Is it true that during the times of 'Joan of Arc' women and also men were burnt alive ??

Question

If the answer is Yes, is there any proof to justify it ? Where do we actually come to know from ...researches made by historians and History books ?? One more thing ..was there any judgement or not and such punishment was meted out for what type of crimes !!?

Answer 1

Yes, it is true. In fact, this method of execution begun long before the times of Joan of Arc, back in the times of ancient Greece and Rome, and did not become extinct until the late 18th century (late 1700's).

Burning at the stakes was meted out to prisoners who had received death sentences for witchcraft or treason. Since Joan of Arc was a French woman, the English could not accuse her of treason (she did not do anything against her own country!) so they drummed up charges of witchcraft against her instead.

For a discussion on the history of this method of execution and documentation thereof, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Execution_by_burning

Answer 2

It is true that one of the forms of execution, inparticularly the French and English governments, was execution by buring. This was done only for those who were considered severely treasonous against the government becuase hte more humane execution was the guilletine. Joan of Arc was executed mainly for her religious convictions hence the reason the Catholic Church Aknowledges her as a saint. She was significant in the time of the Hundred Years war, and it was her who supposedly turned the war around and saved France from certain death...

Answer 3

Burning at the stake is a wonderful punishment for people that are hated. This might be political enemies, or even worse, people who believe in a religion that considers yours to be Satanic. What wonderful revenge, burning such 'heretics' at the stake. That sure proves whose god is right, doesn't it. It certainly satiates the bloodlust of the honorable religious types who burn (mostly) women for nothing more than the honor of their god, rather than, say, their own sadism.

Answer 4

Yes. There is as much "proof" of this as there is of any historical fact from that era: the word of historians; official documents; artistic renditions of the events; recorded accounts of witnesses.