Joan of Arc Timeline 1412-1431

Joan of Arc was born to Jacques d’Arc and Isabelle Romee in Domrémy, France. Domrémy was a small village close to the Burgundian border. Although Burgundy was pro-England, Joan’s parents were loyal to the King of France.

Battle of Agincourt
The English defeated a much larger French force in this pivotal battle of the Hundred Years’ War.

Treaty of Troyes
After Agincourt, the English had made significant gains and the French were forced to sue for peace. The peace treaty signed at Troyes provided that:
King Henry V of England should become regent of France during King Charles VI’s lifetime but that Charles would retain the crown. Henry was to marry Charles VI’s daughter, Catherine of Valois and their children would inherit the French crown on Charles’s death. Charles VI’s own son, the Dauphin, was disinherited.

King Henry V of England died from dysentery at the Castle of Bois-de-Vincennes, France. He was succeeded by his infant son, Henry VI. Under the terms of the Treaty of Troyes signed in 1420 the young English king became heir to the French throne.

Charles VI of France died. Under the terms of the Treaty of Troyes signed in 1420 Henry VI of England became King of France.

France was ruled by the Duke of Bedford, regent for the young King Henry VI. However, the French were not happy and wanted the English out of France.

Joan began to have visions where she heard the voice of God telling her to drive the English out of France and to take the Dauphin Charles to Reims for his coronation.

Joan went to Vaucouleurs and asked to speak to the garrison commander, Robert de Baudricourt. She told him that she wanted to join the Dauphin but he didn’t believe her story and she was sent away.

The English placed the town of Orleans under siege.

Joan went to Vaucouleurs a second time and asked Robert de Baudricourt to let her join the Dauphin. She was accepted after she revealed details about the French defeat in the battle of the Herrings at Orleans before official messengers arrived with the same information.

Joan dressed in men’s clothing and began the journey to meet Charles at Chinon. It was considered a crime for women to dress in men’s clothes.

Joan reached Chinon.

Joan had an audience with the Dauphin Charles and asked to be allowed to help fight the English. Her manner, confidence and conviction persuaded the Dauphin that she genuinely had God on her side.

Charles ordered that Joan be physically examined to prove that she was a girl and also interrogated by Church officials to determine the truth of her visions.

Joan sent a letter to the English demanding that they leave France.

Charles gave Joan command of a small armed force. She was presented with a suit of armour and a banner. Joan declared that a sword was waiting for her in the church of Saint Catherine de Fierbois, it was found in the place she described and brought to her.

Joan joined her army at Blois.

Joan and her troops successfully relieved French forces at the siege of Orleans.

The French commander, Lord Dunois launched an assault against the English at Saint Loup. The assault failed and the French fell back. However, Joan led a new attack on the English and captured the fortress of Saint Loup.

Joan sent another letter to the English at Tourelles telling them to leave France.

Joan and her troops took St Jean de Blanc then launched a successful attack on Les Augustins.

Joan led French troops to battle at Les Tourelles. She predicted that she would be injured during the battle. During the battle she was struck by an arrow and fell causing the French to retreat. However, after removing the arrow herself she led the French on a new, successful assault.

The English withdrew from Orleans.

Joan went to Tours where she told the Dauphin to go to Reims and be crowned King of France.

Joan of Arc and her force left Orleans to launch a new campaign in the Loire Valley.

The town of Jargeau was captured from the English.

Joan and her troops took the town of Meung-sur-Loire giving them control of the bridge across the Loire.

The town of Beaugency was taken.

Joan led the French troops to a decisive victory over the English led by Lord Talbot at Patay.

Joan of Arc and the Dauphin Charles, accompanied by the French army, began the journey to Reims.

Joan and her troops placed Troyes under siege.

The city of Troyes surrendered to the French

The town of Chalons-sur-Marne surrendered to Joan and her army.

The city of Reims welcomed Joan of Arc and Charles the Dauphin.

The Dauphin was crowned King Charles VII of France in the Cathedral at Reims. Joan stood by his side holding her banner.

Joan wrote a letter to the Duke of Burgundy asking him to make an alliance with King Charles VII.

Joan of Arc, King Charles VII and the French army began to march towards Paris.

The French army led by Joan liberated Soissons from the English.

Joan, Charles VII and the French army liberated the Chateau-Thierry.

Joan fought a minor skirmish with the forces of the Duke of Bedford at Montepilloy. The English withdrew.

Joan went to St Denis to look at the defences around Paris.

Burgundy and France agreed a four-month truce.

The French troops marched on Paris. Joan was hit in the leg with a crossbow bolt. She refused to retire and though badly injured she urged the French to continue the attack. However, she was carried from the battle and the French withdrew.

Joan wanted to launch a new attack on Paris but Charles insisted that the French army withdraw to Gien-sur-Loire.

The French army reached Gien-sur-Loire and was disbanded by Charles.

Joan led a small force to take the town of Saint-Pierre-le-Moutier.

Joan placed the town of La Charite-sur-Loire under siege.

La Charite-sur-Loire fell to the French.

Joan and her family were made members of the French nobility.

Joan was resident at the court of Charles VII.

Joan left the court of Charles to join the French army at Lagny.

Joan liberated the town of Melun.

Joan of Arc marched to relieve the siege of Compiegne.

Joan was captured outside the town by a Burgundian force.

The Burgundians sold Joan to the English who charged her with 70 offences including witchcraft, heresy and dressing as a man. She was held in a prison cell shackled to the bed.

Joan of Arc’s trial began at Rouen.

Under force, Joan of Arc signed an abjuration that admitted she had not heard voices.

Joan of Arc rejected the abjuration. She was immediately charged with heresy and found guilty.

Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake in Rouen.

A posthumous retrial of Joan of Arc found her not guilty. She was declared a martyr.

Joan of Arc was made a saint by Pope Benedict XV.