ז'אן ד'ארק

Joan of Arc (1412-1431) was a French peasant girl who claimed divine visions guided her to lead the French army during the Hundred Years' War. At just 17, she lifted the Siege of Orléans in 1429 and escorted Charles VII to his coronation at Reims. Her military leadership revitalized a demoralized France and shifted the war's momentum decisively. Captured by Burgundian forces and sold to the English, she was tried for heresy and burned at the stake at age 19. She was canonized as a saint in 1920 and remains a powerful symbol of faith, nationalism, and female courage, standing alongside figures like Saladin as medieval leaders whose legends far outlasted their lifetimes.

Joan reported hearing the voices of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret beginning around age 13. These voices allegedly instructed her to support Charles VII and drive the English from France. Historians have debated these experiences for centuries — explanations range from genuine mystical experience to epilepsy, schizophrenia, or bovine tuberculosis causing hallucinations. What remains undeniable is that her conviction was absolute and persuasive enough to convince a royal court to grant a teenage peasant command of an army. Whether divine or psychological, her visions produced real-world results that altered the course of European history in ways few other personal revelations ever have.

The Siege of Orléans had lasted seven months when Joan arrived in April 1429 with a relief force. Rather than adopting a cautious approach, she inspired the demoralized French troops with aggressive tactics, personally leading charges against English fortifications. Over nine days of fierce combat, her forces captured key English strongholds including the fortress of Les Tourelles. Joan herself was wounded by a crossbow bolt through the shoulder but returned to battle the same day. By May 8, the English withdrew, ending the siege. This victory was the war's turning point and earned Joan the enduring title 'Maid of Orléans.' It demonstrated that bold leadership, much like that of Charlemagne centuries earlier, could rally a fractured nation.

After her capture at Compiègne in May 1430 by Burgundian forces allied with England, Joan was sold to the English for 10,000 livres. She was tried by an ecclesiastical court in Rouen led by Bishop Pierre Cauchon, a Burgundian sympathizer. The primary charges were heresy and wearing men's clothing, which violated church law. The trial was politically motivated — the English needed to discredit her divine claims to undermine Charles VII's legitimacy. Over months of interrogation, the 19-year-old displayed remarkable composure and wit, often outmaneuvering her university-educated questioners. She was found guilty and burned at the stake on May 30, 1431. A retrial in 1456 posthumously declared her innocent.

Joan of Arc has become one of the most depicted historical figures in Western culture. She has inspired countless works including Mark Twain's personal favorite novel, Carl Dreyer's landmark 1928 silent film, Tchaikovsky's opera, and Luc Besson's 1999 epic. She is a patron saint of France and of soldiers, and her image has been claimed by movements across the political spectrum — from French feminists to nationalist parties. In literature she appears as everything from tragic hero to proto-feminist icon. Her story resonates because it touches universal themes: faith versus authority, youth versus power, and individual conviction against institutional might. On JudgeMarket, her legacy trades on these timeless cultural currents.

Joan of Arc was just 19 years old when she was executed by burning at the stake in Rouen on May 30, 1431. Her entire military career spanned barely over a year — from her arrival at the royal court in Chinon in February 1429 to her capture at Compiègne in May 1430. Despite this incredibly brief period of activity, she accomplished what seasoned French commanders had failed to do for years. Her youth makes her achievements all the more extraordinary and contributes to the almost mythical quality of her story. Like Alexander the Great, she demonstrated that age is no barrier to world-altering impact, compressing a lifetime of achievement into mere months.

This remains one of the most debated questions about Joan. She had no formal military training, yet her presence at battles consistently correlated with French victories. Some historians argue she was primarily an inspirational figurehead while experienced captains like La Hire and Jean de Dunois handled actual tactics. Others point to trial testimony where soldiers credited her with genuine strategic insight, including her insistence on aggressive assaults over defensive postures. The truth likely lies between the extremes — she may not have devised battle plans, but her extraordinary charisma, fearlessness under fire, and willingness to lead from the front transformed the morale and fighting spirit of the French army in ways that were genuinely decisive.

Joan of Arc was canonized by Pope Benedict XV on May 16, 1920 — nearly 500 years after her execution. The path to sainthood was long and winding. Her nullification trial in 1456 cleared her name, but the formal canonization process did not begin until 1869 when Bishop Dupanloup of Orléans initiated the cause. She was declared Venerable in 1894, beatified in 1909, and finally canonized in 1920. The timing was significant: France had just emerged from World War I, and Joan's canonization served as a powerful symbol of national resilience and divine favor. Her feast day is celebrated on May 30, the anniversary of her death, honoring her alongside other sainted figures whose moral authority transcends centuries.

