04 - Story of Joan of Arc by Andrew Lang

Joan of Arc, a legendary folk heroine of France and a revered Roman Catholic saint, claimed to be guided by divine voices. She boldly led the French army to crucial victories during the Hundred Years War, ultimately paving the way for Charles VIIs coronation. Captured by her enemies, she was betrayed and sold to the English, where she faced a trial charged with insubordination and heterodoxy. At just 19, she was tragically burned at the stake for heresy. However, twenty-five years later, an inquisitorial court exonerated her, declaring her innocent and a martyr. Beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920, Joan remains one of Frances patron saints. Much of her story is preserved in the meticulous court records from her trials, shedding light on her extraordinary life and legacy.