Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc · Character
Pierre Cauchon
The Bishop of Beauvais who presides over Joan's trial, offering compromises he never intends to honor and setting traps he cannot quite spring.
major
Also known as Bishop Cauchon, Cauchon, Bishop of Beauvais
First appearance: The Maid in Chains
As a major figure in Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, Pierre Cauchon is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Not present in this chapter; no relevant excerpt.
Cauchon grants Joan a sworn limit to her testimony—'as touching the matters set down in the procès verbal'—then chafes at the protection he has accidentally given her. He and his examiner Beaupere probe her fasting, her Voices, her prayers, hoping to catch her in contempt or devil-worship, but she answers with a clearheadedness that turns their snares aside. His patient, watchful malice is the engine of the trial that will define her final and greatest chapter.
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Character Web
28 connectionsA slice of how Pierre Cauchon sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Joan's Supporters and Allies
- Key Figures in Joan's Campaign and Trial
- Joan's Adversaries and Opponents
+23 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because it represents the emotional and psychological peak of Joan's suffe…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Joan of Arc
rivalry · negative
Pierre Cauchon was the bishop who presided over Joan's trial, acting as her chief… How this plays out →
- Joan of Arc
rivalry · negative
Pierre Cauchon was the bishop who presided over Joan's trial, acting as her chief… How this plays out →
- Joan of Arc
rivalry · negative
Pierre Cauchon was the bishop who presided over Joan's trial, acting as her chief… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Pierre Cauchon in The Maid in ChainsIn the story
Pierre Cauchon appears across 26 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- VIII: Joan Persuades Her Inquisitors
- The King Cries “Forward!”
- Book III: Trial and Martyrdom
- The Maid in Chains
- Joan Sold to the English
- III: Weaving the Net About Her
- All Ready to Condemn
- Fifty Experts Against a Novice
- +18 more
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Pierre Cauchon unlock in the free preview.
See Pierre Cauchon in The Maid in Chains