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The Retrial of Joan of Arc: The Evidence for her Vindication

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Regine Pernoud wrote an interesting account of the trial and posthumous trial of Joan of Arc (c.1412-1431)which showed the rare courage of Joan of Arc and terrible miscarraiges of justice of the English including some of the English bishops who should have known better. On the other hand, Mrs. Pernoud used witness testimony and Joan of Arc's statements which demonsrated not only a brave young lady, but an intelligent woman who confounded and angered her accusers.

Mrs. Pernoud wrote about Joan of Arc's determined efforts to persuade the French king and nobility to permit her to lead military forces against the English invaders and occupiers. Joan of Arc was devouted and confident in her ability to successfully lead the French against the English who had won spectacular victories at Crecy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415)just after the birth of Joan of Arc. By 1453, the only English control was at the port of Calais which the French took c. 1558.

Mrs. Pernoud then dealt with Joan of Arc's trial for witchcraft and heresy. One can understand skepticism re Joan of Arc's claims of visions from God. The French, similar to much of Europe, suffered from plague. The numerous defeats at the hands of the English caused more misery, and many people were easily fooled by false claims of miracles. The French had previously defeated the attempts of the Albigensians during the 13th. century (1200s).

The first trial was so unjust. Witnesses who had favorable testimony on behalf of Joan of Arc were intimidated. The scribes who recorded the testimony were told to change their records, and, to the credit of these scribes, they refused to alter the record. English Catholic priests and Bishops and their French collaborators broke the Seal of the Confessional re Joan of Arc's confession. Joan of Arc refuted her supposedly educated accusers by confounding their questioning and refusal to be intimidated. She showed a phenomenal memory when accusers tried to tell her that she did or did not say something. Joan of Arc had the scribes repeat the questions and her answers which were always right in spite of attempts to confuse her.

Mrs. Pernoud then dealt with the posthumous retrial which occured during the 1450s. The Canon Law jurists and Catholic officials were shocked at the injustice of the first trial. Those English priests and bishops plus their French collaborators were condemned themselves posthumously. Joan of Arc herself was vindicated of all chareges. Her name was cleared.

An interesting part of this book was the testimony of Joan of Arc's contemporaries who described her as a devout and serious Catholic. Any charges that she was born a witch and sorceress were refuted by their statements. Joan of Arc's military comrades also refuted charges of witchcraft and heresy. The record was clear that Joan of Arc's first trial was a staged political trial because the English both feared and hated her for her success against them.

The value of Mrs. Pernoud's book was her meticulous research and careful documentation which undermined popular media accounts. Mrs. Pernoud carefully went to French libraries and did the actual hard work of locating the sources and carefully evaluated these sources. This book is useful both for its historical account and as an example of a dedicated research to get an honest history of the trials of Joan of Arc.

James E. Egolf,

November 13, 2010 (the 26th. anniversary of this writer's marriage to Mrs. Egolf who reminds me of Joan of Arc) After living with me for 26 years, Mrs. Egolf has earned Sainthood.

This is a rarity among English-language books on the subject: an examination of the posthumous appeal of Joan of Arc's case after the war. The book contains extensive excerpts from the testimony given by witnesses during the appeal, similar to "Joan of Arc By Herself and Her Witnesses" except focusing on the Rehabilitation testimony. These accounts from people who knew Joan bring the subject to life in a way that no other format can.

Fans of English Jurisprudence will not be pleased with yet another exposure of how crooked the English were. Fans of Joan will reinforced by the testimony of those who knew her. The Mystery remains as to why God intervened in France there being little doubt that saints and angels were involved in the military routs of the English and the crowning of the King of France. The author/historian does a good job of selecting materials for a short book-the wonder is that there is so much material available about this person. The reconstruction trial is described in fair detail and as fair as a proceeding could be. Joan was a willing girl-the comment most often ascribed concerning her from the many and varied witnesses. There is no discussion or perhaps no reason to discuss the later French Genocide in the Vendee region-a subject the Liberty, Fraternity, and Equality Boys avoid even now French Intellectuals are a bad joke.Pernod is not of the same French cloth that fell for Communism in spite of all evidence but a historian. I have been to France but once and came to interest in the subject when a local told me that Joan had once stayed in the area.