# Did Joan of Arc Actually Exist?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 8, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071 "2003-11-08T14:19:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/1 "2003-11-08T14:19:39Z")
There seems to be quite a bit of legend associated with the French heroine “Joan of Arc”. The story by Mark Twain is an interesting one, and Gerge Bernard Shaw also wrote a story based on her. But: was Joan real? Some records talk about her execution , other records show her alive an well , after her (supposed execution date).
So, how much is legend and how much is truth? Any good solid research on her available?
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### Author:  [@hyjyljyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hyjyljyj)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/2 "2003-11-08T14:23:05Z")
“Due to the extensive volume of eyewitness accounts which are available to us, many historians have pointed out that the life of Joan of Arc (Jehanne d’Arc or Darc in the original medieval French) is one of the most thoroughly documented in pre-modern history.”
–Read the rest of her biography at [http://joan-of-arc.org/joanofarc\_short\_biography.html](http://joan-of-arc.org/joanofarc_short_biography.html)
She was real–and real hot.
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### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/3 "2003-11-08T14:24:19Z")
[Life Summary of Joan of Arc (Jehanne Darc)](http://www.joan-of-arc.org/joanofarc_life_summary.html)
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### Author:  [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/4 "2003-11-08T14:56:23Z")
She was very real and remember the 15th century was hardly the dark ages, a lot is known about what was going on at this time.
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### Author:  [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/5 "2003-11-08T14:56:48Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by hyjyljyj \*
> \*\*She was real–and real hot. \*\*
If you mean “hot” as in “good-looking” you’re probably wrong. Some biogrphers I’ve read speculate that she must have been relatively unattractive, though we don’t have a real good description of her. (After all, she slept in fields with soldiers, and managed to keep her virginity intact.) Though I can’t remember off-hand which biographer mentions it, (I’ll look if you like) I remember one tale which relates that a few soldiers sought her out with the intention of raping her, but apparently changed their minds once they got a better look at her.
If you mean “hot” to refer to when she was burned, I immagine the poor girl was quite _uncomfortably_ so.
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### Author:  [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/6 "2003-11-08T15:15:09Z")
Lissa
I think you’ve been wooshed.
Once, long ago, I remember a thread entitled “Who are the hottest guys ever?”. Among answers like Michael Douglas, Sean Connery, and what have you, somebody typed Jan Hus, followed by a smiley.
Cracked me up.
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### Author:  [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/7 "2003-11-08T15:37:54Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Forbin \*
> **Lissa
> I think you’ve been wooshed.**
Eh. Wouldn’t be the first time.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/8 "2003-11-08T17:10:28Z")
**Lissa** , you’ve also been whoosed by real life if you can possibly think that soldiers would not have slept with a female because she was “relatively unattractive.”
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### Author:  [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/9 "2003-11-08T21:17:32Z")
Well, the CIV III letterhead of her isn’t that bad looking. 😛
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### Author:  [@Z\_Al](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Z_Al)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/10 "2003-11-08T21:41:58Z")
How is Jehanne pronounced?
Jeh-Hahn?
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### Author:  [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/11 "2003-11-08T22:30:27Z")
wasn’t all the talk of her still being alive after her execution people’s way of deifying her (like Jesus’ resurrection)?
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### Author:  [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/12 "2003-11-08T22:36:32Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Z\_Al \*
> \*\*How is Jehanne pronounced?
>
> Jeh-Hahn? \*\*
Something like “Zhawn.”
\*\*Exapno Mapcase[,/B] it’s not my theory, but that of one of the biographers I’ve read. (I’ll try to figure out which tonight.) The author didn’t state that this was the only reason Joan was a virgin, but that it was one of a combination of factors.
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### Author:  [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/13 "2003-11-08T22:50:11Z")
And if we know she was a virgin because she said she was a virgin, then I think there’s a fair chance of another whoosh.
If real-life is much to go by . . .
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### Author:  [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2003, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/14 "2003-11-08T23:30:08Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \*
> \*\*And if we know she was a virgin because she said she was a virgin, then I think there’s a fair chance of another whoosh.
>
> If real-life is much to go by . . . \*\*
We know she was a virgin because the Inquisitional court had her examined.
Witches, it was believed, had sexual intercourse with Satan, and virgins were considered somewhat less likely to be witches. Being a virgin wouldn’t save Joan from charges of witchcraft, but _not_ being one might have made her look more guilty.
Of course, Joan’s sentance was a foregone conclusion, but the court felt it necessary to go through the motions. Joan was examined by midwives on two occasions, first on the French king’s behest to determine if Joan was just a heretical nutcase or possibly sent by God, and later by the court which executed her.
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### Author:  [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/15 "2003-11-09T00:21:10Z")
**Lissa** - I didn’t know that. I thang yew!
Next time someone tells me she’s a virgin, I’ll try the same angle. Well, I would have done a few years ago . . .
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/16 "2003-11-09T00:22:17Z")
Is it true Joan was a **defendant** in a breach-of-promise suit brought by a young man in her village? Several historical accounts I’ve read assume this story is true, and Shaw mentions it in his play. She can’t have been all that ugly, if this guy was so eager to marry her that he took his rejection to court. Unless perhaps her family was a bit more prosperous than the movies usually imply, and he wanted to marry her for her money/lands? Or maybe he was just fascinated by her virtue, piety and insanity.
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### Author:  [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/17 "2003-11-09T00:54:58Z")
[The earliest image of her, from 1429, can hardly be described as “hot”](http://members.aol.com/hywwebsite/private/joanofarc_sketch_may18_1429.html). Then again, this is almost certainly a distant source.
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### Author:  [@ronbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ronbo)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/18 "2003-11-09T01:32:22Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by bonzer \*
> \*\*[The earliest image of her, from 1429, can hardly be described as “hot”](http://members.aol.com/hywwebsite/private/joanofarc_sketch_may18_1429.html). Then again, this is almost certainly a distant source. \*\*
Ain’t the internet great? Back in my day…
BTW: I’m not sure this artist is really “Hot”!
I wouldn’t put too much weight on this depiction. My daughter could draw better than that when she was a toddler!! But then I’m prejudiced.
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### Author:  [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/19 "2003-11-09T02:08:30Z")
No mention of her cousin, Noah of Ark?
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### Author:  [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-joan-of-arc-actually-exist/212071/20 "2003-11-09T03:59:02Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Lissa \*
> \*\*If you mean “hot” as in “good-looking” you’re probably wrong. Some biogrphers I’ve read speculate that she must have been relatively unattractive, though we don’t have a real good description of her. \*\*
I found [a decent picture of her](http://starpoet.com/milla/J8logo.jpg). Come on. She _was_ hot. Maybe a bit skinny, but still…
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