# Joan Of Arc? History buffs?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joan-of-arc-history-buffs/302990
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 9, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joan-of-arc-history-buffs/302990 "2005-05-09T00:33:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2005, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joan-of-arc-history-buffs/302990/21 "2005-05-12T01:58:07Z")
> [@jimmmy](#):
>
> Let me take issue with one urban legend: The fact that Joan wore men’s clothes wasn’t the hand over the heart, gasp/vapors inducing thing that folks tend to make it. The reason this is seen as so scandoulous is that the Trail made a HUGE deal of it and later ages portrayed it as scandalous. Women often wore men’s clothes in France at the time, going unescorted and undisguised – advertising clearly one was a woman was an invitation to disaster.
> [Joan of Arc Biography - Vaucouleurs](http://www.joan-of-arc.org/joanofarc_life_summary_vaucouleurs.html)
> [next to margin note 8]
>
> One thing that I don’t fully understand is that standard time line is usually that Joan begs he local commander to take her to the Dauphin and he finally gives in to her. What actually happens is that the Duke of Lorraine hears that she is a wonder worker and sends for her. THAT in fact gets her ball rolling with the Court and commanders same cite
> WTF? Does this make sense? How does she, a joke to her local commander and living off the kindness of her distant relations come to Lorraine’s attention? I don’t follow …
Gossip travelled swiftly in those days. Suffering from venereal disease, the Duke may have been one of those who seized upon anyone who mght be able to help him: charm and herb sellers, mystics, holy men and women and various physicians (which probably weren’t any better than the charm sellers!)
I’m not sure of the exact time line, but during this period, Jehanne announced the French had suffered a defeat at the Battle of the Herrings a couple of days before news reached the area. With an uthentic “miracle” under her belt, Jehanne would have seemed like she might have something to offer in the way of healing blessings.
The Duke’s summons had a lot of influence, but I still believe that it was Jehanne’s dogged persistance that won the day for her. She never would have been sent to the dauphin had she not nagged.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2005, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joan-of-arc-history-buffs/302990/22 "2005-05-12T10:19:57Z")
Nothing factual to add, but just an encouraging comment. By all **means** , continue this line of discussion- hijacks included !! This is wonderful stuff. **Lissa** , I am a serious lover of history. Some threads in G.D. would be terrific.
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### Author:  [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joan-of-arc-history-buffs/302990/23 "2005-05-12T14:17:56Z")
I wanted to make some suggestions to anyone looking for a book about Jehanne.
[This](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312227302/qid=1115907651/sr=1-7/ref=sr_1_7/104-8040055-4104703?v=glance&s=books) one is a wonderful biography. In the back appendices, a biographical sketch of most of the people mentioned in her story is found, and a lot of the original source documents are transcribed.
[This](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/031218042X/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/104-8040055-4104703?%5Fencoding=UTF8&customer-reviews.sort%5Fby=-SubmissionDate&n=507846) one is a fictionalized version of her story. With all fiction, it’s to be taken with a grain of salt, but it’s an entertaining read.
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