When the students arrived today, they would find images of the same woman in different scenes around the room. Including, unfortunately, one that was sadder than the others.

"We're starting with someone incredibly close to my heart, Joan of Arc," Annja said after everyone had taken their seats. "Jeanne d'Arc, the Maid of Orleans. She's thought to be a national heroine in France, and she was made a saint long after her death. Her friends and allies thought she was spectacular and her enemies thought she was crazy. What did she do that was so against the norm of her time?" Annja looked around her class. "She was a soldier. She led battles against the English in order to put the rightful ruler of France, Charles the Seventh, on the throne. Not only was she a woman, but she claimed divine guidance. She had her first visions at the age of twelve when she saw angels who told her to drive the English out of France. As you can imagine, this cause quite a stir at the time. She was dismissed and called foolish, and yet she continued to petition to be allowed to sit in a council and to lead an army."



Annja walked to one of the images that showed Joan in armor. "The French army was losing battle after battle and Joan kept persisting that she needed to be allowed to lead an army and do what the Lord wanted her to do. With no other options and thinking that they had nothing left to lose, the Royal Court allowed Joan to lead a charge. Of course, they couldn't provide her with armor, sword or even a horse, because outfitting women for battle just wasn't done. However, the men that had started to follow her believed in her so much that they provided her with what she needed." Her eyes stayed on the sword for several moments before she turned back to her class. "Where other army leaders had failed to push back the English, Joan's charges did not. She convinced Charles VII to make her the co-commander of the army of France. She also stood up with him as he was coronated as the King of France."

Annja sighed and moved to the image of Joan at the Coronation. "Of course, if the story ended there, then she would only be a passing mention in history books and she wouldn't be the continuing legend that she remains today. In the year 1430, she and her army attempted to engage a force of more than 6,000 Burgundians, when more forces for the enemy arrived, Joan ordered the retreat of her men. As commander, she was the last to leave the field of battle and when she was unhorsed by an archer, she was taken prisoner. This was where it began to get even messier. It was customary in those times for a captive's family to ransom a prisoner of war. Joan had no family wealth, and her King did not stand up for her. To this day, many still condemn King Charles VII for not doing right by Joan in that moment. If he had, what happened next would have been avoided."

She shifted to an image of Joan on trial.

"Joan tried several times to escape the Burgundians and they had to keep moving her around to discourage her men from coming to her aid. Finally, the English government purchased Joan from Duke Philip of Burgundy and prompty put her on trial. The trial for heresy was politically motivated. The Duke of Bedford claimed the throne of France on behalf of his nephew Henry VI. Joan had been responsible for the rival coronation, hence condemning her was an attempt to undermine her king's legitimacy. Legal proceedings commenced on 9 January 1431 at Rouen, the seat of the English occupation government." Annja sighed and looked at the class. "There was no way that Joan could have won this time. The trial was patently illegal in so many ways -- not for one being that they denied Joan any legal council. As she was illeterate, the read to her a document and was told she had to sign it or face immediate execution. Not being ready to die, Joan made her mark on the form and a different document was entered as evidence against her, She was found guilty of heresy, among other things -- including wearing men's clothing,"

Annja turned to one final image. "Joan never had a chance. She held onto her beliefs that she was doing God's work and no matter how she was treated or insulted, she did not renounce her faith, her King or her actions. Joan was found guilty and sentenced to be burned at the stake in May of 1431. They burned her body three times so that no one could claim she had somehow escaped and once she was reduced to only ash, her ashes were spread in the river Seine. She was nineteen."

She was silent for a moment, letting her class digest all of that. "However, there were people who demanded justice for Joan after her death. In 1456, her trial was declared unlawful and she was declared innocent of all charges. Victory for her followers, but too late to spare Joan's life. Joan wasn't a feminist, but a great deal of her aid at the time came from powerful women. Even now, women use her a symbol of why doing the right thing doesn't always mean acting within the norms of society." She grinned. "In her death, though, she has gotten her greatest revenge. The names of most of her accusers have been forgotten, but Joan's name and deeds have prevailed through the centuries to present day."