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Joan of Arc is born Jeanne d'Arc to her parents, Jaques d'Arc and Isabelle Romée. They raised her in the farming village of Domrémy (know now as Dorémy-la-Pucelle) and she grew up with her mother's religious teachings (Lace 27). Pictured is the home she was raised in. The significance of this event lies in the future Joan would have in her crucial role in the Hundred Years War and France's victory because of this involvement.
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At the age of thirteen, Joan of Arc hears the voice of Saint Michael the Archangel for the first time. From that first encounter, her perception was only enhanced, and soon she not only heard but could see, smell, and feel the apparitions of Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret as well. The voices told her to remain a virgin and to go to church often, and she did just that. She told no one (Lace 29). This event is significant because the voices would soon give her the mission of restoring France.
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Soon enough, the voices began to tell her of her duty to France. She was to travel to Valcouleurs, a French stronghold, and convince Captain Robert de Baudricourt to give her an audience with Charles, the true heir to the French throne (Lace 31). She did just this, and the captain sent her away, a failure. She was not easily shaken, however (Vale and Lanhers 1).
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Just under a year later, Joan returns to try again, a small band of followers on her tail. Dressed in men's clothes and with her hair cropped short, she addressed the captain, managing to convince him of her cause. He sent her to Chinon, where Charles of Valois waited, unable to win the war that raged around him (History.com Staff 1). If she had not managed to sway Robert de Baudricourt, her journey would have ended quickly. Pictured is the captain himself.
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It takes Joan eleven days to reach her destination, and more time to gain an audience with Charles, but when she does, she is forced to prove her connection with God. She is able to pick him out of his court without ever seeing him, and then, in their private conversation tells him something that only God would know. Thoroughly convinced, Charles appoints her the head of an army of 700 men (Vale and Lanhers).
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Once Joan had won her army, she assembled her men (a total of about 700) was sent to march on the enemy-occupied city of Orléans (History.com Staff 1). The army is small and unimpressive for both the time and the task alike, but Joan of Arc is not easily deterred (Polsson 9). This event is significant because it shows just how persistent Joan of Arc really is, and just how faithful.
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With her small army in tow, Joan of Arc marched on her first fort, intent on taking it from the hands of the Burgundians (the French allies of the English). She succeeded in this, spurring her to continue in their efforts to reclaim France. News of her victory would soon spread, and her reputation would grow as a successful military leader (Vale and Lanhers 1).
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In the heat of her last battle and in an attempt to save the lives of citizens, Joan of Arc is thrown from her horse and knocked unconscious. The Burgundians are able to capture her and sell her to the English. Over a year passes as she is continually tortured and tried for crimes such as heresy, witchcraft, and dressing as a man. She is forced to sign a document claiming that she never heard any voices (History.com Staff 1). This event leads to her untimely death.
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Joan of Arc, in a feat that can be considered as stupid by some and brave by others, decided to claim once again that she heard the voices of Saints and dressed in men's clothes. It is this outfit change that ultimately lead to her death. She was sentenced to be burned at the stake, and moved most to tears and was claimed as a saint by her prosecutors soon after her passing. This event makes her a martyr for the French, and she becomes a symbol of France because of it (History.com Staff 1).
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Eton College is founded and established by King Charles VI. It provided education for free to young, poor boys (Polsson 9). Famous people such as Robert Glover, William Cavendish, Francis Thomas Bacon would go on to attend ("Famous Old Etonians").
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Columbus, after being granted sufficient funding by Spain's rulers, sets sail for the East Indies. He would later land in the West Indies and unknowingly begin the Columbian Exchange (Polsson 11). This event would trigger the trade of disease, animals, and plants between the Old and New Worlds.
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Leonardo da Vinci completes the famous work "The Mona Lisa" after nearly three years of work. He was rewarded later on after his piece was stolen, sky-rocketing it from least to most recognizable ('Mona Lisa"). The painting is now one of the most famous there is.
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Ivan IV, or as he is more commonly known, Ivan the Terrible, is crowned as Czar of Russia. He dies at the age of 53 after a 37 year reign over the massive country (Polsson 14). This even signifies the beginning of a tyranny that would kill many innocent people and put Russia in a position without an heir.
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After a war with Mexico for independence, the newly named Republic of Texas got just what it was asking for. It was its own country for nearly a decade before it joined the United States as Texas (Polsson 11). This event is significant because it would set Texas up to become part of the Untied States and broaden the borders of the young country.
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In Britain, women earn the right to vote. The only damper is that they must be 30 years of age or more (Polsson 83). This would greatly improve the rights and views of and on women, and ultimately pushed Britain closer to a modern age.
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Nearly 500 years after her death, Joan of Arc is finally made a saint. Most had already perceived her as such, and it was merely a formality. Her trials and feats immortalized her in the eye of the public, and she will forever be remembered as La Pucelle d'Orléans (Vale and Lanhers 1). This event is significant because it stands as to prove just how successful Joan of Arc was, and just how important.
