AMADEUS Geschichte
Joan of Arc and the fire in her heart
If you follow the Seine, you will encounter a figure who continues to fascinate people to this day: Joan of Arc.
At a young age, she had a vision: Three saints that appeared to her as spirits and instructed her to free France from English domination. Joan was a teenager and could not read or write, but she knew how to speak and motivate. When she informed Crown Prince Charles, through indirect means, of her visions, one of the most famous stories in the history of the world began.
It all started so peacefully. Joan was born in 1412 in Lorraine to a tenant farming family. She looked after the herds, helped with household chores, and cared for the children in the area. But, in the middle of her idyllic childhood, war broke out. Her village was plundered and set on fire. Joan sought comfort in her prayers. And, one day, her prayers were heard.
“When I was thirteen years old I heard a voice from God that came to lead me,” she told Crown Prince Charles. The Prince ultimately believed her and sent her to the city of Orleans, to the front of the battle with England. When the French army set off on the attack, Joan was riding at the front. Within four days, the war had turned in France’s favor. Joan was instrumental in Charles being crowned king and she became a symbol of triumph.
But light and shadow often come together. When she set her sights on Paris in 1430, she fell into the hands of the enemy. After a long imprisonment, she was condemned as a heretic by the English in the Archbishop’s palace in Rouen. King Charles VII, who had Joan to thank for his crown, abandoned her in her time of need and chose peace with the enemy instead.
On the morning of May 30, 1431, Joan of Arc – 19 years old, national hero, farmer’s daughter, witch – was burned at the stake at the Rouen marketplace. Her ashes were scattered by the executioner over the Seine.
And when you stroll through Rouen today, take a look at the roof of the Church of Saint Joan of Arc. Its shape represents the flames that burned Joan of Arc at the stake. But you can feel Joan of Arc’s presence in many places. In Rouen. On the Seine. And throughout all of France.
Be inspired by the story of Joan of Arc on your next AMADEUS cruise:
