Her trial and execution were highly politicized events that served as a pretext for more widespread violence between the French and English. However, her canonization as a saint by the Catholic Church has been recognized internationally. Joan of Arc emerged as a leader of men rather than a woman of the time, and this fact has been used by historians to discredit her influence over Charles VII. It has also been claimed that she did not know what she was doing and was simply following orders, but there is no evidence for this claim. She operated within the context of medieval warfare, where women played an important role as commanders of armies. She inherited her title of "maid of honor" from her father, who had been given this office by the king, and she assumed her position at age 19. It has been argued that because she lacked political experience, it is unlikely that she could have led France to victory, but it is possible that she could have done so had she remained with the army longer. After her capture, trials by fire and water were used to try and find someone responsible for her acts, but none of them ever resulted in a conviction.