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The Fiery Saint |
"La Pucelle", "Jeanne d'arc", "Jeanette d'arc" and "Maid of Orleans"
But to whom did she owe all her courage, boldness, sureness, and everything else that made everyone (except her enemies) love her? She said it was God. It all started when on January 6, 1412, Joan of Arc (named Jeanette d'Arc by her parents) was born to an average family in the town of Domreemy. She was immensely religious at a very young age, going to Mass everyday and always trying to find another way to help the poor. In short, her childhood was the starting point for her faith in God, and for her mission, although she didn't know anything about it yet.
Joan said later that at age 13, St. Michael came to her and told her that she must one day save her crumbling France and when the time would come, she would have only a little over a year to do it. He also told her that she must go to the Dauphin (the heir to the throne, Charles VII) and help him to become the King of France. After this St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Margret (who both, ironically were martyrs) were her voices and guides of whom she talked so frequently. She went to her uncle and asked him to take her to Robert de Beaudricort, a high official who would help her to get to the Dauphin to speak to him. Her uncle did not know why she wanted to go to see Robert, but he took her. When she got there, to his suprise, she asked Robert to be taken to the Dauphin. Robert said she was crazy and told her to go home. Joan tried asking him again and again to take her, but everytime he refused. But two of Robert's soldiers saw something in Joan, and instead of rejecting her, they followed her, These two were Sieur de Metz and Sieur Bertrand. Finally, one day Robert grew tired of her persistent asking, and took her to be questioned by the Church to find out if she was of God. He thought that would make her quit, because obviously she was either mad, or a witch. But to his annoyance, the Church approved her, and he decided to give her a chance and made sure that she was taken to the Dauphin. The Dauphin was not convinced, and decided to see for himself if she was really of God. So he had one of his friends wear his princely ornaments and sit on his throne so that he would look like the Dauphin. The real Dauphin went and hid among the women. When Joan came she went straight to the real Dauphin and fell at his feet. She told him about her mission, and he asked for proof. She told him some things in private and when they came out he was convinced. So, because of a little secret meeting, the Dauphin of France gave his whole army to a 17 year old peasant. The Dauphin also gave Joan a white suit of armor and a war horse. A legend says she asked one of her soldiers to dig up a sword in the Church cemetery. The soldier did, and found the rusted sword of Charlemagne, the Grandfather of France! On it was the Fleur-de-lis which Joan adopted onto her white banner.
Before Joan went to capture Orleans (a major British stronghold in France), she said that all the soldiers must stop swearing, send away the women in the camp, and do penance, so that they would be standing with God, so that He would win the battle for them. Joan had prophesied that she would be wounded at Orleans, and she was. The retreat was called for, but Joan ran to the commanders in spite of her bleeding wound, and begged them to go back, even though the soldiers were exhausted. They did, and they won!
bravenet.com