Domremy : The setting

Domremy was an extremely complicated place in terms of its loyalties and allegiances. Religiously, it fell under the control of a diocese based in the Holy Roman Empire. Politically, the majority of it did not fall under the control of any French noble as most regions did; instead, the French King ruled Domremy directly. 

Henry V. of England had married the Princess Katherine of France, and the French, or some of them, tired of being beaten in war, consented to let the child of Henry and the Princess Katherine be their King, instead of the son of their old King. The old King's son was called "the Dauphin"; that was the title of the eldest son of the French kings. This Dauphin was named Charles. His friends went on fighting the English for his sake, but he was not crowned King. The coronations of French Kings were always done in the Cathedral at Rheims, where they were anointed with sacred oil. ( turns out Jeanne later comforted him and convinced him to get his coronation done).

French were divided into two parties. Some sided with the Dauphin, Prince Charles; more, and especially all the people of Burgundy, and the Duke of Burgundy, a great and rich country, were on the side of the English. So they fought very cruelly, for the land was full of companies of ill-paid soldiers, who plundered the poor, so that towns fell into decay, many fields were empty of sheep and cows, and the roads became covered with grass. 

The soldiers of all sorts robbed equally, for they had often no regular pay, and the Scots were not behind in helping themselves wherever they went. Even gentlemen and knights became chiefs of troops of robbers, so that, whoever won in the wars, the country people were always being plundered.

Domremy was on the side of the dauphin the village next to it, Maxey, the people took the English side, and the boys of the two places had pitched battles with sticks and stones. It is true that they would have found some other reason for fighting, even if the English had not been in France. Jeanne used to see her brothers, Peter and John, come home from these battles with their noses bleeding, and with black eyes, but she did not take part herself in these wars. 

Points to remember: 

• The village land includes a small wooded hill to the west of the houses, which rises to a height of 407 m, known as the Domrémy Wood. This overlooks the small adjacent settlement of Les Roises. 

• England was attacking France as well as Scotland. Thus Scottish soldiers would often help the French. 

• French tired after being beaten in war accepted Henry V's son as the heir instead of the Dauphin. (Jeanne later meets the Dauphin, comforts him and coerces him into getting his coronation done.

• France is divided into two parts. One half supported the English, the other supported the Dauphin. 
• Domremy supported the Dauphin but it's adjacent village supported the English. Thus there were fights between the two (the boys would fight each other with sticks and stones) 
• Jeanne's brother's participated in these, she didn't though. (They came home with bruises and black eyes)

• The soldiers of the armies were often ill-paid and thus robbed the poor. 
• Jeanne hadn't witnessed too many of these cruelties, however once there was an attempt made to steal the cows of her family. 

• This village was exempted from taxes in 1429 by Charles VII, the French claimant to the throne. Jeanne d'Arc had requested this, as she felt that taxes burdened her villagers. Moreover, Charles wished to do a good deed for her successful efforts in fighting the English during the Hundred Years' War.

Sources: 

http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/joanofarc/section1.rhtml

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php/author=lang&book=joan&story=childhood

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domr%C3%A9my-la-Pucelle