Joan was regarded as a witch by the English, a viewpoint echoed by Shakespeare. (In Henry VI, he refers to her as "the wicked devil of France.") In contrast, every rightwing Frenchman (or Frenchwoman) treasures her memory even now. During her trial, she was accused of consorting with demons and of using black magic to gain military victories. She was found guilty of treason and burned at the stake in Rouen, Normandy. After her death, another trial was held to try to clear her name. It wasn't until after this second trial that her status as a saint was approved. Witchcraft is any practice considered harmful or evil by mainstream society. It often involves the use of magic as well as certain other activities such as worshiping the Devil or other deities. During medieval times, there were many people who were simply called "witches". But most historians agree that Joan of Arc was not a witch because witchcraft is usually related to maleficence--doing harm to others--while Joan of Arc did good works when she saved France from an English invasion. Also, there is no evidence that she used any kind of black magic or devils to help her win battles. There are still places on Earth where people are persecuted for their beliefs, so it's important to remember people like Joan of Arc.