Joan of Arc arrived at the besieged city of Orléans in April 1429, carrying a banner and claiming divine inspiration to drive the English from France. The English siege of Orléans began in October 1428 and threatened to open the Loire valley to further English advance and isolate the last territories loyal to the dauphin, Charles VII.

Joan’s arrival transformed the morale of the defenders and the army sent to relieve them. Over the following days, French forces launched a series of aggressive attacks against the English fortifications surrounding the city.

Despite being struck by an arrow between her neck and shoulder, Joan famously pulled the shaft from her own flesh and returned to the front lines to lead the final charge.

On 08 May, the English abandoned the siege and retreated, marking the first major French military success in decades and paving the way for the coronation of Charles VII.

The relief of Orléans marked a decisive turning point in the war. It shattered the sense of English inevitability that had dominated the conflict since Agincourt and allowed the French to seize the initiative.

Joan of Arc’s role at Orléans secured her reputation as the “Maid of Orléans” and cemented her place as one of the most consequential figures of the late Middle Ages.

Convened by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, the council’s purpose was to resolve theological disputes lingering after the Council of Chalcedon. It condemned the “Three Chapters,” writings associated with Nestorian theology, in an effort to affirm Christ as one person with both divine and human natures and to promote unity within the empire.

One of the most decisive battles in the Wars of the Roses. The Yorkist King Edward IV crushed the Lancastrian forces, resulting in the death of Edward of Westminster and the capture of Queen Margaret of Anjou. Henry VI, who was a prisoner in the Tower of London, died shortly after the battle, thought to be murdered. The Battle of Tewkesbury restored stability until the death of Edward IV in 1483.

In December 557 Constantinople was struck by a massive earthquake, over 6.5 magnitude, and a series of aftershocks continued to shake the city destroying buildings and the city walls. The Hagia Sophia was severely damaged and in May the dome finally collapsed.

33 - HAROLD

(33 - Harold)

Word of the Week: RAMPART

A defensive wall or embankment around a fortification.e.

This week in the Medieval Papacy series we looked at the last Pope with a vision for a Crusade. He even died waiting to lead the charge.

On the battlefront, we travel to Italy and look at a battle (and a war) started by stealing an oak bucket. The War of the Oaken Bucket is a fascinating bit of history.

An earthquake devastated Constantinople, damaging the city walls and collapsing the dome of the Hagia Sophia. Find our how the medieval population endured natural disasters in our podcast episode

In what epic 1389 battle did both the Ottoman Sultan Murad I and Serbian Prince Lazar lose their lives, becoming an enduring symbol in Balkan history?