Britain seized this chaotic opportunity to invade France, occupying the towns in the north.
The Duke of Burgundy allied himself with England and openly opposed the royal family. Before long, nearly all of northern France and the southwestern regions had fallen into their hands.
Jeanne lived in a region in northeastern France that still remained loyal to the royal family, surrounded on all sides by Burgundian territory.
Although her father had been born a farmer, he was skilled at arithmetic, so he was appointed to a position similar to that of a village headman.
A village headman in medieval Europe was not a position of privilege. On the contrary, it was a thankless job that all the villagers avoided like the plague.
Jeanne's father had to farm while also shouldering the village's administrative duties.
Whenever the Burgundians attacked the village, he also had to head out with the militia, while Jeanne hid with her mother and the other village children.
"Women can't join the army, you know."
Those words made Jeanne hold her breath.
One day, while playing in the village, Jeanne had told the children her age that she wanted to fight alongside her father, only to be mocked by her companions.
The boys roared with laughter, while the girls covered their mouths and giggled.
"Jeanne, you'd better give up on that idea... Fighting wars is too dangerous, and it doesn't mean anything anyway."
The girl Jeanne regarded as a companion tried to persuade her. The seriousness with which she spoke left Jeanne deeply confused.
Jeanne had never felt that being a woman meant there was any reason she could not join the army or fight in a war.
Whenever the boys in the village bullied the friend before her, Jeanne had stepped forward and driven them away.
Even