This is a timeline of major events that occurred during the Hundred Years’ War with special attention to the events of Joan’s life.
1328
Death of Charles IV (the Fair) without direct issue. Philip, count of Valois, cousin to Charles the Fair, becomes king of France as Philip VI
1340
Edward III of England, nephew of Charles the Fair, takes the title “King of France” and the Hundred Years’ War begins
1346
French defeated at Crécy and Calais
1350
Death of Philip VI; accession of his son John II (the Good)
1356
French defeated at Poitiers
1364
Death of John II; acession of Charles V (the Wise)
1380
Death of Charles the Wise; Coronation of Charles VI at the age of twelve; a quarrel begins between Louis, duke of Anjou and Philip the Bold, duke of Burgundy (uncles and guardians of Charles VI) about precendence and the control of affairs of state
1384
Charles VI marries Isabeau of Bavaria
1388
Charles VI assumes control of his affairs of state
1389
Isabeau of Bavaria makes her royal entry into Paris
1392
Charles VI becomes insane and has intermittent spells of madness for the rest of his life. Rivalry for control breaks out between Philip of Burgundy and Louis of Orléans
1396
Richard II of England marries Isabelle, daughter of Charles VI, and drops the title “King of France”
1397
Richard II returns the city of Brest to France
1401
Richard II deposed by Henry IV of Lancaster and dies in the Tower of London
1403
Birth of the Dauphin Charles (later Charles VII)
1404
Death of Philip the Bold, duke of Burgundy. He is succeeded by John the Fearless. Queen Isabeau now openly consorts with her brother in law, Louis of Orléans. This brings about rumors that the Dauphin is the product of this liason. The rivalry for power grows between the dukes of Burgundy and Orléans
1407
November23: Louis of Orléans is murdered at the instigation of John the Fearless
1408
Doctors of the University of Paris, including Pierre Cauchon, read a justification of the murder
1409
Truce established between John the Fearless and Charles, son of Louis of Orléans
1410
Charles of Orléans marries the daughter of Bernard VII of Armagnac, who becomes the actual leaders of the Orléans faction, known henceforth as the “Armagnacs”
1411
Charles of Orléans, supported by Bernard VII of Armagnac, challenges John the Fearless, who is now supported by Queen Isabeau
1412
January 6: probable date of birth of Joan at Domrémy
1413
Henry V of Lancaster becomes king of England
1415
October 25: The French suffer severe defeat at Agincourt. Charles of Orléans is taken prisoner, which is all a serious setback for the Armagnacs
1416
John the Fearless signs a pact between the Burgundians and the English
1417
The English renew the offensive in Normandy. Burgundians attack the city of Paris and is held by Bernard of Armagnac and Charles the Dauphin. John the Fearless kidnaps Queen Isabeau and sets her up with a sham government at Troyes
1418
May 29: John the Fearless captures Paris. Charles VI taken prisoner. Burgundians now take control.
July 14: Entry of Queen Isabeau and John the Fearless into Paris
August-January, 1419: English siege of Rouen.
1419
September 10: John the Fearless is assassinated at Montereau by followers of the Dauphin. Sympathy swings to the Burgundians.
December 2: Philip the Good, next duke of Burgundy, signs a pact, in the name of the captive king Charles VI, with Henry V of England. Agreement that Henry shall marry Catherine of France, Daughter of Charles VI and Queen Isabeau. Queen allows the open implication that the Dauphin is illegitimate.
1420
May 21: Treaty of Troyes. The Dauphin is eliminated from succession to the crown of France, now to pass directly to Henry V after the death of Charles VI.
June 2: Henry V marries Catherine of France.
August: Pierre Cauchon is made bishop of Beauvais for his service in the negotiations at Troyes. Dauphin Charles now officially banished, repudiated by his parents, and prevented from being crowned. He retreats beyond the Loire to the regions that remain loyal: Berry, Touraine, Poitou, Midi. He marries Marie of Anjou.
1422
August 31: Henry V dies suddenly.
October 21: Charles VI dies. Henry of England, now heir to the throne of France, is ten months old. In his stead, John of Lancaster, duke of Bedford, becomes regent of France.
October 30: Dauphin Charles takes the title “King of France.”
1423
Entente agreed upon between the duke of Bedford, Philip of Burgundy, and John V, duke of Brittany. Duke of Bedford marries Anne, sister of Philip of Burgundy.
1424
Conquest of Normandy completed with the surrender of Vitry and Verneuil.
1428
Preparations for the English siege of Orleans, gateway to the Loire, and the last retreat of the Dauphin at Chinon.
