Sword of Joan of Arc -- myArmoury.com

Peter Lyon · Industry Professional

I am doing some research on the sword that Joan got from the church of St Catherine de Fierbois and have a couple of questions that I hope somebody here might be able to help with.

The current church is 19th century, and was built because the medieval church had gotten dilapidated. But I can't find out whether it is on the same site or floor plan as the earlier church, or an altogether different building. Does any body by chance know if there was a floor plan or drawings of the earlier church made?

Charles Martel is associated with the medieval church, and one legend says the sword that Joan got was his. The location it was recovered from was behind the altar, perhaps suggesting it had belonged to a person of prominence, but not necessarily Martel. Is Martel's association with the church based on fact, or is it a legend, like many that form links between important places and important people?

Thanks for any help that you can give. Links to online sources or books would be good too.

Shahril Dzulkifli · Posted: Thu 11 Dec, 2014 4:18 pm Post subject: Sword of Joan of Arc

Gee, I didn't know that the sword used by Joan of Arc was given to her by Charles Martel or by some unknown owner.

Pieter B. · Posted: Thu 11 Dec, 2014 4:34 pm Post subject:

The sword of Charles Martel does indeed sound like a legend. With an emphasis on legend.

I can't help you with your questions though, but I will monitor this thread.

Luka Borscak · Posted: Fri 12 Dec, 2014 3:18 am Post subject:

I doubt Joan of Arc went around with an 8th century frankish sword, but it is quite possible she had a sword people attributed to Charles Martel... Same as famous St. Maurice swords are obviously 800-900 years younger than St. Maurice...

James Arlen Gillaspie · Industry Professional

As I remember the facts, she sent someone from Tours (an 'armourer', which in this case would mean a specialist in weapons, not plate armour) to Fierbois with instructions to dig beneath the floor of the church behind the altar. There he found a sword, with a coating of rust that fell away with little effort. I do not recall anyone at the time claiming it was the sword of Charles Martel, but when she was captured, she was using another sword (a captured Burgundian weapon, if memory serves) and would never tell what she did with the Fierbois sword, which someone suggested later might have belonged to the Hammer. All very strange, like many things about her. Alas, I know nothing of the floor plan of the church.