Joan of Arc’s Early Life and Her Journey to the French Court (1429)
By early 1429, nearly all of northern France and parts of the southwest were under Anglo-Burgundian control. The English controlled Paris and Rouen, while the Burgundians held Reims, the traditional coronation site of French kings since 816.
Neither Henry VI of England nor Charles VII of France had yet been officially crowned, making Reims a key symbolic and political objective. Meanwhile, the English siege of Orléans, begun in 1428, threatened one of the last strongholds still loyal to Charles VII.
As the French cause appeared increasingly desperate, a peasant girl from Domrémy, Joan of Arc, began her journey into history, claiming she was sent by God to liberate France and bring the Dauphin to Reims for his coronation.
I. Joan of Arc’s Early Life and Divine Visions
- Joan was born in Domrémy, a loyalist French village within the Duchy of Bar, to Jacques d’Arc and Isabelle Romée.
- Her family owned around fifty acres (twenty hectares) of land, and her father also served as a village official, collecting taxes and leading the local watch.
- Despite being surrounded by pro-Burgundian lands, Domrémy remained loyal to Charles VII, suffering occasional raids and at least one instance where the village was burned.
- At age thirteen, Joan began hearing "voices", which she later identified as Saint Catherine, Saint Margaret, and Saint Michael.
- These voices charged her with a divine mission:
- Liberate France from English rule.
- Ensure the Dauphin’s coronation at Reims.
- She kept these messages secret for several years before attempting to act upon them.
II. Joan’s First Attempts to Reach Charles VII
- At sixteen, Joan sought permission to visit the royal court at Chinon, believing she was destined to help Charles VII reclaim his kingdom.
- She asked her relative, Durand Lassois, to take her to Vaucouleurs, a nearby town where she met the garrison commander, Robert de Baudricourt.
- Baudricourt mocked her request and dismissed her.
- Joan persisted, returning in January 1429, where she gained the support of two of Baudricourt’s soldiers:
- Jean de Metz.
- Bertrand de Poulengy.
- These men helped arrange a second meeting with Baudricourt, where Joan made a stunning claim:
- She predicted a French military defeat near Orléans days before messengers confirmed the news.
III. Baudricourt Grants Joan an Escort to Chinon
- Baudricourt, now convinced that Joan’s knowledge was divinely inspired, decided to support her mission.
- After confirmation of the French defeat at Orléans, he granted her an armed escort to travel to Chinon, where Charles VII resided.
IV. The Path to Reims Begins
- Joan’s journey to Chinon was the first step toward her legendary role in the Hundred Years’ War.
- Her arrival at the Dauphin’s court would soon lead to her recognition as a divinely guided leader, culminating in her decisive role in lifting the Siege of Orléans in May 1429.
Joan of Arc’s persistent faith and determination in early 1429 set in motion events that would change the course of the war, transforming her from an unknown peasant girl into France’s most iconic military heroine.
