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Why was Charles VII unsure about trusting St. Joan of Arc?
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St. Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc at the Coronation of Charles VII in Reims Cathedral, by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1854; in the Louvre, Paris.
Charles VII was initially hesitant to trust St. Joan of Arc primarily due to the pervasive fear of heresy that existed following the conclusion of the Western Schism in 1417.1
When Joan arrived at his court in Chinon, Charles received conflicting advice from his counselors regarding her claims of divine guidance. To address these concerns and mitigate the risk of associating with a potential heretic, Charles took several precautionary steps:1
- Ecclesiastical Interrogation: He ordered that Joan be examined by church authorities and eminent theologians, notably at Poitiers, to verify the nature of her mission.1
- Testing Her Claims: During their first meeting, Charles famously attempted to test her by hiding among his courtiers to see if she could identify him.1
- Strategic Caution: Because the legitimacy of his claim to the throne was under intense challenge, Charles had to be extremely careful about the public perception of his supporters; he needed to ensure that his military efforts were not discredited by accusations of witchcraft or heresy.21
Ultimately, the churchmen at Poitiers advised that, given the desperate state of the siege at Orléans, the dauphin would be well-advised to utilize her services.1