Reformation Era
Chapter 3: The Martyrdom of Joan of Arc (1412-1431), by Varneihthangi
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Martyrs in the History of Christianity
by Franklyn J. Balasundaram (ed.)
Part 2: Martyrs of the Medieval and
the French and English monarchs, Charles of France and Henry VI of England respectively Because of this, the village of Domremy, where Joan lived was often exposed to the fighting between the French and the English, who freely looted the countryside. Also both French and
English soldiers raided villages and carried away whatever they could lay their hands on, be it cattle or grain and this resulted in the poverty of the farmers who were not able to even enjoy the fruits of their hard labor and toiling.
Also, the English army was joined by the French Duke of Burgundy and this amalgamation posed a serious threat for the French king. The king’s eldest son, known as the Dauphin was camping in the country at
Vaucouleurs as they were still loyal to the king. It was Joan’s mission to crown the Dauphin, Charles VII in Rheims’ Cathedral after clearing the French territory from the English hand. But since Rheims was in the enemy’s hand, the Dauphin could not be crowned even five years after his father’s death.
Joan
Joan, also called ‘The Maid of Orleans’ or ‘The Girl Soldier’ was born in 1412 to a poor farmer’s family in the village of Domrey-lapucelle in Northern France. Joan was illiterate because there were no education facilities in the village. Moreover, her parents were unable to send her to a distant place just for the sake of schooling. Her father Jacques worked in his own small holding. Her mother, though uneducated was a deeply religious person and so brought up Joan in the Church’s faith and taught her to say her prayers. Because of this, Joan had a special appeal
towards the lives of holy men and women. As she did not go to school, Joan helped her parents in the home and in the field. Though they were poor there is no evidence to say that they lived in utter poverty or that Joan worked as a hired servant having no time to attend Church services regularly which she enjoyed very much. Also there is no evidence to say that she did not find time to go to confession or wait for vision and listen to the Church’s bells when she wanted, in order to hear voices.
Joan spent her childhood years in the open air and she was a strong and sturdy girl. Nature for her was her teacher. She liked listening to the birds sing and lambs bleating which she used to watch grazing on the hill-slopes. Her piety and faith were strengthened in the quietness of the farmlands in which she was able to feel the Unseen’s power and
presence. Joan was utterly honest, simple and straight forward, humble and earnest. (M.J.Sargunam, A Galaxy of Heroes, [Coimbatore,
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Palaniandavar Printers, 1981], p. 23.) Joan’s Voices and Visions
Joan’s voices and visions and played many tricks with her reputation.
They had been held to prove that she was sad, that she was a liar and imposter, that she was a sorceress for which she was burnt, and finally a saint. They do not prove any of these things; but the variety of the
conclusions reached show how little our matter of fact historians know about other people’s minds, or even about their own. (Bernard Shaw, Saint Joan, (Calcutta: Orient Longman Ltd., 1979), p. 10.)
As Joan’s village was frequently exposed to fighting between the French and the English, with her growth in age, Joan also grew more and more sensitive to her village community’s suffering. She also came to
understand that poverty was a result of the wars. She spent many a night in prayer for her people. Then at the age of 13 during her vigil and prayer, she heard voices. Her devotion and godliness grew stronger day by day as these voices taught her self-discipline. She was conscious in her prayer of the presence of St. Michael, St. Catherine and St.
Margaret, the patron saints, whose voices directed and fashioned her life. She therefore without any word obeyed their word of guidance and was getting ready to obey the voices when the time came, voices of saints which spoke from heaven above. It was to the unseen world that her mind and spirit were tuned. She then received a message asking her to go to Charles, the heir to the throne of France and to help him in the war against the English. (M.J. Sargunam, Ibid., p. 22.) Though being a simple, immature, peasant girl, never been trained in the art of fighting, never having ever learnt to ride a horse or wield a sword, yet she was called to serve France.
Joan’s Response to Her Voices and Visions
Joan, after receiving the call to save France, boldly set out to meet the French king. Even though she was not successful to have personal
contact with the king in her first attempt, she did not lose hope but made another trip the following year when she was just 17 years of age.
Though the captain did not take her seriously, Joan insisted and was successful after weeks to an interview with the king. It was her firmness and piety which helped her in the end. Although people scoffed at her claim to have received orders from heaven, she was resolved to fulfil her purpose, believing that God wanted her to drive the enemy from
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France. She then dressed like a man, putting on the armor of a soldier and rode a horse. Though her unwomanly way drew much prejudice and opposition, she refused to give in, but instead said, "It is better to obey the voice of Heaven than that of man." (Ibid., p. 23.) It was her
passionate love for freedom that made her ready to even sacrifice her life.
