Blaming Joan's success on sorcery was a convenient narrative for the English leadership. It allowed them to explain shocking defeats without admitting to systemic problems like military overextension and the loss of their mystique of invincibility.
The trial's primary goal was not justice but to delegitimize Charles VII. By convicting Joan as a witch, the English hoped to prove that Charles's coronation was a "satanic fraud," thereby restoring the legitimacy of their own claimant to the French throne.
Joan consciously or unconsciously adopted the persona of a hero from popular chivalric romances. This was an effective strategy, as it tapped into a pre-existing cultural narrative that inspired knights and soldiers to follow her, making her spectacle a key element of her success.
Joan adopted the martial glamour of a male knight while leveraging the spiritual power associated with female virginity. This unique combination of potent gender archetypes made her an exceptionally compelling and authoritative figure, transcending conventional roles.
Her primary miracle, the relief of Orléans, was a stunning military success, not a supernatural event. By attributing it to God's will, she created a powerful narrative of divine favor that shattered English morale and galvanized French forces, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Frustrated with the king's inaction, Joan raised her own small army. This transformed her from a divine messenger serving the crown into a leader of a "free company," a role associated with bandits and mercenaries, which was a very bad look for her holy reputation.
After Joan was captured, Charles VII's regime strategically distanced itself. The official line was that God allowed her capture as punishment for her pride and folly. This narrative protected the king from the embarrassment of her failure and allowed him to move on.
Her companions noted that despite her beauty, Joan did not inspire carnal desire. This reinforced her image as a holy "maid," making her a non-threatening and divinely sanctioned leader in the hyper-masculine environment of a military camp, where her virginity was a marker of her holiness.
Her authority was tied to two specific goals: relieving Orléans and crowning the king. After achieving these, her continued push for war lacked the same clear divine mandate. This perceived mission creep eroded her support at court and led to failures like the assault on Paris.