Image from http://en.wikipedia.org
It is safe to say that Joan of Arc, or Saint Joan as some called her, is a very well known woman from the middle ages. From the French’s point of view Saint Joan was a Godly woman, with inspiring leadership, and the courage of a lion. She lead the French in a series of battles that helped seize many towns that had previously been taken over by the English men, eventually driving of the English people. However, from the English point of view, Joan of Arc was a complete and total crazy person. Eventually, Joan of Arc would be captured by the English and put on trial for the belief that she was practicing heresy.
Joan of Arc did not have to go through just one or two trials; she went through many public and private trials throughout the course of her investigation. While under investigation Joan was forced into imprisonment, where she was watched closely by guards, for any sign of her talking to, or hearing, voices. In her biography, on the joanofarc.us website, it says she was molested by the guards, while being held in prison, and soon after that the guards reported that she was hearing voices again. This accusation would eventually lead to the burning of Saint Joan of Arc.
The imprisonment of Joan of Arc was meant to give her a chance to plead guilty and repent from her heretical beliefs; however Joan did not take advantage of this moment, instead she stood strong in her beliefs. For this reason, the woman that was viewed, by some, as a Saint, would be sentenced to a grueling death. On May 30, 1431 Joan of Arc was burned to death for all to see.
After many years, and after a great deal of research, Joan of Arc’s name was restored and she was found not guilty by Pope Callixtux III in 1456. Thanks to this finding by Pope Callixtux III Saint Joan of Arc can now be remembered as a woman who stood by her convictions and led her people to freedom, instead of the crazy woman the English tried to say she was.