Joan of Arc was a peasant girl born in France around 1412 who became a national heroine and a symbol of courage. She claimed to have received visions from God instructing her to support Charles VII in reclaiming his throne during the Hundred Years' War. Her leadership in several key battles helped turn the tide in favor of the French. Captured by the English in 1430, Joan was tried for heresy and burned at the stake in 1431. She was later exonerated and canonized as a saint in 1920, becoming a powerful symbol of faith and resilience in French history.