It began with voices—St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret speaking to an ordinary farmer's daughter. Inspired to aid the future King Charles VII, whose right to the throne had been denied by the English in the Hundred Years War, Joan of Arc made her journey clad in male attire. Theologians testified to the veracity of her divine claims, and she was furnished with a host of troops. But how did she achieve the military feats that made her a legend?

Stephen W. Richey offers a unique look at this remarkable woman. Joan of Arc rapidly matured into a true battle commander who spoke forcefully in war councils, made decisions, and gave orders that were obeyed—resulting in a stunning series of victories for her army. She achieved this feat by virtue of her unschooled but intuitive genius for war, a charismatic personality that inspired her soldiers to heroic feats, and her ability to exploit a unique set of lucky circumstances.