Joan of Arc was captured because she stayed behind to protect her retreating soldiers and civilians.

The capture of Joan of Arc occurred during the Siege of Compiègne, a minor military engagement during the Hundred Years' War. Joan led a small force of about 400 volunteers to reinforce the town against the Duke of Burgundy's troops. When the Burgundians launched a surprise attack, the French forces were forced to retreat toward the town gates. Joan stayed at the very back of the line to cover the retreat, acting as a human shield for her soldiers.As the last of the French troops entered the town, the governor of Compiègne ordered the drawbridge raised to prevent the enemy from entering. This trapped Joan and a handful of her loyal followers outside the city walls. A Burgundian archer managed to grab her gold-cloth surcoat and pull her from her horse. She was taken into custody by Lionel of Wandomme, a nobleman in the service of Jean de Luxembourg.The English government desperately wanted Joan in their custody to discredit her claims of divine guidance. They negotiated her purchase from the Burgundians for a sum of 10,000 livres tournois, which was roughly equivalent to the ransom of a royal prince. This massive financial transaction was funded by a tax levied on the estates of Normandy. Joan remained in captivity for a year before her trial in Rouen began in 1431.Historians often point to this event as a turning point in the war's narrative, though not its strategy. While Compiègne was not a major strategic loss, the capture of the 'Maid of Orleans' gave the English a massive propaganda victory. Had she retreated earlier, she might have participated in the final French victories that ended the war in 1453. Instead, her refusal to abandon her post led directly to her trial for heresy and her execution at the stake.