Joan of Arc’s Final Military Campaigns and…

Joan of Arc’s Final Military Campaigns and Ennoblement (October–December 1429)

Following the failed assault on Paris (September 8, 1429), Joan of Arc remained with the royal army, participating in further campaigns despite her diminishing influence at court.

In October 1429, Joan led a successful assault on Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier, but her subsequent attempt to capture La Charité-sur-Loire in November and December ended in failure.

Despite this military setback, Joan’s contributions to France’s resurgence were officially recognized when, on December 29, 1429, Charles VII ennobled Joan and her family, granting them perpetual noble status as a reward for her extraordinary actions.

I. The Capture of Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier (October 1429)

• Joan of Arc led the French forces in the siege of Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier, a Burgundian stronghold in central France.
• The attack was initially unsuccessful, and the French forces began retreating.
• Joan, determined to continue the fight, rallied the troops for another assault, leading to the successful capture of the town.
• Jean d’Aulon, Joan’s steward, later testified that she personally led the charge and refused to retreat, inspiring the soldiers to press forward and win the battle.