" ...With this army Jeanne was sent. The King had caused armor to be
made for her..."(1)
The Duc d'Alencon, Trial of Nullification
Armor was a very important part of the 15th century soldier. It had gone from the days
of the lorica segmentata through chain mail to what was in the time of the Maid to
complete sets of armor which covered the entire body. However this type of armor was
expensive therefore it remained in the hands of the nobility, and royalty. The basic
soldier could count himself fortunate if he possessed even the most even the most
rudimentary helmet and Gambeson. By the time of the Hundred Years War, armor
making had developed into a highly skilled profession. The latest improvements were
incorporated into armor as well as better steel. While we do not know with exactitude
what the Maid's armor actually looked like the print above is a fairly excellent
representation from contemporary sources that are in existence and those which were
most common.
"...Jeanne was there wounded by an arrow which penetrated half-a-foot between the
neck and the shoulder; but she continued none the less to fight, taking no remedy for
her wound...."
Jean, Bastard of Orleans, Count de Dunois.
"...When she felt herself wounded, she was afraid, and wept; but she was soon
comforted, as she said. Some of the soldiers seeing her severely wounded wished to
"charm " her; but she would not, saying: "I would rather die than do a thing which I
know to be a sin; I know well that I must die one day, but I know not when, nor in what
manner, nor on what day; if my wound may be healed without sin, I shall be glad
enough to be cured." Oil of olive and lard were applied to the wound. After the dressing,
she confessed herself to me, weeping and lamenting..." Fr Jean Pasquerel, Trial of
Nullification
"...The King's troops remained there from morning to night, and Jeanne was wounded:
it was necessary to take off her armor to dress the wound; but hardly was it dressed
when she armed herself afresh and went to rejoin her followers at the attack and the
assault, which had gone on from morning without ceasing..." Louis De Contes, Trial of
Nullification
"...During the assault on Jargeau... ...Jeanne made the attack; in which I followed her.
As our men were invading the place, the Earl of Suffolk made proclamation that he
wished to speak with me, but we did not listen, and the attack continued. Jeanne was on
a ladder, her standard in her hand, when her Standard was struck and she herself was
hit on the head by a stone which was partly spent, and which struck her calotte. (Head-
covering without visor, "chapeline casque leger en fornie de calotte sans masque.") She
was thrown to the ground; but, raising herself, she cried: "Friends! friends! come on!
come on! Our Lord has doomed the English! They are ours! keep a good heart." The
Duc d'Alencon, Trial of nullification
Virginia continues,"...Some historians believe Joan left her white armor in the Abbey
church of Saint Denis, after her failed attempt to take Paris. Once King Charles and his
entourage left the town of Saint Denis, it was retaken by the English. The English
entered the church and stole Joan's armor and took it back with them to England.
Regine Pernoud disagrees with this theory. She believes Joan did not leave her armor,
but gave instead, as a votive offering, the armor of a captured Burgundian knight. This
armor is now in the Musee de L'Armee at the Invalides, Paris..."
(1) In the Accounts (formerly kept in the Chamber des Comtes at Paris), of Matre
Hemon Raguier, Treasurer of War, there is an item relating to this suit of armor: ..."To
the Master Armorer, for a complete harness for the said Pucelle, 100 livres tournois."...
"