6. Joan of Arc and the End of the War

Although the relationship between Henry VI and the Burgundians became restless, the attacks on Orleans continued and by September 1428 they were besieging it. At that time people were losing hope and felt week compared to the English which lessened their confidence. At the age of 13, Joan of Arc a peasant girl from the countryside of Orleans claimed to have heard heavenly voices instructing her to liberate Orleans, help the Dauphin Charles to be crowned as king and drive the English out of France “Her impact revitalized the moribund opposition, and they broke the siege around Orléans, defeated the English several times and were able to crown the Dauphin in Rheims cathedral” (Wide 2017). Joan resurrected hope in people drove them to victory, but wanted to fulfil the last mission by attacking Paris without the permission of the king who was trying to make peace with the lord of Burgundy. She was captured by the English and accused her of heresy; the church executed her by burning her on the stake, alive.

After a few years of stalemate, “they rallied around the new king when the Duke of Burgundy broke with the English in 1435. After the Congress of Arras, they recognized Charles VII as king. Many believe the Duke had decided England could never truly win France” (Wide 2017). The unification of Orléans and Burgundy under the Valois crown weakened the English side who continued the war against all odds. The fighting was paused temporarily in 1444 with an armistice and a marriage between Henry VI of England and a French princess. The English surrendered Maine to achieve the truce which caused an uproar in England.

War soon began again when the English broke the truce. Charles VII made reforms the French army, and this new model made great advances against English lands on the continent.  The French won the Battle of Formigny in 1450, took back Calais from the English by the end of 1453, and killed English commander John Talbot at the Battle of Castillon. With the French taking the upper hand, they victoriously won the war and it was successfully over.