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The Rouen inquisition against Joan opens as an English-Burgundian political trial

On 9 January 1431 the Rouen trial of Joan opened. Public carriers treat it as an inquisitorial process under English political control, with Cauchon presiding. In the causal graph this event weakens Institutional Corruption, a driver that strengthens Political corruption index — an improving welfare path.

Sources: [1][2]

Read the full account

On 9 January 1431 the Rouen trial of Joan opened. Public carriers treat it as an inquisitorial process under English political control, with Cauchon presiding. It does not treat the charges as a verified supernatural finding.

Context

This is an occupation court, not a neutral theology seminar. Later nationalist uses of the victim are a different harm row. Rehabilitation in 1456 is a different justice row.

Joan of Arc is not the sole author of every later object, law, or museum label that uses the name. Shared work with courts, excavators, printers, spouses, officials, and later states does not erase a documented role, and it does not make an ancient person the signer of a twentieth-century statute.

Why it matters

Corrupt-jurisdiction path. High confidence that the trial opened in January 1431.

An opening minute is not a burning. Keep 30 May separate.

Who was responsible

Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.

  • Joan of Arc

    Person

    Direct responsibility

    responsibility level 0.25 · verified

    Complex: she answered interrogatories. Cauchon, English officers, and Rouen clerks ran the court.

What changed

Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified2 sources on file
  1. 1.Historial Jeanne d’Arc — RouenHistorial Jeanne d’Arc / Rouen · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Britannica — Saint Joan of ArcEncyclopaedia Britannica · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish

The Historial’s officiality site and Britannica independently date the 1431 Rouen process.

Established: Rouen trial opened 9 January 1431 under Cauchon with English backing. Not established: that Joan designed the court, or that every later political trial is this docket.

Causal path

How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.

  1. ActorJoan of Arc
  2. contributed toFactThe Rouen inquisition against Joan opens as an English-Burgundian political trial
  3. weakensDriverInstitutional Corruption
  4. strengthensIndicatorPolitical corruption index

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). The Rouen inquisition against Joan opens as an English-Burgundian political trial. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/joa-rouen-trial-1431

https://factrail.ai/facts/joa-rouen-trial-1431

Accessed 16 October 2026.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed

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