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# Joan of Arc (1412-1431) Joan of Arc was born in Domremy, France, in 1412. She was the daughter of a tenant farmer. Joan felt guided by the voices of three saints from her teens. She traveled from her village to ask to fight for Charles, the crown prince of France. Joan faced questioning by...

# Joan of Arc (1412-1431) Joan of Arc was born in Domremy, France, in 1412. She was the daughter of a tenant farmer. Joan felt guided by the voices of three saints from her teens. She traveled from her village to ask to fight for Charles, the crown prince of France. Joan faced questioning by church authorities about her faith and the voices she heard. She convinced the church authorities and they allowed her to take part in a battle against the English at Orléans. Her role in the French victory against the English at Orléans unified France and led to the coronation of Charles as King. # The Hundred Years' War Western Europe was politically and religiously divided in the Middle Ages. England's monarchs had governed areas of France for centuries. The French kings wanted to unite those provinces with their kingdom, leading to the Hundred Years War. King Edward III of England declared himself king of France and invaded France. The Hundred Years' War lasted over 100 years. **Initial English Victory** * The English were initially victorious at Crécy in 1346 and Agincourt in 1415 thanks to superior weapons such as the longbow. The longbow could shoot arrows that could pierce heavy armor from 300 yards. # Jews and Muslims in Spain During the Middle Ages, Muslims ruled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Muslims developed a rich culture, establishing schools and building magnificent mosques and palaces, like the Alhambra in Granada. However, Christians eventually drove out the Muslims in a struggle known as the Reconquista. * By 1469, Christian kingdoms of Aragon and Castile were united under Ferdinand and Isabella. * Under Muslim rule, Iberian Jews enjoyed freedom, but Christians sometimes mistreated them. * In 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella ordered Jews to convert or leave Spain. Many Jews refused to convert and left. Muslims who did not wish to convert, left as well.