ABSTRACT
No person of the Middle Ages, male or female, has been the subject of more study than Joan of Arc. She has been portrayed as saint, heretic, religious zealot, seer, d emen ted teenager, protofeminist, aristocratic wanna-be, savior of France, "turner-of the- tide" of the Hundred Years War, and even Marxist liberator. After Joan approached the dauphin in the spring of 1429, and passed examinations of her virginity by the queen and other ladies in the court and of her "divine mission" by court officials, Charles gave her some troops and assigned her to the army then attempting, without much success, to relieve the English siege of Orleans. Joan ignored the comments of those she displaced in leadership and favor. She thought nothing of going against these proven inept captains.
