Charles VII of France

Hello! My name is Charles, and I became King Charles VII of France. I was born on February 22nd, 1403, in a grand palace in Paris. My father was King Charles VI, but he was often very ill, which made our kingdom a sad and confusing place to live. France was also in the middle of a very long war with England, which historians now call the Hundred Years' War. It was a difficult time for my country. I wasn't supposed to become king at first. I had four older brothers, but sadly, one by one, they all passed away. In 1417, this meant that I, the youngest son, was suddenly the Dauphin—the person who would be the next king.

My life did not get any easier after that. In 1420, a terrible thing happened. My own mother and the English king signed a paper called the Treaty of Troyes. This treaty said that when my father died, the King of England would become the next king of France instead of me! I was heartbroken and felt completely lost. When my father, King Charles VI, died in 1422, the English controlled the entire northern half of France, including my home city of Paris. I had to run away to the south and set up my court in a city called Bourges. Many people did not believe I was the true king. Some even made fun of me by calling me the 'King of Bourges.' It truly felt like my kingdom was lost forever.

Just when I thought all hope was gone, a miracle arrived in the year 1429. A young peasant girl named Joan of Arc came to my castle. She told me that voices from heaven had sent her to help me reclaim my kingdom. Her first mission, she said, was to lead my army to free the city of Orléans, which was under attack by the English. I was not sure what to think at first, but she was so brave and filled with such strong faith that I decided to give her a chance. And she did it! Joan led my soldiers to a great victory at Orléans. This incredible win gave my people hope again. Joan then told me that I had to go to the city of Reims to be properly crowned king. We marched through dangerous lands controlled by our enemies, and on July 17th, 1429, I was officially crowned King Charles VII in the great cathedral at Reims. I was finally the true king in the eyes of my people.

Even after my coronation, the war was not over. It was a very sad day when Joan was captured by our enemies, but her amazing spirit inspired all of us to keep fighting for France. I worked hard to make my army stronger and my government smarter. I made an important peace agreement with some of my French rivals in 1435, which made our kingdom more united against the English. Slowly but surely, we began to win back our lands. We took back the city of Paris in 1436. Finally, in 1453, after a final victory at the Battle of Castillon, the Hundred Years' War was over at last! The English were gone, and France was whole and peaceful once again.

I spent the rest of my life helping France heal and grow strong after the long, difficult war. I lived to be 58 years old, and my time on this earth ended in the year 1461. People don't remember me as the scared young prince who was called the 'King of Bourges.' Instead, they remember me as 'Charles the Victorious.' My story, with the help of the amazing Joan of Arc, is a reminder that even when things seem their darkest, courage and hope can help you win back everything you've lost and bring a kingdom back together.