Joan Of Arc And Her Influence On The Medieval History

Joan of Arc made many contributions in history during the Middle Ages and these contributions continue to be important throughout time. Joan was an inspiration for women during the Middle Ages opening people’s minds to what women were capable of achieving. Joan showed strength and leadership, faith and commitment. She defied all the usual ‘rules’ that would apply to an uneducated and poor farm girl during the Middle Ages and became a great inspiration to many people in France and later around the world. She was a great leader who united France at a time when people were very disillusioned and divided. Joan of Arc changed the outcome for France and the King by listening and following the word of God and remaining committed to her faith and her values. Joan remains a powerful symbol of faith, strength and courage to millions of people. 

Joan of Arc is one of the most recognizable feminists in history. She has become a symbol of independence and individual thinking. During the Middle Ages all women were expected to stay in the home and raise their children. However, Joan inspired many women to believe in themselves and showed them that anything is possible for a woman, no matter their age, social class or education. Joan of Arc was a great soldier, strategist, strong and capable woman. She not only inspired women but united men and all of France to be strong and fight for their country and their King. To this day, Joan continues to be a role model for girls and women around the world, encouraging them to push boundaries and ideas that still exist even today. If Joan of Arc was alive in this day and age, and her story was a current one, she would still be a symbol of feminine strength and continue to be the heroine she has always been to women all over the world. 

Joan of Arc was a tremendous leader in the Middle Ages and continues to be a great inspiration to leaders. In the French Army Joan was admired by everyone and she became very popular. Joan lead the French army to victory against the English. Author Tabatha Yeatts stated Knight Thibault d’Armagnac, Joan’s companion in the army said, “She behaved as if she had been the shrewdest captain in the world and had all her life been learning the art of war. (Yeatts, 2009, P.4)” She believed in her visions and her fearless leadership inspired a nation. The reason Joan of Arc was such a great leader during the Middle Ages was because she stayed committed to her visions and her values. For example, Joan kept persevering with trying to speak to the King of France even though he kept rejecting her. This unlikely heroine demonstrated the impact that one person can have on the world. Not only was Joan of Arc committed to what she believed in, but she wasn’t afraid to lead from the front showing her faith and fearlessness which encouraged and empowered those around her. Since men of the Middle Ages were oblivious to the power of women, Joan knew it would be extremely difficult to convince the soldiers to follow her, but her determination kept her going. Joan always remained true to her values which put her on a path to success and influenced every decision she made. Tabatha Yeatts also stated A French noble Guy de Laval wrote a letter to his mother which said, “They say that the king has never had such a great army as the one expected here; and never has there been stronger will for the task that they undertake here. (Yeatts, 2009, P.5)” 

Joan of Arc’s story is tied very much to the Catholic Church and therefore Joan influenced the Middle Ages in a religious and political sense because in that time religion and politics were virtually one entity and the Catholic Church had immense influence in the political views of France. Joan’s story was in many ways similar to that of Jesus in part. She was eventually condemned by the very Church that she belonged to and her faith which was very much about her love of Jesus and God did not and could not save her, just as Jesus could not to be saved. Like Jesus, Joan also was the opposite of all that the Church represented at that time. The all-male, all knowing and power-hungry heads of the Church were the opposite of Joan, a poor, uneducated farm girl. This is the same as the story of Jesus who was the opposite to the Church of his time. Joan showed people what deep faith looked like. All of her actions were with God in her heart and mind. Joan of Arc encouraged people to have faith in God, in her and in France and this is what infuriated the Church. They wanted to have all the power and so they used their power to create a story so that they could destroy her. Guillaume Bouille was the appointed clergyman to investigate the trial and he stated that the English military had seized Joan the Maid. Yeatts also suggested “by no means of this trial and the great hatred that our enemies have against her, they caused her death unjustly and against reason, very cruelly indeed; for this reason, we wish to know the truth of the aforesaid trial. (Yeatts, 2009, P.5)” Her trial was very unfair and the men from the Church were very unjust and manipulative. However, this only made the public admire her even more. 

Joan of Arc showed, through her commitment to God, and to doing what was best for France, that she was a great leader and also maintained deep faith and commitment until the end. The input Joan of Arc had during the Middle Ages and history continues to be a story of inspiration to people all over the world. Joan had a gift to open people’s eyes to the possibility that women were capable of achieving equally to men. She showed people that anybody could be strong and fight for their values and beliefs regardless of their background, gender or political power. She showed people that women had equal rights, women could become leaders and if you listen to God you will always have inner strength and commitment no matter what the cost. She lead France to find unity and equality. Joan of Arc to this day is a symbol of faith, strength and courage to people all around the world and her actions and force shaped history for women, for the French politically and religiously and her victories for France shaped history forever.