On JudgeMarket, Joan of Arc's reputation is tokenized as a tradeable asset priced in OPS (Opinion Points). The price reflects the market's collective assessment of her historical legacy and cultural relevance. Traders can go long if they believe her reputation will appreciate — perhaps due to a new film, scholarly reappraisal, or cultural moment — or short if they think her standing will decline. Like all JudgeMarket assets, her price is determined by an order book matching engine where buy and sell orders meet. You can hold both long and short positions simultaneously to hedge. Her price often correlates with broader interest in medieval history and figures like Charlemagne and Saladin.

Gender was central to nearly every aspect of Joan's experience. As a woman claiming divine authority in a deeply patriarchal society, she challenged every social norm of 15th-century Europe. Her insistence on wearing men's clothing — both for practical battlefield reasons and as protection against assault during imprisonment — became a key charge at her trial. The English used her cross-dressing to paint her as unnatural and heretical. Paradoxically, her gender also amplified her symbolic power: a young woman succeeding where men had failed made her victories seem even more miraculous. Today she is widely celebrated as a feminist icon, though scholars debate whether modern gender frameworks can meaningfully apply to her medieval context.

Charles VII, whom Joan helped crown at Reims, went on to become one of France's most effective monarchs despite his inglorious role in her fate — he made no effort to rescue or ransom her from captivity. After Joan's death, he continued the war effort and by 1453 had expelled the English from nearly all of France, ending the Hundred Years' War. He reformed the French military into a standing professional army, reorganized royal finances, and strengthened central authority. In 1456, he authorized the retrial that cleared Joan's name, though this was partly motivated by the political need to legitimize his own coronation. His reign proved that Joan's sacrifice had indeed saved a kingdom, even if the king himself proved unworthy of her loyalty.

Joan of Arc is considered a "legacy stable" asset on JudgeMarket — her reputation is deeply entrenched with relatively low volatility compared to modern figures like Taylor Swift or Elon Musk. Effective strategies include buying dips when her price temporarily drops due to market-wide sell-offs, as her baseline cultural significance provides strong support levels. Watch for catalysts like new films, books, or the annual May 30 feast day celebrations that can boost interest. Pair trading her against other medieval figures like Charlemagne can capture relative value shifts. For newer traders, she makes a solid portfolio anchor since sainted historical figures rarely face the sudden reputation crises that contemporary personalities do.

Joan of Arc occupies a unique niche among military leaders. Unlike Napoleon Bonaparte or Alexander the Great, she commanded for barely a year and fought in a handful of engagements. Her military significance lies not in tactical brilliance or empire-building but in psychological impact — she transformed a losing war into a winning one through sheer force of will and inspirational leadership. In this sense she shares more with figures like Genghis Khan, who also succeeded partly through the terrifying mystique surrounding their persona. What sets Joan apart is that her power derived entirely from perceived divine authority rather than military experience, political cunning, or hereditary right, making her one of history's most improbable commanders.

Burning at the stake was the standard punishment for convicted heretics in medieval Europe. Joan had initially been sentenced to life imprisonment after she agreed to sign an abjuration document recanting her claims. However, within days she resumed wearing men's clothing in prison — likely because her guards had taken her women's clothes, leaving her no alternative, or possibly as a deliberate act of defiance. This relapse made her a "relapsed heretic" under canon law, which automatically carried the death penalty by burning. The English were eager for this outcome since a mere imprisonment would have left open the possibility of her return. Her burning served their dual purpose of permanent elimination and public spectacle designed to terrify French supporters.

Joan of Arc has several characteristics that make her attractive for long-term holding on JudgeMarket. Her status as a canonized Catholic saint provides an institutional floor to her reputation that secular figures lack. She is deeply embedded in French national identity and Western cultural consciousness through centuries of art, literature, and film. Unlike controversial modern figures, her legacy faces minimal downside risk from scandals or reassessment. However, her upside may be more limited than figures experiencing active cultural rediscovery. Compare her with Leonardo da Vinci, whose reputation can surge with new exhibitions or scientific discoveries related to his work. Joan's best role in a portfolio is as a defensive holding that preserves value while higher-beta assets like Marie Curie or Albert Einstein provide growth potential.