North Aisle, Orleans Cathedral

These 5 stained glass windows are part of a series of 10 windows on the life of Joan of Arc. They are part of a commission by Jacque Galland and Esprit Gibelin for Orleans Cathedral in France.

The panels above depict Joan in 1424 having her first vision. In 1420 the Treaty of Troyes had been signed between Henry V of England and Charles VI of France, which recognized Henry of England as Charles' successor, disinherited his son, the Dauphin Charles the future Charles VII of France. In the scene shows the 12 year old Joan, in the fields around Domrémy, being called upon by St Michael, St Catherine, and St Margaret of Antioch, to drive the English out of France.

On the 12th of February 1429, the 16 year old Joan made a prediction to the garrison commander of Vaucouleurs, Count Robert de Baudricourt, that the French forces had suffered a defeat near Orleans. This prediction was correct as a small force of English archers had defeated a larger combined French and Scottish force at the Battle of the Herrings. This prediction convinced Baudricourt to agree to provide her with an escort to the royal court at Chinon.

On arriving at Chinon, aided by her voices Joan, although she had never seen him before, was able to recognise Charles, who had concealed himself amongst his courtiers. Joan declared that God had sent her to deliver France from her enemies. The window shows Joan kneeling before Charles with an angel in the background.

Charles had Joan sent to Poiters to be examined by the clergy to determine whether she was genuine in her beliefs, and afterwards allowed Joan to lead a army of 5,000 to relieve the besieged town of Orleans. Joan was given a whiter horse, had armour made for her and given a banner containing an image of "Salvator Mundi". On the 29th of April Joan and a small force were taken across the river and into Orleans, the rest of the army arriving in the next few days. The window above shows Joan parading in the town the morning after her arrival.

By the 4th of May the rest of the relief force had entered Orleans and begun to retake the fortified positions held by the English. The last remaining stronghold was a fortified gateway called Les Tourelles that stood at the south end of the bridge across the Loire. The French attacked this last English position on the morning of the 7th of May. Joan was hit by an arrow whilst trying to scale the walls and had to leave the battle to have her wound dressed. Towards evening the assault on Les Tourelles was about to be called off, however Joan persuaded the commanders to continue the attack. Tradition is that Joan said "I will touch the walls with my banner and you shall enter the fort." and when her banner approach Les Tourelles this gave fresh impetus to the final assault, and the French army breached the fortifications.

On the following day the English besiegers left Orleans