Almost twenty years after Joan's death efforts began to clear her name and overturn the ruling in her Trial of Condemnation of 1431. In early 1450 an official inquiry was brought before the Church by Charles VII in a letter:

"Whereas Joan the Maid was captured by our ancient enemies and adversaries the English and brought to the city of Rouen, against whom they caused to take place a certain trial by certain person who had been chosen and given this task by them, in the process of which they made and committed many falsifications and abuses, so much so that, by means of this trial and the great hatred that our enemies had against her, they iniquitously, cruelly, and in defiance of all justice put her to death: we wish to know the truth about this matter and to learn the manner in which the proceedings were conducted and carried out. We command you, instruct you, and expressly enjoin you to inquire and inform yourself well and diligently on what was said: and that you bring under a closed seal before us and the men of our council the information that you will have gathered…for we give you power, authority, and special orders by these presents to carry this out. Given at Rouen, the 15th of February, the year of our Lord 1450."

The following translation of the official records from Joan's Trial of Nullification are excerpted from the 1902 book Jeanne d'Arc by T. Douglas Murray