Joan of Arc's life was shaped by several pivotal events, including her visions from saints, which spurred her to support Charles VII in the Hundred Years' War. Her leadership at the Siege of Orléans in 1429 was a decisive moment, boosting French morale. Captured in 1430, she was tried for heresy and burned at the stake in 1431, becoming a martyr. Joan's execution led to her recognition as a symbol of nationalism and feminism, influencing her eventual canonization by the Catholic Church in 1920.