Catherine of Alexandria, also spelled Katherine is, according to tradition, a Christian saint and virgin, who was martyred in the early fourth century at the hands of the emperor Maxentius. According to her hagiography, she was both a princess and a noted scholar who became a Christian around the age of 14, converted hundreds of people to Christianity and was martyred around the age of 18. More than 1,100 years after Catherine's martyrdom, Joan of Arc identified her as one of the saints who appeared to and counselled her.
Caravaggio, Saint Catherine of Alexandria, 1598–99, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
Icon of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, with scenes from her martyrdom
Saint Catherine of Alexandria by Artemisia Gentileschi
Catherine of Alexandria, by Carlo Crivelli
Joan of Arc is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronation of Charles VII of France during the Hundred Years' War. Claiming to be acting under divine guidance, she became a military leader who transcended gender roles and gained recognition as a savior of France.
Historiated initial depicting Joan of Arc
France, 1429 Controlled by Henry VI of England Controlled by Philip III of Burgundy Controlled by Charles VII of France
Charles VII of France by Jean Fouquet (c. 1444, Louvre, Paris)
Joan of Arc enters Orléans by Jean-Jacques Scherrer (1887, Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans)