Synopses & Reviews
A world authority on warfare in the Middle Ages offers a fresh insight into the military skills of the young girl who led the French Army to victory In 1428 a young girl from a small French village approached the royal castle of Vaucouleurs with a now famous tale. Heavenly voices, she said, had told her to seek out the Dauphin, Charles, so that he might give her an army with which to deliver France from its English occupiers. The ensuing tale of Joan's military success is told here in a gripping and authoritative narrative. Previous works have concentrated on the religious and feminist aspects of Joan's career; this is the first to address the vital issue of what it was that made her the heroine she became. Why did the soldiers of France follow a woman into battle when no troops of the Hundred Years War had done so before, and how was she able to win? This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the Middle Ages and the phenomenon of the girl warrior.
Review
"Immensely readable . . . should be welcomed by general and academic readers alike." Library Journal
Synopsis
Why did the soldiers of France follow a woman into battle when no troops of the Hundred Years War had done so before, and how was she able to win? The English called her "whore, " but her own troops trusted her without any proof of her abilities. And she did have very great abilities -- in particular her remarkable prowess as a military leader of men.
Synopsis
Why did French soldiers follow a woman into battle and why did she win? This history of Joan focuses less on the religious and feminine issues in favour of an appraisal of the young woman's remarkable military and leadership prowess. The inclusion of schematics, maps and contemporary documents set her actions squarely within the context of the Hundred Years' War. Joan's campaign survived only three years, from 1428 to 1430, and the war continued for another 23 years after her capture but DeVries' clear and vivid account makes clear Joan's legacy. She inspired the French by demonstrating that the English could be beaten and she adversely affected the English campaign by capturing several leaders and holding them to ransom. Numerous photographs, diagrams and contemporary illustrations are used to good effect.
Synopsis
Where previous works have concentrated on the religious and feminist aspects of Joan's career, this title addresses the vital issue of what it was that made her the heroine she became. Why did the soldiers of France follow a woman into battle when no troops of the Hundred Years War had done so before, and how was she able to win? The English called her whore, and believed her to be possessed, but her own troops trusted her without any proof of her abilities. And she did have very great abilities - in particular her remarkable prowess as a military leader of men. A new angle on one of the most fascinating and enigmatic figures of history.
About the Author
Kelly Devries is an historian specializing in warfare of the Middle Ages. His books include Infantry Warfare in the Early Fourteenth Century and Medieval Military Technology. He has been featured on the History Channel, and is a history professor at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland.