Definition

Proper noun A significant historical military blockade of the French city of Orleans by English forces during the Hundred Years' War. The siege, which lasted from October 1428 to May 1429, was a turning point in the war and was famously lifted following the intervention of Joan of Arc.

Usage and Examples

The term is used to refer specifically to this historical event. * The Siege of Orleans marked a crucial shift in momentum during the Hundred Years' War. * Joan of Arc's leadership was instrumental in breaking the Siege of Orleans. * Historians often study the tactics used during the Siege of Orleans.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically to describe a prolonged and difficult struggle or pressure campaign, though this is a literary extension.
  • The company endured a financial siege of Orleans for two years before the new investment arrived.

Variants and Related Words

• Siege (n.): The act of surrounding and attacking a fortified place to isolate it and compel its surrender.
• Orleans: The city in north-central France that was the site of the siege.
• Hundred Years' War: The prolonged conflict between England and France (1337-1453) during which the siege occurred.

Synonyms and Related Terms

• Blockade: An act of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving.
• Investment (archaic military term): The surrounding of a fortress by a hostile force.
• Relief of Orleans: A phrase often used to describe the successful breaking of the siege.

Key Figures and Concepts

• Joan of Arc: The French peasant girl who inspired the French army to lift the siege.
• Charles VII: The Dauphin (heir to the French throne) whom Joan sought to help.
• Bastille: A fortress or tower; several bastilles (fortified positions) were constructed by the English around Orleans during the siege.

Noun

1. a long siege of Orleans by the English was relieved by Joan of Arc in 1429