May: Joan’s first approach to Baudricourt at Vaucouleurs.
July: Siege of Vaucouleurs by the Burgundians and exodus of inhabitants of Domremy to Neufchateau.
August: Charles the Dauphin makes a four-month truce with the duke of Burgundy in which he gives up the Burgundian cities that had recently surrendered to him.
October 12: Siege of Orleans begins.
1429
February 12: “Day of the Herrings,” an unsuccessful attempt to relieve Orleans.
February 13: Probable date of Joan’s departure from Vaucouleurs for the Dauphin’s court.
February 23: Probable date of Joan’s arrival at Chinon.
February 25: Joan’s first interview with the Dauphin.
March 22: Joan’s first letter of challenge to the English.
April 28: Royal army leaves Blois for Orleans.
April 29: Joan’s entry into Orleans.
May 4: Capture of the bastille of Saint-Loup. English fall back to the bastille of the Augustins.
May 5: Joan’s third letter of summons to the English.
May 6: Capture of the bastille of the Augustins. French now command the assault of the bastille of the Tourelles, the main approach to Orleans.
May 7: Capture of the bastille of the Tourelles. Joan wounded by arrow.
May 8: Deliverance of Orleans.
May 9: Joan and Dunois leave for Loches to meet the Dauphin.
June 12: French capture Jargeau.
June 15: Meung taken.
June 17: Capture of Beaugency.
June 18: French victorious at Patay. English garrisons withdraw to Paris.
June 29: French army begins to move toward Rheims.
June 30: Army arrives before Auxerre.
July 4: Army arrives at Troyes.
July 10: Surrender of Troyes. Anglo-Burgundian forces retreat.
July 14: Entry of royal army into Chalons.
July 16: Entry into Rheims
July 17: Coronation of Charles VII in the cathedral at Rheims.
July 20: Charles VII leaves Rheims.
September 8: Attack finally begun on Paris.
September 21: Charles’ army disbanded after failure of attempt at Paris.
December 24: Patent of nobility given to Joan and her family by Charles VII.
1430
January 8: Marriage of Philip the Good and Isabella of Portugal.
April 4: Philip the Good enters Péronne.
April 23: New English forces debark at Calais.
April: Joan leaves the royal castle at Sully to resume operations. Passage through Melun, Lagny, and Senlis.
May 14: Joan at Compiegne.
May 18: Joan at Soissons.
May 22: Burgundian army besieges Compiegne.
May 25: University of Paris demands Joan to be tried for heresy.
July: Mission of Pierre Cauchon to duke of Burgundy to have Joan turned over to the English.
October 25: Lifting of the siege of ComPiegne.
December 23: Joan taken to Rouen under English escort.
1431
January 9: Opening of Joan’s trial.
February 21: First sitting of public hearings of the trial.
March 10: Private interrogations begin.
March 17: Closing of the inquiry period of the trial.
March 27: The indictment against Joan is completed.
April 5: Consultations with ecclesiastical authorities begin.
April 18: The charitable admonition is made to Joan.
May 9: Joan is threatened by possible torture.
May 19: Response of the University of Paris to the articles of accusation.
May 23: Final admonitions made to Joan.
May 24: Abjuration scene in the Saint-Ouen cemetery. Joan agrees to assume women’s clothes.
May 27: Joan reassumes male clothing.
May 28: Trial for relapse.
May 30: Joan turned over to secular authority and burned at the stake in the Old Market Place, Rouen.
June 8: Notification of Joan’s execution sent to the princes of Christendom.
December 16: Coronation of Henry VI of England as king of France, in Paris.
1435
September 14: Death of the duke of Bedford.
September 21: Treaty of Arras between France and Burgundy.
1437
November 12: Entry of Charles VII into Paris.
1450
February 15: Charles VII orders inquiry into Joan’s trial.
March 4-5: Royal inquiry conducted by Guillaume Bouille.
1452
May 2-9: Ecclesiastical inquiry into Joan’s life begun by Cardinal Guillaume d’Estouteville and Inquisitor Jean Brehal.
1455
June 11: Pope Calixtus II permits Joan’s mother and brothers to have an inquiry into the circumstances of her trial begun.
November 7: Retrial of Joan begins.
1456
July 7: Joan rehabilitated, and the former verdict annulled by the archbishop of Rheims.
1458
November 28: Death of Joan’s mother.
1903
February: Formal proposal of canonization is made.
1904
January: Pope Pius X accords Joan the title “Venerable.”
1909
April 11: Joan given the title “Blessed.”
1920
May 16: Joan canonized by Pope Benedict XV.