Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why do historians describe Joan of Arcâs trial as unjust?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Hundred Yearsâ War
Image depicting the Battle of Crécy, during the Hundred Years' War, in which Edward III of England defeated Philip VI of France on August 26, 1346.
Historians and the Catholic Church have long recognized the trial of Joan of Arc as fundamentally unjust, a conclusion formally reached during rehabilitation proceedings in 1456 that annulled her 1431 sentence.12
The trial was inherently biased, as it was orchestrated by her political enemiesâthe English and their French collaboratorsâto discredit Charles VII by branding his coronation as the work of a heretic or witch. Several factors highlight the lack of justice:3
- Political Motivation: The proceedings were driven by the University of Paris and English authorities, who sought to eliminate a figure who threatened their power and the Lancastrian monarchy.3
- Judicial Partiality: Her judges, including Pierre Cauchon, were hostile, and her appeal to the pope was ignored.31
- Procedural Misconduct: Joan faced over 70 accusations, ranging from heresy to cross-dressing, before a court that was designed to trap her. Her eventual execution for "relapse" followed her decision to resume wearing male clothing, which she adopted for protection against misconduct by her guards.21
Ultimately, the trial was a weaponized legal process used to suppress a woman who defied the established male hierarchy and political tradition.2