Gone Medieval – "Trial of Joan of Arc" (Nov 25, 2025)

Host: Dr. Eleanor Jennica (History Hit)
Guest: Professor Anne Curry (Emeritus Professor of Medieval History, University of Southampton)

Episode Overview

This episode examines the trial of Joan of Arc (1431), one of the most meticulously recorded and extraordinary judicial proceedings of the medieval period. Dr. Eleanor Jennica is joined by Prof. Anne Curry to explore the legal, political, and religious complexities of the proceedings, what made Joan such a threatening figure, how the trial unfolded, and why Joan’s story continues to resonate today.

I. Setting the Scene: Joan’s Execution and Its Significance

• Dramatic Opening Description (02:13–04:51):

  • Dr. Jennica recounts the events of 30 May 1431, the day of Joan of Arc's execution in Rouen—the crowd, the soldiers, Joan weeping, a compassionate guard making her a cross, and the emotional reactions of even her English guards.
  • "What is about to happen will echo from far beyond the square, beyond France, into the centuries ahead." (Eleanor Jennica, 03:35)

• Joan’s heart, reportedly remaining intact amid the flames, is noted as a symbol of her martyrdom and the lingering power of her faith.

  • "It's reported that Joan's heart remains intact amid the flames..." (04:57)

II. Why Joan Was Tried: Politics, Propaganda, and Heresy

A. Why Target Joan? (07:57–09:58)

• After losing key battles and the coronation of Charles VII in 1429—against all political expectations—Joan’s enemies considered her a threat.
  • "It can't be God's will, because, after all, we've got the kingdom of France, so it must be the will of the devil." (Anne Curry, 08:53)
• The English and their allies (the "Anglo-Burgundians") used heresy accusations as political tools. Immediately after Joan’s capture in May 1430, calls for investigation came from Paris and church authorities.

B. The Anglo-Burgundian Context (14:02–16:04)

• The Burgundians, wealthy and powerful, were integral to the pro-English faction enforcing the Treaty of Troyes, which declared the English king sovereign of France—in direct opposition to Charles VII.
• "We often, as historians, use the term Anglo-Burgundians... anyone who recognizes the Treaty of Troyes..." (Curry, 14:02–15:00)

III. The Structure and Participants of the Trial

A. Who Tried Joan? (10:20–13:08)

• Lead Judge: Pierre Cauchon, Bishop of Beauvais (operating in exile in Rouen because Beauvais was under Charles VII)
• Deputy Inquisitor of France: Jean Lemaitre (standing in for Jean Graveron)
• Advisors: Over 100 influential figures, many from the University of Paris and high clergy, some doctors of theology and even a doctor of medicine.
  • "So we have a very large number of people involved in this trial... sometimes about 60 people in the room." (Curry, 12:45)
• Significance: Shows the weight and spectacle placed on Joan’s examination—a peasant girl interrogated by the leading churchmen and intellectuals.

B. Bias and Legal Foundations (16:04–17:31)

• Jennica notes parallels to heresy trials elsewhere in Europe, and the inherent difficulties in securing a truly fair trial given the political context. Joan, as a peasant girl, lacked the know-how or resources to contest the legality of the trial venue or judges.

IV. The Course of the Trial and Joan's Responses

A. Initial Proceedings and Joan’s Condition (19:18–22:23)

• Joan's imprisonment was not brutal—she was kept in relatively reasonable conditions to prevent her dying before trial, sometimes facing rooms full of inquisitors.
• "You don't want a dead Joan. You want a Joan you can try." (Curry, 19:59)
• Notably, she continued to wear men's clothes and had her hair kept short.

B. Trial Procedure (22:23–26:53)

• The trial adhered to established ecclesiastical process: gathering rumors ("popular repute"), collecting evidence from her village, then 12 interrogations (6 public, 6 in her cell) over several weeks.
  • "So on the 21st of February, you have the first of six public sessions... then they visit her in her cell and she has another six interrogations." (Curry, 22:59)
• Joan was initially reluctant but then spoke freely, particularly about her visions (St. Michael, St. Catherine).

C. Oaths and the Legal Nature of the Trial (25:29–26:53)

• Oath-taking was standard, akin to “tell the truth, the whole truth…” in modern trials.
  • Prof. Curry: "It's a fundamental element in a trial, really." (25:47)

V. Key Points of Interrogation

A. Joan's Visions and Beliefs (27:07–29:30)

• Central to the charges were Joan’s claims of divine guidance—a challenge for the judges, since revelation by God was not inherently heretical but posed political threat if God appeared to favor Charles VII.
• Theological traps included the nature of saints, whether her visions were authentic, if her prophecies were demonic, and if she accepted the authority of the Church.
  • "Did saints have bodies? ... what they looked like and could she touch them?" (Curry, 27:19)
  • "The churchmen are trying to bring her into a realization... to drop some of these things that are contrary to the matters of faith." (Curry, 29:39)

B. Trial’s Underlying Goal: Submission to the Church (30:47–32:55)

• The primary aim was to extract Joan’s confession and her submission—recantation rather than execution.
  • "Yes, she'd been wrong and she would submit to the judgment of the church. That's what these trials are arraigned at." (Curry, 30:39)

