Joan of Arc Arrives at Orléans and Changes Everything
How Joan of Arc became France’s most unlikely battlefield arrival.
January 6, 1429 — Joan of Arc Arrives at Orléans, and France Gets Its Plot Twist
INTRO
The Hundred Years’ War had already dragged on so long that even medieval chroniclers were getting tired of writing about it. France was losing cities, morale, and probably sleep.
Then on January 6, 1429, something extraordinary happened:
A teenage girl showed up and said she was here to save France.
And the wildest part?
People believed her.
PART I — FRANCE BEFORE JOAN: A MEDIEVAL SAD BOY ERA
By early 1429:
Orléans was under siege
The English were winning
The French army was exhausted
The Dauphin Charles VII was basically stress-eating baguettes in despair
France needed a miracle.
Instead, they got Joan.
Which turned out to be close enough.
PART II — WHO WALKS INTO A WAR AT 17?
Joan of Arc claimed divine visions told her to:
Kick the English out.
Put Charles VII on the throne.
Stop being a peasant girl and start being a commander.
Today she’d be written off as a Reddit roleplayer.
In 1429, she got an escort and a horse.
She convinced hardened generals—men who had fought wars longer than she’d been alive—to let her join the campaign.
PART III — ARRIVAL AT ORLÉANS: THE CITY GOES “HOLD UP… WHO IS THIS?”
Joan arrived dressed in armor, carrying her banner, and radiating the kind of confidence only teenagers and influencers possess.
Her presence:
✔ boosted morale instantly
✔ turned soldiers from hopeless to hyped
✔ made Orléans believe it could actually win
Some accounts even say crowds lined the streets just to see her.
Imagine the medieval version of a surprise celebrity cameo… but with swords.
PART IV — THE SHIFT IN MOMENTUM
From the moment Joan walked in, things changed:
French troops fought harder
The English hesitated
Commanders started listening to this 17-year-old saint-in-training
Within months, France went from “we’re doomed” to “wait, we might actually win this thing.”
Her arrival wasn’t the miracle.
The belief she inspired was.
CONCLUSION — THE GIRL WHO CHANGED A WAR
January 6 marks the beginning of Joan’s transformation from peasant to icon.
It’s the day she stepped into Orléans and rewrote the script of the war.
History rarely hinges on one person.
But sometimes… it does.
🔥 CALL TO ACTION
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❓ FAQ
Q: Why was Orléans important?
Its fall would have opened France to further English conquest.
Q: Was Joan of Arc an actual commander?
She inspired, directed, and influenced strategy — even if not formally ranked.
Q: Did her arrival change the war?
Absolutely. Morale, strategy, and public unity all shifted.
Excellent.