As an aid to students, teachers and parents, we have constructed an A–Z of the World taken from E. H. Gombrich’s, A Little History of the World. We’ve shared bite size introductions to historical figures, events and periods – using Gombrich’s magical words – along with links to free resources, so that readers of all ages can discover more. J is for Joan of Arc.
J
Joan of Arc
E. H. Gombrich: A Norman family had conquered England in 1066, and they had been ruling England ever since. This made them nominally French and, as such, subjects of the kings of France, who could therefore claim sovereignty over England as well as France. However, when no heir was born to the French royal family, the kings of England claimed that, both as relatives and as vassals of the French kings, they should now rule France as well as England. The dispute that followed turned into a terrible struggle. It began in 1337 and lasted for more than a hundred years. The English won more and more land for themselves, conquering ever-greater parts of France – not least because the French king who was in power towards the end of this war was thick-witted and incompetent.
‘Only when the English are in England will there be peace’
But the French people did not want to be ruled by foreigners. And it was then that the miracle happened. A simple seventeen-year-old shepherdess called Joan of Arc, who felt herself called by God to the task, succeeded in persuading the French to put her at the head of an army, dressed in full armour, and the English were driven from the land. ‘Only when the English are in England will there be peace,’ she said.
But the English took their revenge. They captured her and sentenced her to death for witchcraft. And in 1431 Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. But perhaps it wasn’t so surprising that they thought she was a witch. For doesn’t it seem like magic that a simple, uneducated girl, all on her own, armed with nothing but courage and a passionate conviction, should be able to wipe out the accumulated defeats of almost a century in just two years, and bring about the crowning of her king?
Discover more A-Z blogposts here.
Free Resources to Learn More about Joan of Arc
At the time of publication, these resources were free to use:
BBC In Our Time
The Siege of Orléans
BBC Chivalry and Betrayal: The Hundred Years War
Joan of Arc – Dr Janina Ramirez (video)
BBC The Invention Of…
France: Joan of Arc – Misha Glenny
BBC How to Invent a Country
Joan of Arc and England’s role in defining France – Misha Glenny
BBC You’re Dead To Me
Joan of Arc – Greg Jenner
BBC Things We Forgot to Remember
Joan of Arc – Michael Portillo
History.com
The Hundred Years’ War
Ducksters Education Site
Information on Joan of Arc (and other women leaders in history), for younger children
The Yale Blog
England’s Scourge, France’s Heroine: Joan of Arc at 600 – Larissa Juliet Taylor
Bringing Joan of Arc to Life: Larissa Taylor on ‘The Virgin Warrior’ and Collaborating with Ken Follett
This page provides access to a list of free online resources. It is not intended to endorse any particular resource.
About the book
A Little History of the World
E. H. Gombrich
The World has existed for over 4 billion years, but humanity arrived much more recently. Here E. H. Gombrich brings to life the full story of human experience on Earth. He paints a colourful picture of remarkable people and events, from Confucius to Catherine the Great, from the invention of art to the destruction of the Berlin Wall.
