Everything that has ever happened and is happening has always been open to speculation. It’s probably human nature to doubt and to question. One life story that has been and still is being questioned is Joan of Arc’s, a woman who defied the conventions of her time and led a brief but very amazing life.

In the 15th century when women were considered little more than freeloaders who had no rights, Joan, a peasant dressed in male armor, led the French army for a very brief period during the Hundred Years War. Her leadership eventually led to a series of victories that culminated in the crowning of Charles VII as king of France in Reims. Joan credited everything to God who sent her divine voices that guided her actions and decisions.

Joan was eventually captured by the English, tried for heresy and burned at the stake. She was only 19 years old then. It is said that when her ashes were inspected, her heart was found intact and refused to burn despite repeated attempts. Her ashes and heart were thrown into the Seine. Twenty-four years after her death, the verdict was nullified. She was declared a Catholic saint and martyr 500 years after she died.

Fact or Fiction?
Some sources write off the story of her heart as a mere legend. Others do not mention it at all but several books and scholarly sources say that there were witnesses who saw her heart intact after her body had been burned.