Joan of Arc, also known as Jeanne d'Arc, was a peasant girl born around 1412 in Domrémy, a small village in northeastern France. Despite her humble origins, Joan became a key figure in the Hundred Years' War between France and England, claiming to have received visions from saints instructing her to support Charles VII and recover France from English domination.
At the age of 16, she made her way to the French court, convincing Charles VII of her divine mission. Joan was given a military role and lifted the siege of Orléans in 1429, which became a turning point in the war. Her actions revitalized the French cause, leading to Charles VII's coronation at Reims, thereby legitimizing his claim to the throne.
Joan's capture by the Burgundians in 1430 and subsequent sale to the English led to her trial for charges including heresy and witchcraft. Despite her assertive defense, she was convicted and burned at the stake in 1431, at the age of 19. Her trial was later reviewed posthumously, and she was declared innocent and a martyr in 1456. Joan of Arc was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1920.