Final answer:
Joan of Arc was put on trial for charges including heresy and witchcraft during the political turmoil of the Hundred Years' War. Her significant military contributions threatened English interests, leading to a trial and execution motivated by politics and gender norms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Joan of Arc was put on trial for a variety of charges, including heresy, witchcraft, and dressing like a man. The context of Joan's trial was deeply rooted in the political and military conflicts of the time, specifically the Hundred Years' War between England and France. As a peasant girl who claimed to receive visions from God, Joan played a pivotal role in lifting the Siege of Orléans and achieving several victories for the French. Her success threatened the English claim to the throne of France. Captured by Burgundian allies of the English, Joan's trial was politically motivated, overseen by a pro-English Bishop, and intended to delegitimize her and the king she supported, Charles VII. Despite her contributions to the French cause, the prevailing political motivations and gender norms of the period led to her conviction and subsequent execution by burning at the stake in 1431.