The Trial of Joan of Arc By Sonya Singh

Background of 100 Years War Fighting started in the Hundred Years' War because the Kings of England wanted to rule France as well because France was weak and divided from its previous war. However, the French wanted a Frenchman on the throne rather than an English, thus creating the beginnings of the war. Fighting started in the Hundred Years' War because the Kings of England wanted to rule France as well because France was weak and divided from its previous war. However, the French wanted a Frenchman on the throne rather than an English, thus creating the beginnings of the war.

Who was Joan of Arc Joan of Arc or Jeanne Darc was born in 1412 in Eastern France where she lived as a peasant during the time of the hundreds year war. Joan of Arc or Jeanne Darc was born in 1412 in Eastern France where she lived as a peasant during the time of the hundreds year war. She was 12 years old when she first began to have visions and hear voices in her head, these voices were recognized as St Michael, St Catherine and St Margaret, however in the winter of 1428 the visions gave her specific instructions to raise the siege of Orléans so that the king of France, Charles VII, can go to Reims to be anointed in the cathedral. She does this so France will have a king again. She was 12 years old when she first began to have visions and hear voices in her head, these voices were recognized as St Michael, St Catherine and St Margaret, however in the winter of 1428 the visions gave her specific instructions to raise the siege of Orléans so that the king of France, Charles VII, can go to Reims to be anointed in the cathedral. She does this so France will have a king again.

Before Joan can successfully lead a siege she must see Charles VII, to do this she dresses as a man and gets together a group of six males to travel alongside with her for eleven days to Chitlon. When she arrived she was tested by the King and his men and when she was found trustworthy she informally trained to be a knight and given a squire and page, along with her own sword and amour. Before Joan can successfully lead a siege she must see Charles VII, to do this she dresses as a man and gets together a group of six males to travel alongside with her for eleven days to Chitlon. When she arrived she was tested by the King and his men and when she was found trustworthy she informally trained to be a knight and given a squire and page, along with her own sword and amour. Joan and her soldiers reached Orléans on 29 April The city has been besieged for seven months by the English, holding various fortified positions around the town. Joan's presence among the French troops - armed like a man, fighting at least as bravely as a man, famous already as possessing special powers - proves as demoralizing to the English and reassured the French. Joan and her soldiers reached Orléans on 29 April The city has been besieged for seven months by the English, holding various fortified positions around the town. Joan's presence among the French troops - armed like a man, fighting at least as bravely as a man, famous already as possessing special powers - proves as demoralizing to the English and reassured the French.

One by one the English positions fell and by May 8 their army retreated from Orléans. They withdrew to three other towns on the Loire river, where they waited reinforcements. However the French have driven the English from one of the three towns when reinforcements arrive in mid-June men under the command of Sir John Fastolf. With Joan's encouragement (and the advantage of a larger army) the French overwhelm this English force at Patay on June 18. One by one the English positions fell and by May 8 their army retreated from Orléans. They withdrew to three other towns on the Loire river, where they waited reinforcements. However the French have driven the English from one of the three towns when reinforcements arrive in mid-June men under the command of Sir John Fastolf. With Joan's encouragement (and the advantage of a larger army) the French overwhelm this English force at Patay on June 18. Joan persuaded Charles VII to move northeast towards Reims and is summoned to his coronation are sent out on June 25, even though the entire country as far as Reims is still ostensibly in English or Burgundian hands, this caused uncertainty within the travelers. With Joan’s magic, all the gates are open to the city for the coranation except Troyes, which is where the treaty was signed in 1420 to keep the French crown away from the English. At this time, Joan in person leads an attack on the city, and the inhabitants rapidly change their minds. Joan persuaded Charles VII to move northeast towards Reims and is summoned to his coronation are sent out on June 25, even though the entire country as far as Reims is still ostensibly in English or Burgundian hands, this caused uncertainty within the travelers. With Joan’s magic, all the gates are open to the city for the coranation except Troyes, which is where the treaty was signed in 1420 to keep the French crown away from the English. At this time, Joan in person leads an attack on the city, and the inhabitants rapidly change their minds. On July 16 th she reaches Reims and Charles XII is coronated. On July 16 th she reaches Reims and Charles XII is coronated.

Capture For the next ten months Joan campaigned against the English and the Burgundians with considerable success however she failed in Paris in September 1429 when the city resisted her assaults on its walls and her pleas to the defenders to surrender to their rightful king. Joan's was captured in May 1430 when she fell off her horse in Burgandy and was captured. For the next few months she lived as a captive and was demanded to be handed over to the Inquisition for trial as a heretic. For the next ten months Joan campaigned against the English and the Burgundians with considerable success however she failed in Paris in September 1429 when the city resisted her assaults on its walls and her pleas to the defenders to surrender to their rightful king. Joan's was captured in May 1430 when she fell off her horse in Burgandy and was captured. For the next few months she lived as a captive and was demanded to be handed over to the Inquisition for trial as a heretic.

Trial In March 1431 she is placed on trial and is charged with claiming divine revelation and in placing more reliance on such supposed revelation than on the authority of the church, she is also charged with with immodesty for wearing male clothes and inaccuracy in suggesting that saints speak French rather than English. The charges amounted to heresy which was important for the English so that the people would doubt Charles VII. She is allowed to recant numerous times, however it has been recorded that she recants nothing and holds firmly to her actions. So, she is handed over to the higher powers to be punished, which is a sentence of death. Hearing this, she finally yields. She is then told that she can live, but she must be imprisoned. In March 1431 she is placed on trial and is charged with claiming divine revelation and in placing more reliance on such supposed revelation than on the authority of the church, she is also charged with with immodesty for wearing male clothes and inaccuracy in suggesting that saints speak French rather than English. The charges amounted to heresy which was important for the English so that the people would doubt Charles VII. She is allowed to recant numerous times, however it has been recorded that she recants nothing and holds firmly to her actions. So, she is handed over to the higher powers to be punished, which is a sentence of death. Hearing this, she finally yields. She is then told that she can live, but she must be imprisoned. However, three days later she confesses, she retracts, stating everything that she stands for. On 30 May 1431 she is burnt at the stake as a relapsed heretic. However, three days later she confesses, she retracts, stating everything that she stands for. On 30 May 1431 she is burnt at the stake as a relapsed heretic.

Aftermath After the war was over, the trial was investigated with the permission of Pope Callixtus III at the request of Joan’s mother and a General to determine whether the trial and its verdict had been handled justly and according to canon law. Brehal conducted an investigation in 1452 and made a formal appeal followed in November Brehal drew up his final summary in June 1456, which describes Joan as a martyr and implicated her sentencer’s with heresy for having convicted an innocent woman in pursuit of a vendetta. The court declared her innocence on July 7 th She is now viewed as a heroine for France. After the war was over, the trial was investigated with the permission of Pope Callixtus III at the request of Joan’s mother and a General to determine whether the trial and its verdict had been handled justly and according to canon law. Brehal conducted an investigation in 1452 and made a formal appeal followed in November Brehal drew up his final summary in June 1456, which describes Joan as a martyr and implicated her sentencer’s with heresy for having convicted an innocent woman in pursuit of a vendetta. The court declared her innocence on July 7 th She is now viewed as a heroine for France.