From the Author:

In 1337 Edward III of England formally claimed the throne of France, thereby beginning the century of fighting that has come to be known as The Hundred Years War. Over the course of the next century the English won every major battle, extending their control over much of the country. In 1420, the French King, CharlesVI, capitulated, signing the treaty of Troyes, by which the English King HenryV was declared heir to the French throne.

For the Dauphin, living in Chinon, it was a lost cause. His father had signed away his throne. His mother had become the mistress of the Duke of Burgundy, allied to the English. She had also publically raised doubts about her son's legitimacy. His sister was married to the English King. His armies were hopelessly ineffective. He didn't have the money to pay them and was living on credit. Crippled by doubts as to his right to the throne or his ability to fill the role of King, he was unable to function effectively, relying on his advisors to make all decisions for him.

In 1429, a sixteen-year-old peasant girl from Domremy arrived at Charles' court. She was uneducated, illiterate and out of place. Yet she convinced Charles to give her charge of his armies, and in the space of a few months reversed the events of the preceding one hundred years.

She began by raising the siege of Orleans, and followed that with a series of decisive victories, including the capture of Talbot, England's foremost commander, at Patay. Finally she bullied the reluctant Charles and his court into travelling to Reims where she saw him crowned.
"The Maid", as she was called, was eventually captured, tried as a witch and burnt at the stake. But for the English, it was all too late.

There have been many attempts over the centuries since to explain the extraordinary military and political genius of "The Maid of Lorraine" and her almost single handed reversal of the course of history.

Joan's own explanation was simple. She insisted throughout her life and the year of prison and trial, that she had only "acted in accord with my voices."

As we enter the new millennium, in a time where the most strident voices are without doubt those of conformity and consumerism, our greatest challenge may well be to hear our own voices and find the courage to act in accord with them.