Emma's favourite well-known European figure is Jeanne d'Arc

Jeanne d’Arc was born in 1412 during the Hundred Years War period which set France against England. She became a war hero, and Saint of the Catholic Church. She is also well-known outside France as an extraordinary person: young, courageous, and a woman in a man’s world…

At the beginning of the 15^th century, this seventeen year old girl succeeded in convincing the Dauphin Charles to let her lead the French troops against the English armies, to raise the siege of Orleans, and to have the Dauphin crowned in Reims, thus contributing to changing the course of the Hundred Years War.

During this war, Jeanne d’Arc was captured by the Burgundians in Compiegne. She was sold for ten thousand pounds to the English by Jean de Luxembourg. She was condemned to be burnt alive in 1432 after a trial in heresy led by Pierre Cauchon.

This trial was declared void by Pope Calixte III in 1456 and she was declared innocent and raised to the rank of Martyr. She was beatified on April 18^th 1909 and canonized on May 30^th 1920.

The story of Jeanne d’Arc has inspired a multitude of literary, historic, musical, dramatic and cinematic works.

I consider Jeanne d’Arc to be a great European figure because she showed bravery and willpower; she did what she believed had to be done…