Skip to main content

Secondary sourceDocument15th century

Manuscript of the Nullification Trial Proceedings

15th century

A 15th-century manuscript page recording the start of the proceedings to overturn Joan of Arc's condemnation, naming her mother and brothers.

This document is part of the legal process that cleared Joan's name years after her execution, led in part by her own family.

Ask Joan of Arc about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Close-up of a handwritten medieval Latin manuscript page in brown ink on aged parchment, several lines of cursive script with abbreviations and flourished initial letters, showing the opening text of the folio.
Nullification trial manuscript, folio 1 recto, 15th century. Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS Latin 8838.

About this source

What it is

This is a page from a 15th-century manuscript recording the nullification proceedings that reexamined and overturned Joan of Arc's original condemnation. The opening lines describe her mother, Isabelle d'Arc, and her brothers Pierre and Jean d'Arc, appearing along with people from Orléans to bring the case forward. The manuscript is held in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

Why it matters

This document shows how, years after her death, Joan's family and supporters worked to clear her name through a formal legal process. It reveals that her condemnation was not forgotten and that people close to her, especially her mother, were determined to challenge it. The document is written in Latin, the language of official church and legal proceedings at the time.

Look closer

  • Why might Joan's family have waited years to bring this case?
  • What does it suggest about Joan's reputation that officials were willing to reexamine her case?
  • Why is the document written in Latin rather than French?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Joan of Arc on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Joan of Arc sources

Meet the AI Joan of Arc →
Letter

Primary source

Letter to the English

Joan of Arc · 22 March 1429

Engraved plate titled Vol II Pl XXXVIII showing an elevation of a tall, ornate Gothic-style fountain with classical columns, statues, and a sculpted figure, above a plan diagram of its circular and triangular base. Caption below names Rouen and the Maid of Orleans, burnt 1430.Artifact

Secondary source

Fountain on the Site of Joan of Arc's Execution

James Basire · 21 April 1786

Brown ink sketch in a manuscript margin of a long-haired figure in profile facing left, holding a pole with a banner and a sword pointing right. Beside it is handwritten Latin text and a word 'Mercredi' at the bottom.Painting

Primary source

Marginal Drawing of Joan of Arc

Clément de Fauquembergue · May 1429

Black ink handwritten signature reading "Jeanne" on white background, with a tall stroke rising from the lower left, a looping J-like initial, and a cursive "anne" with a descending tail.Document

Primary source

Signature of Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc · 16 March 1430

Photograph of a medieval handwritten letter on aged, yellowed parchment or paper with a torn right edge. Dense brown-ink cursive script runs in lines across the page, with a signature in the lower right reading 'Jehan' with a long flourish. Faint stains and creases are visible.Letter

Primary source

Letter to the People of Riom

Joan of Arc · 9 November 1429

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Joan of Arc now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions