Joan of Arc

Historically Speaking Podcast

Almost six centuries have come and gone and we’re still talking about an illiterate peasant girl who only lived to be nineteen years old. Why? Not only did she inspire her nation by leading thousands of men into battle, but she also ushered in the end of the Hundred’s Year War thus saving her nation of France from English rule. Was she divinely inspired or was she a schizophrenic who heard the voices of martyred saints in her head? We may never know the answer to that question, but here in Episode 28 we unpack a lot about Joan of Arc.
Episode Edit:
In the interest of accuracy and fairness, in 1450, almost twenty years after Joan's death, King Charles VII did himself have a retrial of Joan which vindicated her. This was before Pope Calixtus III (1455-1458) also had a retrial. To Charles' credit, he couldn't have the retrial until he did because it wasn't until late 1449 that he and French forces were able to take Rouen where Joan's trial and burning occurred and where all the papers and documents related to the trial were located.
Books:

• The Hundred Years War by Edouard Perroy (translated from the French)
• Joan: The Mysterious Life of The Heretic Who Became a Saint by Donald Spoto
• The Life of Joan of Arc by Anatole France (translated from the French)
• The Fifteenth Century 1399-1485 by E.F. Jacob
• Joan of Arc: A Military Leader by Kelly DeVries

Film:

• The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) silent film with Renée Falconetti
• Joan of Arc (1948) with Ingrid Bergman