Joan also sought to instill pride, self respect and the spirit to fight for the king in her fellowmen. Though mocked, rebuked and disbelieved by the army officers, priests and the king, she was firm in her stand to her mission and was determined to do or die. It was her childlike trust in Heavenly Vision and burning zeal which finally overcame the king’s officers and she was allowed to meet the king. It is said that the king unwilling to meet a rustic teenager played a trick on her by dressing like one of his courtiers. But Joan, though never having ever met or seen the king or any of the nobles before, was not confused when she entered the big hall. She instead, to the surprise of all, went straight to the disguised king and said, "God grant you life, sire." (Ibid., p. 23.) It can be said that it is the Spirit alone who could have guided her.
She then told the king that he should be crowned in Rheims’ Cathedral after the English army was routed. (Ibid., p. 23.) Joan became impatient in the delay, for the king took time to consult his officers and
supporters. But after much hesitation, the king permitted her to lead the French army against the English.
Joan, The Girl Soldier
Joan was then allowed by the king to lead the French army against the English as the city of Grisans held by the French was under heavy siege, on the point of losing the battle. A banner was made for her and she had her standard painted. She declared that a sword for her would be found in the church of St.Catherine and it was so. In spite of all the frightening inquiries of the church, Joan, like an experienced warrior boldly took to the battle field.
On May 4th she suddenly sprang up while resting. Being apparently inspired, she ordered an attack and took one fort and another the next day after which the French army crossed the river. The English army taken by surprise, with the view to reforming the ranks, evacuated the fort. The victory roused the French and the rallying point for the army now became Joan. Joan was acclaimed the victorious Maid of Orleans in
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the battle. She moved ahead of the soldiers with great speed. Though she fought on tenaciously, she was wounded in the next encounter at Tuileries.
Joan then asked Charles, the king, to go to Rheims to be crowned, but he hesitated. Joan promised great victory for France when the two armies, the French and the English met at Rheims. When it was so, it brought great honor and renown for her. She then promised pardon to the citizens of Rheims if they surrendered, and a Friar was sent to meet her. (M. J. Sargunam, op. cit. p. 24) But her promise was not believed in spite of the Friar’s positive report. Joan then ordered an attack and the city surrendered. The impossible, defeating the English army, took place and her mission was successful. Then on 17th July, 1429 the Dauphin was crowned Charles VII in the stately Cathedral at Rheims. (Ibid., p.
24.) Joan then knelt before him and for the first time, called him "My Lord, the king." (Ibid., p. 24.)
Her Capture
Joan was alone and unhappy after the victory. Her advice to march against Paris was not heeded by the king and moreover her enemies were active. Also her request to the king to be allowed to retire to her village to lead a quiet life was not granted either. She had to instead stay around the king’s court to face charges of the priests against her faith.
(Ibid., p. 25.) As the king did not pay heed to Joan’s advice, he began to lose his power day by day. Then the English came back to fight. Joan once more bravely took to the battle field without enough support. She being fearless of danger or death led a small platoon against the English who had now surrounded Paris. Though wounded in the fight, she urged her followers not to give up. She then fell from her horse and taken prisoner, being led to the enemy’s camp. There was no attempt made to get her exchanged. Her courage and sacrifice were in vain. (M.J.
Sargunam, op.cit., p. 25.) She had to suffer cruelty and shame for her love of her country and devotion to the king.
Reason for Persecution
It was a view held by the priests and church leaders that none other than them could and must convey the Voice of God and God’s will. But here was Joan, who was just a poor country girl, illiterate, defying the social norm by dressing up as a man and affirming that she had received orders from ‘her voices’ to fight against the English. These, they could not
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tolerate for, they were certain that she was in touch with evil spirits and not with the Voice of God. Therefore, they wanted to defeat her. They felt that she was wrong. She was also accused of being an agent of Satan, possessing magical powers and must be put to death. The French and English joined together in their attack against her motives for
action.
Another reason for Joan’s persecution it can be said that the Church in the Middle Ages was narrow minded and burnt those who did not accept its way. (Ibid., p. 24.) and here was Joan claiming to receive voices telling her to do things according to them, voices she believed to be directly coming from God.
The Trial
After being captured by the English, Joan was taken to Beaurevoir, but her soul was at Campaign, still fighting with all her heart for the king who had abandoned her.
The English, after capturing Joan, were in for a sorry state, for they not only failed to recapture Louviers, but also lost Chateaugaillard. They, therefore, tried all possible ways to check their rapid decline. It was then decided that the trial of Joan and the coronation of the king be held together, for they were regarded as one. Then Charles VII, the French king could be dishonored as being anointed by a witch and in his place Henry VI of England could be crowned, whose coronation would be the Lord’s whereas Charles’ of the devil.
