Though she’s known for her military victories, the 16-year-old French peasant girl preferred her standard to her sword. After being encouraged to do so in a religious vision, she approached the king of France and convinced him to let her dress in male armor and lead his armies. Without divulging her identity or the history of her visions, she won a string of cities back for France – many by peaceful surrender and the avoidance of bloodshed. In the end, her story was discovered and she was sentenced to death by angry politicians. Though she never gave up her faith and the church affirmed her claims, she was burned at the stake, where it is said she sang hymns until she no longer could.
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