Editing Medieval Inquisition (section)

==Joan of Arc==

{{Main article|Trial of Joan of Arc}}
In the spring of 1429 during the [[Hundred Years' War]], in obedience to what she said was the command of God, [[Joan of Arc]] inspired the Dauphin's armies in a series of stunning military victories which lifted the [[Siege of Orléans|siege of Orleans]] and destroyed a large percentage of the remaining English forces at the [[battle of Patay]]. A series of military setbacks eventually led to her capture in the Spring of 1430 by the Burgundians, who were allied with the English. They delivered her to them for 10,000 livres. In December of that same year she was transferred to Rouen, the military headquarters and administrative capital in France of King Henry VI of England, and placed on trial for heresy before a Church court headed by Bishop Pierre Cauchon, a supporter of the English.

The trial was politically motivated.{{sfn|Peters|1988}} Cauchon, although a native of France, had served in the English government since 1418,<ref>Pernoud, Regine; and Clin, Marie-Veronique. "Joan of Arc: Her Story", p. 209</ref> and he was therefore hostile to a woman who had worked for the opposing side. The same was true of the other tribunal members.<ref>Pernoud, Regine; and Clin, Marie-Veronique. "Joan of Arc: Her Story", pp. 207–217</ref> Ascribing a diabolic origin to her victories would be an effective way to ruin her reputation and bolster the morale of English troops. Thus the decision to involve the Inquisition, which did not initiate the trial and in fact showed a reluctance throughout its duration.<ref>Pernoud, Regine. "Joan of Arc By Herself And Her Witnesses", p. 165; Pernoud, Regine; and Clin, Marie-Veronique. "Joan of Arc: Her Story", p. 214.</ref>

Seventy charges were brought against her, including accusations of heresy and dressing as a male (i.e., wearing soldiers' clothing and armor). Eyewitnesses later said that Joan had told them she was wearing this clothing and keeping it "firmly laced and tied together" because the tunic could be tied to the long boots to keep her guards from pulling her clothing off during their occasional attempts to rape her.<ref name="Pernoud, Regine pp. 219-220">Pernoud, Regine. "Joan of Arc By Herself And Her Witnesses", pp. 219–220.</ref>

Joan was first condemned to life imprisonment and the deputy-inquisitor, Jean Le Maitre (whom the eyewitness said only attended because of threats from the English), obtained from her assurances of relinquishing her male clothes. However, after four days, during which she was said to have been subjected to attempted rape by English soldiers, she put her soldier's clothing back on because (according to the eyewitnesses) she needed protection against rape.<ref name="Pernoud, Regine pp. 219-220"/> Cauchon declared her a relapsed heretic, and she was burned at the stake two days later on 30 May 1431.<ref>Pernoud, Regine. "Joan of Arc By Herself And Her Witnesses", p. 228.</ref>

In 1455, a petition by Joan of Arc's mother Isabelle led to a re-trial designed to investigate the dubious circumstances which led to Joan's execution.<ref name="Pernoud, Regine p. 264">Pernoud, Regine. "Joan of Arc By Herself And Her Witnesses", p. 264.</ref> The Inquisitor-General of France was put in charge of the new trial, which opened in [[Notre Dame de Paris]] on 7 November 1455.<ref name="Pernoud, Regine p. 264"/> After analyzing all the proceedings, including Joan's answers to the allegations and the testimony of 115 witnesses who were called to testify during the appellate process,<ref>Pernoud, Regine; and Clin, Marie-Veronique. "Joan of Arc: Her Story", pp. 139, 157.</ref> the inquisitor overturned her condemnation on 7 July 1456.<ref>Pernoud, Regine; and Clin, Marie-Veronique. "Joan of Arc: Her Story", p. 158.</ref> Joan of Arc was eventually canonized in 1920.

Historian Edward Peters identifies a number of illegalities in Joan's first trial in which she had been convicted.{{sfn|Peters|1988}}