C. Articles of Accusation (41:44–43:37)

• The initial 70 accusations ranged from idolatry to prophesying, cross-dressing, and attempted suicide—whittled down to 12 major theological points.
  • "They threw in everything... campaigning on saints days, killing a prisoner..." (Curry, 41:58)

VI. The Most Contentious Issues: Men’s Clothing & Submission (37:34–41:44)

• The wearing of men's clothes was both symbolic and practical, but also a theological issue due to explicit biblical prohibitions.
  • "It's banned in the Bible. Essentially... the main problem is she says my Voices told me to do it." (Curry, 38:18)
• Joan abjured (recanted) and agreed to wear women’s clothes, but soon reverted—potentially either through her own volition or provocation.

VII. Turning Points: Joan’s "Recantation" and Final Condemnation

A. Joan’s Abjuration, Relapse, and Fate (41:44–55:44)

• On May 24, Joan recants, abjuring her “errors,” agreeing to submit to the church and donning women’s clothes.
• Four days later, she is discovered wearing men's clothes again.
  • Professor Curry debates the French patriotic interpretation that the English forced her clothes change: "She could have said, no, I won't put those on. So I think that's not so likely." (50:19)
  • Instead, Joan herself says, "I was wrong. I did it because I was afraid. I should have stuck to my guns." (Jennica, 54:09)
• After reverting, she is sentenced as a relapsed heretic, handed to the secular authorities, and executed.

VIII. Was the Trial Fair? The Aftermath and Rehabilitation

A. Was Rescue or Leniency Possible? (55:10–62:30)

• Host and guest agree there was little possibility for Joan to avoid execution; even had she recanted fully, she could have faced imprisonment or perhaps execution for treason.
• Charles VII did not intervene—possibly unable, but also possibly unwilling, as Joan had become less politically useful.

B. Rehabilitation and Legacy (62:41–66:30)

• The 1456 Trial of Nullity (instigated by Joan’s mother, not Charles VII directly) annulled the original verdict, though did not fully "exonerate" Joan as a saint.
  • "It's not...she isn't technically...not declared she wasn't a heretic. It's just that the trial that made her, gave that charge against her is now annulled." (Curry, 65:23)
• Deep insights into medieval religiosity, family devotion, and the limits of political rehabilitation.

IX. Joan as a Person and Historical Source

• The trial records provide an exceptional look into Joan’s own words and personality—her wit, courage, "cheek" (Curry), and her profound faith.
• They also yield otherwise rare glimpses into the daily life and attitudes of the medieval rural poor, both from Joan’s own testimony and that of her village peers.
  • "We have so much out of her mouth about the way that she sees the world... We get a real sense of her as a person, I think." (Jennica, 68:58)

X. Legacy and Afterlives of Joan of Arc

• Joan became an international figure—heroine in France but also inspiring emulation across the world, including English suffragettes and Japanese manga.
• Her life's arc exemplifies social mobility and the mythic potential of "ordinary" medieval people.
  • Professor Curry: "The idea of the downtrodden, ignorant, silent peasant isn't true. She actually redeems the common person, doesn't she?... She's a good example of social mobility and a career girl in the 15th century." (Curry, 73:46–74:30)
• The "Joan of Arc industry is huge," with modern commemorations, memorabilia, and reinterpretations.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "You don't want a dead Joan. You want a Joan you can try." (Anne Curry, 19:59)
• "It's banned in the Bible. Essentially... the main problem is she says my Voices told me to do it." (Curry, 38:18)
• "We have so much out of her mouth about the way that she sees the world... We get a real sense of her as a person, I think." (Jennica, 68:58)
• "The afterlives of Joan are even fuller than the life." (Curry, 72:16)
• "She's a good example of social mobility and a career girl in the 15th century." (Curry, 73:46)

Key Timestamps

• 02:13–04:51 – Eleanor Jennica’s narrative: Joan’s execution day
• 07:31–09:58 – Professor Curry: Why Joan was tried, propaganda
• 10:20–13:08 – Who exactly tried Joan, the trial’s personnel
• 22:23–26:53 – Trial procedures, how Joan was interrogated
• 28:38–29:39 – Joan’s handling of theological traps, her confidence
• 37:34–41:44 – The issue of men’s clothing and Joan’s justification
• 41:44–43:37 – Articles of accusation against Joan
• 46:06–48:15 – Threat of torture; Joan’s recantation
• 54:09–55:10 – Joan on her relapse: “I was wrong. I did it because I was afraid. I should have stuck to my guns.”
• 62:41–66:30 – The 1456 rehabilitation trial, Joan’s family
• 68:58–69:29 – Joan’s trial as a historical source for her personality and for medieval life
• 72:16–74:30 – Joan’s legacy and international impact

Conclusion

This episode offers a nuanced, comprehensive retelling of the trial of Joan of Arc—bringing Joan’s personality and historical context to life through vivid narration, expert insight, and direct reflections on the primary court records. Joan emerges not as a passive victim, but as a resourceful, resilient, and complex figure whose legacy, trial, and myth have continued to shape European consciousness through the centuries.