logo
episode-header-image
May 2023
33m 44s

A Teenage Girl Saves France

The HISTORY® Channel | Back Pocket Studios
About this episode
May 16, 1920. Tens of thousands of people surround St. Peter’s Basilica to honor Joan of Arc, a French peasant girl who died nearly five hundred years before. Joan’s feats in battle—and her visions of God—have become legendary since her heyday during The Hundred Years War. And today, the Catholic Church is making her a saint. But Joan was a real person – and ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
A Meteorite Hits Ann Hodges
November 30, 1954. At about 12:45 in the afternoon, a space rock comes plummeting through the roof of a house in Sylacauga, Alabama. It bounces off a stand-up radio, ricochets around the living room, and collides with the thigh of Mrs. Ann Hodges, who’s been napping on the couch. ... Show More
37m 23s
Nov 17
Ken Burns Reimagines the American Revolution | A Conversation with Ken Burns & Sarah Botstein
November 16, 1776. George Washington rows toward Manhattan to inspect the fort that bears his name, only to meet a full-scale British assault already underway. By afternoon, Fort Washington has fallen, and General Washington is forced to abandon New York City.  The Continental A ... Show More
38m 45s
Nov 10
The Grinnell 14 Take On the Bomb (feat. Peter Coyote)
November 16, 1961. Fourteen college students from Iowa have driven nearly a thousand miles to the White House. They’re fasting, protesting, and calling for an end to nuclear bomb testing. These students, later known as the Grinnell 14, will help ignite the student peace movement ... Show More
27m 56s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2020
Joan of Arc
In the early 15th century, a French village girl became a heroine for her role in the French victory during the Lancastrian phase of the 100 Years War. But it took 600 years before Joan of Arc was canonised as a Roman Catholic Saint. How did she become such a famous name in histo ... Show More
23m 58s
May 2016
Episode #21 - How Do You Explain Joan of Arc? (Part I)
The story of how Joan of Arc, an unassuming peasant girl, became the leader of French armies is one of the most dramatic in all of European history. In many ways Joan's biography can read like a fairytale, or like the classic hero's journey. As you might imagine it is a story tha ... Show More
44m 25s
Jun 2016
Episode #22 - How Do You Explain Joan of Arc? (Part II)
If Joan of Arc's rise to fame was unexpected, then her success on the battlefield was completely flabbergasting. Joan would score a series of impressive victories over the English and clear a path to Rheims so her Dauphin could become King of France. But what's a girl to do when ... Show More
45m 44s
Sep 2023
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc is a historical superstar, a peasant who rose above her rank and gender to help free France from foreign occupation. Claiming to be acting under the orders of saints and angels, she became a symbol of national freedom. But how did a near-illiterate teenage girl win th ... Show More
52m 33s
Jun 2021
Joan of Arc (Radio Edit)
Delusion or divine intervention? Learn about Joan of Arc’s super sewing skills, her badass credentials and the story of why it took nearly half a century for her to become a saint. If you think it’s tough being a woman now, find out what it was like in 1400s France. Joining Greg ... Show More
29m 10s
Mar 2024
The Real Joan of Arc
<p>How did a peasant girl go on to lead French armies at the age of 17?</p><br><p>To mark International Women's Day on March 8th, Kate's joined by Eleanor Janega, co-host of sister podcast Gone Medieval, to explore the life of the formidable Joan of Arc.</p><br><p>How did her vis ... Show More
48m 25s
Jun 2021
“The Maid of Orléans” Joan of Arc Pt. 1
Hero. Martyr. Feminist. Witch. Who really was Joan of Arc? And could she really speak to God, or were her visions something else entirely? Today’s episode delves into the story of one of history’s most enduring icons, and explores what made her a legend. Learn more about your ad ... Show More
45m 59s