Cauchon, who had only recently secured permission for persecution in its diocese from the chapter of Rouen Cathedral, was then called by an order issued by Winchester on January 3, 1431 to open the trial of Joan, who was only to be loaned for trial to the ecclesiastical judge "reserving the right to take her back again in case she was not convicted." (Jules Michelet, Joan of Arc, [The University of Michigan Press, 1974], p. 72.) The English took no risk in making sure that she did not escape death.
They were firm to use the sword if fire failed.
Cauchon then opened the trial on January 9, 1431 at Rouen. He started with a sort of consultation with the eight doctors, licentiates and masters of arts of Rouen with information he had collected about Joan. Though this information which was gathered in advance by Joan’s enemies appear insubstantial to Rouen legal expert’s minds but they were so
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adamant to put her to death that the flimsy accusation of witchcraft was changed to heresy.
But in order to proceed, the first step was to win over the monk who was representative of the inquisition. Though the monk argued and pleaded, saying that until he was absolutely sure and convinced that his powers were sufficient another be appointed. But all were in vain and he could not escape but be the judge. Also he was bribed by Winchester who gave him gold for all the trouble he had gone through.
Joan was then brought to trial before the judges on 21 February 1431.
She was admonished with gentleness and charity by the bishop of Beauvais who urged her to answer any question truthfully in order that the trial would be shortened and her conscience be unburdened without subterfuges. Joan answered, "I do not know what you propose to
question me about; you might ask me things which I would not tell you." (Ibid., p. 74.) Questions about anything, which are not connected with her visions, she agreed to swear to tell the truth. But she said, regarding her visions, they would have to cut off her head first.
On the following day, 22nd February and once more on 24th February she was urged to pledge herself unconditionally. Yet she still resisted by saying. "Even little children repeat that often times people are hanged for having told the truth". (Ibid., p. 74.)But due to weariness, she finally agreed that if it can have a bearing on her trial she would tell everything she knew.
They then questioned her about her age, name and so on. They then asked her about the term ‘the Maid’ by which she was called by the people. To this, she eluded the difficulty with a white lie which may be due to reluctancy of feminine modesty and instead said, "As to what they call me, I know nothing about it". (Ibid., p. 75.)When she complained that she had been fettered, the bishop replied that it had been necessary to shackle her since she had repeatedly attempted to escape. She then said, "It is true, I have tried. Any prisoner has the right to do so. If I did escape, no one could accuse me of having broken faith, for I have promised nothing." (Ibid., p. 75.)
May be because of superstition, they then ordered her to recite the prayers Pater Noster and the Ave Maria in order to catch her, for they believed that if she was a thrall of the devil she would not be able to do so and this would give them the chance to condemn her. But she replied
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"I shall be glad to say them, if only my Lord the bishop of Beauvais consents to hear me in confession." (Ibid., p. 75.)This was a clever and touching request, to take her judge, her enemy into her fullest
confidence, for this would have compelled him to bear witness to her innocence and made him her spiritual father. But Cauchon refused, and instead adjourned the session for the next day and turned the task over to one of his successors.
A strange quickening of her spirit was manifested at the fourth session of her trial. She did not conceal the fact that she had heard ‘her voices’.
She instead said, "They woke me up. I folded my hands and begged of them to advise me; they said to me: Ask our Lord" -- "And what else did they say?" "That I should answer you without fear. (Ibid., p. 75-76.) When she told them that she was not free to speak everything out, not because of fear of answering them, but instead fear of offending ‘her voices’, the bishop insisted by saying. "But Joan it is then possible to offend God by telling what is true?" (Ibid., p. 76.)But she answered,
"My voices have told me certain things that are not meant for you, but for the king." (Ibid., p. 76.)Her sayings were mingled with naive words, but at the same time with sublime meanings like, "I was sent by God, from whom I came ..." Her words, "You tell me you are my judge;
ponder with great care over what you mean to do, for in very truth I was sent of God, and you are putting yourself in great jeopardy,"(Ibid., p.
76.)must have irritated the judges for they asked her, "Joan, do you believe that you are in a state of grace?"(Ibid., p. 76.)Which is an insidious and perfidious question, sinful to ask any living human creature. Also because with this question they thought that they would catch her with a snare that could not be loosened by anything for if she said no, it would be confessing her unworthiness to be God’s
instrument. But if she said Yes, she would be labeled as proud and presumptuous, one among who are farthest from grace. But with heroic and Christian simplicity she cut the knot by saying, "If I am not, may it please God to bring me into it; If I am, may He preserve me in it."
(Ibid., p. 77.)
After all her heroism, according to Jules Michelet, Joan still being a woman relapsed, grew soft, even doubting her state and striving to reassure herself by saying, "Ah! If I knew I was not in God’s grace, no one in the world could be more afflicted... But if I were in a state of sin, surely the voices could not come to me... I wish everyone could hear them as I do..."(Ibid., p. 77.)These words became a weapon for the
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