Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc is born

Jan 6, 1412

Timeline of Joan's life Joan of Arc was born a peasant girl in Domremy, France on January 6, 1412. She worked on a farm with her family. Instead of attending school, she worked on the farm where she learned to sew and spin wool. Every time church bells rang, she prayed.

Brunelleschi Begins Work on the Duomo in Florence

Dec 15, 1420

Duomo in Florence The building of the dome on Florence cathedral, by Filippo Brunelleschi, can be considered one of the Renaissance's main building enterprises. The highest expression of a new attitude, placing man and his abilities at the center of the world and portraying classic cultural rebirth after the dark times of the Middle Ages.

First Vision

Nov 11, 1425

Joan's First Vision When Joan of Arc was 13 she began hearing the voices from God. They were telling her to disguise herself as a man and join the French army to fight against England. At first she was very afraid, but she did what she was told to do because she was loyal to God and she knew it was him speaking. Joan of Arc thought she saw and heard St. Michael and St. Catherine too.

The Voices Still Continue

Jan 9, 1429

The Visions Continue When Joan turned seventeen, the guidance from her voices changed. Saint Michael visited more often. He started outlining a plan which involved the young girl liberating her country.

Visit to the French Royal Court

Apr 3, 1429

Visit to French Royal CourtShe asked a kinsman of hers to take her to Vaucouleurs, where she petitioned the garrison commander to permit her to visit the French royal court. She was refused initially, but a few months later returned and made a prediction about a military reversal near Orleans, After news from the front confirmed her prediction, she made her way to the royal court where she greatly impressed Charles VII, whose mother-in-law was financing a relief expedition to Orleans; After this Joan joined the army.

Joan of Arc meets King Charles VII, the King of France, at Chinon

May 13, 1429

Meeting King Charles VII After months of questioning Joan, and because the position of Charles VII was so desperate, he was willing to listen to her. Because Charles’ religious advisors believed Joan, Charles gave her a suit of white armor, a banner and the supposed command of troops. The banner Charles had made for her, to carry into battle, had a figure of the Virgin with a shield and two angels supporting the arms of France on it.

Defeat at Orleans

Jun 29, 1429

Defeat at Orleans She inspired the French to a passionate resistance and through the next week led the charge during a number of skirmishes and battles. On one occasion, she was even hit by an arrow, but after dressing her wounds she returned to the battle. On May 8, the siege of Orleans was broken, and the English retreated.

Siege of Orleans

Jun 29, 1429

Siege of OrleansConvinced of the validity of her divine mission, Charles furnished Joan with a small force of troops. She led her troops to Orleans, and on April 29, as a French sortie distracted the English troops on the west side of the city, Joan entered unopposed by its eastern gate. Bringing needed supplies and troops into the besieged city, she also inspired the French to a passionate resistance and through the next week led the harge during a number of skirmishes and battles.

English Capture Joan

May 15, 1430

English Capture Joan On May 23, 1430, she was captured at Compiègne by the Burgundians and was imprisoned at Beaurevoir. The Burgundians, under John of Luxembourg, later sold her, for 10000 Francs, to the English. Charles VII made absolutely no effort to rescue or ransom her.

Heresy Trial and Death of Joan of Arc

Jan 3, 1431

Trial of Joan of ArcShe was handed over to the bishop and on February 21 her trial began. Although in chains, and under constant threat of torture, Joan continued to maintain her innocence over the many months of the trial. Finally, faced with being burned at the stake, Joan did recant and confess her ‘guilt’.The tribunal then commuted her sentence to life in prison. However, this enraged the English, who turned her over to the civil authorities to be burned. On May 30, 1431, she was burned at the stake.

Florence becomes center of Renaissance arts and learning under the Medicis

Jul 5, 1434

Florence Becomes the CenterBy 1434, Cosimo de Medici had consolidated power for himself and his family in Florence, all the while maintaining the appearance of democratic government. Cosimo clung to his position as a private citizen, but it was clear to all that he ruled the city of Florence from behind the scenes. Though Cosimo maintained his power through the actions of a manipulative schemer, other aspects of his life were nothing if not admirable.

Incas Rule in Peru

Apr 23, 1438

Incas Rule in PeruThe Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire was one of the most important campaigns in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. After years of preliminary exploration and military skirmishes, 168 Spanish soldiers under Francisco Pizarro and their native allies captured the Sapa Inca Atahualpa in the 1532 Battle of Cajamarca. It was the first step in a long campaign that took decades of fighting but ended in Spanish victory and colonization of the region as the Viceroyalty of Peru.

Printing Press is Developed

Oct 7, 1450

Printing Press is Developed The Gutenberg press with its wooden and later metal movable type printing brought down the price of printed materials and made such materials available for the masses. It remained the standard until the 20th century. The Gutenberg printing press developed from the technology of the screw-type wine presses of the Rhine Valley.

Fall of Constantinople

Sep 14, 1453

Fall of ConstantinopleThe siege of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire and one of the most heavily fortified cities in the world, took place in 1453. Sultan Mehmed II, ruler of the Ottoman Turks, led the assault. The city was defended by, at most, 10,000 men. The Turks had between 100,000 and 150,000 men on their side. The siege lasted for fifty days. The Turks employed various important war tactics in taking over the city.

War of the Roses

May 22, 1455

War of the RosesIn the opening battle of England's War of the Roses, the Yorkists defeat King Henry VI's Lancastrian forces at St. Albans, 20 miles northwest of London. Many Lancastrian nobles perished, including Edmund Beaufort, the duke of Somerset, and the king was forced to submit to the rule of his cousin, Richard of York. The dynastic struggle between the House of York, whose badge was a white rose, and the House of Lancaster, later associated with a red rose, would stretch on for 30 years.

Sainthood of Joan

Jun 24, 1920

Sainthood of Joan She was declared to be a saint by Pope Benedict XV. The French parliament decreed a yearly national festival, in her honor, to take place on the second Sunday in May. Her feast day is the anniversary of her death: May 30th. She is the patron saint of France and France’s greatest national heroine.