Charles VII Crowned: France Turns the Tide
Joan of Arc had lifted the siege of Orleans, opened a path through English-held territory, and personally accompanied the reluctant Dauphin Charles to Reims, where French kings had been crowned for centuries. On July 17, 1429, Charles VII received the sacred oil and crown inside Reims Cathedral, with Joan standing nearby holding her battle standard. She later said the banner had borne the danger and deserved to share the honor. The coronation undermined English claims to the French throne by establishing Charles as the legitimate, divinely anointed king. Joan herself would be captured the following year, sold to the English, and burned at the stake. She was nineteen.
July 17, 1429
597 years ago
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