Which figure played a key role in uniting the French and promoting French patriotism during the Hundred Years' War?

• A. Henry V
• B. Philip II
• C. Margaret of Anjou
• D. Joan of Arc

Answer: (D)

During prolonged wars, rallying a population behind a single, shared cause can be as decisive as battlefield victories. Joan of Arc became that unifying symbol for the French by insisting she was guided to help crown Charles VII and by leading troops to lift the siege of Orléans in 1429. Her courage gave the French army renewed purpose and helped fuse various factions around a national mission, reinforcing the legitimacy of the French king and fueling patriotic fervor at a crucial moment. This combination of spiritual legitimacy, visible leadership, and a tangible turning point—Orléans—made her the figure who most effectively promoted French unity and patriotism. Henry V was the English conqueror whose successes boosted English momentum; Philip II was a French king from an earlier era with no direct impact on this phase of the war; Margaret of Anjou was English-aligned and did not promote French unity.