King Charles VII of France
He could have saved Joan of Arc but refused to do so
Charles VII (1403–61) was the French king who could have saved Joan of Arc from being burned at the stake but refused to do so.
Charles VII of France
The story of Joan of Arc is a well-known one (although the accuracy of many aspects of it has come under serious scrutiny in more recent times). She was a young peasant girl who became convinced that she could turn the tide of the war against the English to ensure that Charles would be crowned king. She claimed to have had visions that made it clear that God was on the side of France and would ensure that the English would be expelled.
Charles took some convincing, but Joan’s insistence gave him the courage that he lacked. He lent her an army of 3,500 men and sent her to lift the siege of Orleans, which she did. She then proceeded to win a series of victories that opened the way to Rheims, which was the traditional coronation site for French kings.
Charles was duly crowned in Rheims Cathedral on 17th July 1429, with Joan standing at his side.
One might have thought that Charles would have done everything he could to show his gratitude to Joan, but this did not turn out to be the case. When the Duke of Burgundy, who was…
