The Siege of Orléans: marked the beginning of the end of English claims to the French throne.  The event is also notable because it is the first time that Joan of Arc led the armies of France.  This was to be France’s first military victory since their crushing defeat at Agincourt in 1415.

The English wanted to capture the city because they believed the rest of France would fall if Orléans fell.  The English siege of Orléans lasted for about six months; it appeared the English were winning; however, the English were soundly defeated barely more than a week after the arrival of Joan.

Orléans was the northernmost city that was loyal to the dauphin.  The English and their Burgundian allies controlled the rest of northern France (including Paris).  If Orléans fell the English would be free to launch a campaign into central France.

The city of Orléans was important for another reason: the dukes of  Orléans were part of the Armagnacs who supported the claims of France's uncrowned king Charles VII.

The Siege
By the time Joan arrived at Orléans it had been under siege for months.  The city straddled the Loire River.  A bridge extended from the walled city across the Loire to a small fortress called the Tourelles.  The French defenders abandoned the Tourelles and withdrew across the river into the city.  The English shortly thereafter occupied the Tourelles and tried to surround the entire city.  The English were too few in number to fully surround Orléans.  This allowed supplies to be brought in to the city to help feed the besieged people.  However, by the time Joan arrived the situation of the city’s population was desperate.

Joan Arrives
Knowledge of Joan preceded her arrival to Orléans.  The starving and desperate people placed a great deal of hope in her.  They were aware of the prophecy of an “armed maid” who would rescue France.  Before arriving at Orléans Joan sent a letter to the English army besieging Orléans.  In this letter, she demanded the English quit the siege, surrender all the cities and territories in France they then occupied and return to England.

If they refused to leave, Joan would raise a “war cry against them that would last forever.”  Joan arrived at the head of a relief army on the outskirts of Orléans on April 28, 1429.  After spending the night encamped outside the city, she entered the citadel the next day to much rejoicing.

Joan Attacks the Tourelles
The majority of Orléans military leaders were cautious.  They did not believe a direct assault on the Tourelles was very practical.  These leaders also met and made plans without Joan being present.  However, Joan was busy.  In fact, she was preparing the troops for battle.

On the morning of May 7 and against the wishes of her captains, Joan led a full frontal assault on the Tourelles. It would be another direct, frontal assault.  During the fight, Joan was wounded by an archer.  Apparently, the English of the time believed that any woman at the head of an army was a witch.  Thus, upon seeing Joan wounded they began to dance about and shout, “The witch is dead!  The witch is dead.”  Apparently, they hadn’t invented the words “ding” or “dong” yet…so she survived.  Anyhow, Joan pulled the arrow out of her own shoulder.  After receiving a salve for the wound, Joan returned to the fight.  The assault was renewed and the Tourelles fell to the French in the evening.

The next day, in the morning, the English forces in the remaining forts assembled in battle formation. The French, for their part, matched this with their own battle-ready formation.  After facing each other like this for about an hour, with neither side initiating an attack (it being Sunday, Joan did not wish to initiate an attack), the English turned and marched off.  The siege of Orléans was over.

In the weeks following the French victory, volunteers of men and supplies swelled the French army.  The English withdrawal meant that Charles VII could march north to be coronated as the French king.