There are some who may argue that Joan of Arc had her own agenda for helping the Dauphin win over France. Was this true, and did she, as Charles the Dauphin feared, want to lead France herself? Charles was often counseled by those nearest him that Joan of Arc was a danger. They even implied that she wanted the throne. What can we believe? Amazingly there is a great deal of evidence that shows her intent very clearly.
Having insisted that Charles take himself to Rheims, and leading him deep into Burgundian territory, right through the heart of English supporting France, she brought him to the sacred and all important Rheims Cathedral to be crowned. The ancient Cathedral had seen the anointing and coronation of Kings for hundreds of years. It was considered to be a crucial location for the Dauphin’s anointing, possibly more so than the fact that he was crowned!
At Rheims he was crowned Charles VII, King of France. Astonishingly Joan made a request found in historical records of her trial at that time, “
“…the said [Joan] asked of the King of France to make her a gift... and she asked then that he give her his kingdom…[she] gave it to God Almighty. After another short time, on the order of God she invested King Charles...with the realm of France,...”
So for a very short time, Joan was Queen of France. What more could she have taken from Charles than this? Yet, she invested it back on his head; a clear message that she didn’t covet nor want his throne and kingdom. Then not surprisingly she made one actual request, that her village of Domremey be freed from taxes forever. After what she could have taken, this appeal must have seemed mild and Charles quite graciously granted her request.
It seems after this point though that Charles makes a distinct turnaround and begins to quietly oppose the Maid. She would continue to fight for him, and he would make life as difficult for her as he could. He gave contradicting orders, commands to destroy bridges behind her, and even as she would have taken Paris, he made a secret truce with the Duke of Burgundy, that gave the Duke time to reinforce Paris; all this, against the maids pleas and advice.
One day after attending to her devotions in the St. Jacques Church, she said to those in attendance “My good friends…I am sold and betrayed. Soon I shall be given up to death." Shortly after she was captured by the Burgundians, and held for ransom; a ransom that Charles neither negotiated, nor tried to pay.
After months of captivity, she was handed over to the English, who quickly with no jurisdiction, or case, condemned her to death, and burned her at the stake. She died bravely, having united many of the French people. Without her the Hundred Years War might have ended differently.
Even her executioner was eventually won over by her dignity and goodness, after her sentence was carried out he cried “…that he greatly feared to be damned for he had burned a holy woman." Joan was always a polarizing figure, and people were won to her side, and some were firmly against her, but never was anyone in between, except for Charles, a sad legacy for a very fortunate King.
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