A compact and good insight into the life of a woman who changed history for France.
It took nearly 500 years for her to be recognised for the person she was.
October 17, 2021
Good Read
This is a short but comprehensive read of a mistreated individual who stood up for her ideals. This kind of resolve is a rare and needed commodity in today’s world. She is an individual many should attempt to emulate.
This is a short but comprehensive read of a mistreated individual who stood up for her ideals. This kind of resolve is a rare and needed commodity in today’s world. She is an individual many should attempt to emulate.
November 1, 2021
A WOMAN OF GOD AND A WARRIOR
This Biography of Joan of Arc is stirring and quite astounding that at the time it occurred a woman under the age of 20 could accomplish such great acts of heroism a truly remarkable woman of God
a great job by Hourly History
This Biography of Joan of Arc is stirring and quite astounding that at the time it occurred a woman under the age of 20 could accomplish such great acts of heroism a truly remarkable woman of God
a great job by Hourly History
May 3, 2023
A saintly person
Joan of Arc is one of truly inspiring people in history. This book gave a decent account of her life. I now see why she is considered the patron saint of France. What I really liked about this book was the straightforward telling of her story.
Joan of Arc is one of truly inspiring people in history. This book gave a decent account of her life. I now see why she is considered the patron saint of France. What I really liked about this book was the straightforward telling of her story.
October 11, 2023
Never knew the story of Joan of Arc.
Very interesting, that she did not bring the independence of France but surely helped and that witches were not virgins bc they supposedly slept with the devil.
Very interesting, that she did not bring the independence of France but surely helped and that witches were not virgins bc they supposedly slept with the devil.
August 29, 2024
Great concise book about someone I really knew nothing about apart from the name. As someone who was never a reader and has come to enjoy it later in life I am really enjoying these Hourly History books which are not too heavy but interesting and informative. Thanks for effort that goes into these.
December 19, 2024
Concise and informative.
The book is concise enough to be read in a few days but full of information about the life and death of Joan of Ark. Well written and entertaining. Specially historically accurate.
The book is concise enough to be read in a few days but full of information about the life and death of Joan of Ark. Well written and entertaining. Specially historically accurate.
May 25, 2025
educating and interesting
I like these hourly history books. It helps people put the history in its place. Instead of hearing bits and pieces it helps understand what really happened in an interesting way.
I like these hourly history books. It helps people put the history in its place. Instead of hearing bits and pieces it helps understand what really happened in an interesting way.
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