Pierre Cauchon (died 1442): Bishop of Beauvais who accused and tried Joan of Arc and handed her over to the secular arm

Pierre Cauchon, rector of the University of Paris in 1397 and a partisan of Burgundy, became Bishop of Beauvais in 1420 and attached himself to the English. He accused Joan of Arc, demanded the right to judge her and according to the Britannica conducted the trial at Rouen with marked partiality and malevolence. On 30 May 1431 he handed her over to the secular arm. The Catholic Encyclopedia calls him an unscrupulous tool. According to the Britannica, his body was thrown in the sewer after posthumous excommunication.

Life dates

1397-1442 (about 45 years old)

Country

France

Institutions

Diocese of Beauvais
Diocese of Lisieux

Category

Heresy trials

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Background

Course of events

1. Cauchon was born near Reims in the latter half of the 14th century, was rector of the University of Paris in 1397, became Bishop of Beauvais in 1420 and was driven from his diocese in 1429.
   Evidence: Cambridge University Press (Wikisource), Artikel Cauchon, Pierre

   „We find him rector of the university of Paris in October 1397.“

   Evidence: Cambridge University Press (Wikisource), Artikel Cauchon, Pierre

   „he was driven from his bishopric in 1429“

Response of the Church

1. The Catholic Encyclopedia calls him an unscrupulous and ambitious man and a creature of the Burgundian party, used as a tool by Joan's enemies.
   Evidence: Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource), Artikel Bl. Joan of Arc

   „an unscrupulous and ambitious man who was the creature of the Burgundian party“

See also

• Person 1412-1431 · about 19 years old

  Joan of Arc

  • France
  • Heresy trials
  • Rehabilitation

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   Cambridge University Press (Wikisource): Cauchon, Pierre, in: Encyclopædia Britannica (1911), Bd. 5, 1 January 1911. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Robert Appleton Company / The Encyclopedia Press (Wikisource): Bl. Joan of Arc, in: Catholic Encyclopedia (1910), Bd. 8, 1 January 1910. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.