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How Joan of Arc Changed History
“I am not afraid…I was born to do this”- Joan of Arc. One of the most notable women in history is Joan of Arc. She played a significant role in France during the Hundred Years War, a time when England and France fought for the French throne. Since her childhood, Joan felt obligated to drive the English out of her land and restore power back to France. At the age of 18, she joined the French army and led them to their first victory in Orleans after years of defeat. From then on, she carried the name “Maid of Orleans” and continued to lead the French army. In her military life, she raised hope for France and led her soldiers to battle with great success. Though her actions helped France win the war, they also left an impact on the world. Through her success, she showed the world that women were capable of participating in government affairs and that superior forces could be defeated by inferior forces.
During Dark Ages in France, women were discriminated against and looked upon as incompetent in playing a role in government. Women were seen as socially inferior from men and destined to play domestic roles in family life rather than interfere in government affairs (1). Most women in France worked as “peasants, shopkeepers, laundresses, and were defined by their sex” (1). They were given tasks that only required physical labor because government jobs, which required professional skills, were thought as unnatural and difficult for them. Even after the French revolution, women were still discriminated in French society. In fact, when King Napoleon initiated the Civil Code in 1804, he was recorded to have said, “Women ought to obey us. Nature has made women our Slaves!” (2). From King Napoleon’s words, it is evident that women’s status in French society was immensely degraded. Hence, women were always thought as incapable of participating in government affairs.
However, Joan of Arc proved that women were just as competent as men in participating in government affairs. She showed her competence through military leadership and success during the Hundred’s Years war. She was known for her outstanding abilities as a military leader. For instance, at the battle of Orleans, her military performance impressed her co-commanders and lifted the English siege of Orleans (3). Her victorious performance was something that French military commanders were not able to accomplish for many years. She also showed her military skills at the battle Beaugency in 1429. Joan’s army surrounded the city of Beaugency before an English relief force arrived outside the city (10). Joan’s tactic was to deceive Beaugency into believing that rescue was not arriving. Thus, when the outside relief unit proposed a battle with her army, she declined and delayed it because the people of Beaugency would hear the fight and would know that they would be rescued (10). Deceived, Beaugency surrendered to Joan’s army and the relief force retreated after finding out (10). With her strategic ruse, Joan was able to capture an entire city while avoiding a fight. Moreover, not long after her death, French military leaders began to adopt her tactical methods (4). They followed her policy of direct engagement, which was a costly method, however it led to more victories for France in the long run (4). To view her success in a wider scale, before the arrival of Joan of Arc, the French won only three battles in a span of ninety-two years. After her participation in the war, the French won nine battles and ultimately won the war in a span of twenty-four years (5). Without Joan of Arc’s efforts, France would have remained hopeless and most likely would have surrendered to the formidable English. Thus, Joan’s success in participating in the government vindicates the ability that all women could participate in government affairs.
In addition to raising the status of women, Joan of Arc showed the world that even the greatest in power could be defeated by inferior forces. During the Hundred Years war, England allied with Burgundy and together they conquered a large portion of Northern France (6). Moreover, England had the advantage of modern weapons, such as the long bow, which devastated French chivalry men (7). Despite England having the advantage of stronger weapons and an ally, Joan of Arc was able to give hope to France. When Joan joined the fight against England, she boosted the fighting morale by leading French soldiers to believe that they were fighting a divine war, and that God was by their side (8). For this reason, their fight was more passionate and patriotic than the English side. French soldiers were fighting on their home land, whereas English soldiers were fighting because their king ordered them to. Because of Joan’s courage, French soldiers were able to remain strong. For instance, before attacking the English at Jargeau in 1429, many French captains were hesitant to fight because of the great strength of the English (9). However, Joan of Arc heartened them to battle as she cheered, “No, do not fear their numbers; do not hesitate to make the attack; God will conduct your enterprise; if I were not sure that it is God Who guides us, I would rather take care of the sheep than expose myself to such great perils!” (9)
After hearing these words, the French bravely marched to Jarguea and victoriously defeated the English after a long day of battle (9). Clearly, Joan inspired the French to stand up. Despite how greater the English were in power, Joan of Arc instilled courage in her soldiers. In doing so, showed the world that an inferior force was capable of defeating a superpower.
Joan of Arc’s accomplishments proves remarkable in world history. Her decision to stand up against great odds during a struggling time for her country left impacts on our world. Firstly, Joan had no concerns for accomplishing her goals as women. She crossed dressed as a male soldier, fought in battle, and successfully lead armies. In doing so, she showed that women in general were capable of participating in government affairs. She also showed the world that an inferior force is capable of winning against a superior force. With courage and bravery, Joan boosted the fighting morale of her country and lead them to success. By restoring hope to her country, Joan gave France a fighting chance which ultimately lead to winning the Hundred Years War. Though Joan of Arc was executed in England on 30th of May 1431, her impacts on the world live forever.