Joan of Arc

D. Glootnoot, reporter extraordinaire, is standing on her toes, peering through the glass window in a sturdy steel door. Her knocking and calling goes unheard by the people inside the laboratory. Watching them, Glootnoot thinks that they don't look quite human. Working in silence, they walk heavily from table to table. Neither their skin nor their features is visible through the thick white overalls they wear. They don't look at each other and Glootnoot can't make out if their lips are moving or not because of the masks that cover their faces.

Stepping away from the glass, Glootnoot can't help but shudder. Perhaps she should try her luck at the administrative offices? Suddenly, something lands heavily on her shoulder, Glootnoot can't help herself – she shrieks loudly and levitates a few feet in the air. Turning quickly, heart thudding, she discovers a smiling, apologetic face. The lady's lips are moving, but it takes Glootnoot a moment to catch on. "I'm so sorry, I'm Serena, and you must be D. Glootnoot from the Funday Times. I didn't mean to startle you." Glootnoot takes a deep breath, "No, that's alright. I'm glad I found you."

Serena Phillips is one of the people Glootnoot has come to see. A noted historian, Serena's particular speciality is Joan of Arc – the young girl known simply as 'The Maid.' Serena and Glootnoot head towards the former's office and soon they are comfortably seated in a large, airy room. Light streams in through the open windows.

Serena: So you are interested in Joan, I take it?
Glootnoot: Yes. I've always thought she was amazing, but now with them examining her bones and what not, I thought it would be the perfect time to do a story on her.

S: So where would you like to begin?
G: Tell me about her childhood?

S: Well, her actual name in French is Jehanne D'Arc and she was born 600 years ago in a village called Domremy in North Eastern France. Her parents were peasants, and like many other kids those days, Joan never attended school. What was unusual about Joan was how religious she was. She would spend hours praying in church. Though Joan was apparently a happy, energetic child, she and her family did not live in good times.
G: Why? What was wrong?

S: When Joan was born, England and France had been at war for about 100 years. The details of this war are rather confusing, but the relevant part is that they were, at that time, fighting over who should be King of France. With no King in charge of France, the French were losing and it looked fairly certain that the English would eventually control all of France.
G: But Joan was a peasant girl, what did any of this have to do with her?

S: Quite a lot actually. In 1424, when Joan was only 12 years old, she began to see visions of Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret and of Michael the Archangel as well. She said they were talking to her.
G: Scary. Is that even possible?

S: Well, science says that Joan just had a great imagination, but when you consider all that she achieved... either way, there's no simple explanation, so let's get back to the story.
For a long time, Joan's voices just gave her general guidance. But when she turned 17, things changed. They began telling her she must save France from the English. She was instructed to go to the leader of the French Army, telling him she could lead France to victory and have Charles – the son of the last French king – crowned.
S: Imagine how strange that would seem to anyone – a young teenager, from a poor, country family, landing up in court and telling the Dauphin to put her in charge of an army.
G: Dauphin?

S: The heir to the throne.
G: Ah. I'm surprised that they didn't take her for a mad woman and lock her up!

S: Right there is one of the most fascinating things about Joan. You see, she inspired belief. Charles believed her, for starters. He was convinced that Joan and the voices were genuine, and he agreed to give her a small army to lead. Determined to look the part, she cut her hair short, and wore her new white armour. Joan was unlike any other woman of her times.
G: And then she went to war…

S: The English had recently captured Orleans, a city about 80 miles from Paris. Joan was determined to win it back. Reports say that she was wounded in the fight, but that she didn't let that stop her. Her men, seeing her bravery and determination to fight on, were inspired. They retook the city of Orleans for France.

G: And Joan became known as The Maid of Orleans!
S: Precisely. Joan was now a French heroine, and her people loved her. With their help she won several more battles. The English began to lose heavily, and Reims once again belonged to the French. Thanks to Joan, Charles VII was finally crowned King of France. But the new King decided that he would negotiate with the English. Joan and her voices, however, had different ideas. She was determined to fight on and rid France of the English forever.

G: I imagine the King wasn't too happy with her.
S: Neither were the English. They could not believe that a mere girl had beaten them in battle. Aside from her voices, Joan had very few friends now. Finally, she was captured by the enemy. The English were determined to try her as a witch.

G: A witch?! Why?
S: Joan claimed to hear heavenly voices and it left very little for the priests to say. Shockingly, she dressed like a man, and did things that no woman would have dared to do. And she was still only a teenager!

G: What about Charles?
S: He no longer had any interest in Joan, she had given him what he wanted, the French crown. Now she was just a nuisance. So he made no attempt to rescue her or buy her back from the English. Joan remained in prison, growing weaker and more tired daily. She was tried, convicted and sentenced to death. Because she was found guilty of being a witch, she was to be executed by fire. She was only 19 years old.

On May 30, 1431 she was burned at the stake. Charles did nothing to save her, and neither did the French people, who only shortly before had claimed she was a heroine. After her death Charles decided that it wasn't a good idea for people to believe she had been a witch or heretic – that would mean that he had been wrongfully crowned. He set about having her name cleared.

Thirty years after her death the Pope claimed she had been wrongly accused and that she was not guilty of any crime against the Church or God. She was eventually canonized in 1920, becoming St Joan.

Serena finishes her story. For a moment, Glootnoot finds herself feeling very sad about someone who died many hundreds of years before she was born. Why did people do the things they did? Was it because they were afraid? She did not know. But people still loved and admired Joan today – and surely that had to count for something?

Either way, she still has one more person to meet. Philippe Charlier is waiting to show her Joan's bones. Glootnoot shudders.