Joan of Arc: A Military Leader - Softcover

DeVries, Kelly

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0750927879 ISBN 13: 9780750927871

Publisher: Sutton Publishing Ltd, 2003

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.

About this title

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.

From Library Journal:

The publication of this immensely readable book on the heels of Columbia Pictures' release of a major motion picture on Joan reflects our seemingly endless fascination with the Maid of Orleans. What distinguishes this text from others is its pointed depiction of Joan as a military leader rather than a proto-feminist or saint. A well-known medieval and military historian, DeVries (history, Loyola) argues how curious it is that Joan's career as warrior, soldier, and general has been overlooked. He painstakingly analyzes her impact during the Hundred Years War: her combat strategies and how she overcame the psychology of defeat in the French armies, the influence of her victories in the peace process, and how she destabilized the English military and political leadership. This book should be welcomed by general and academic readers alike. Recommended for public and academic library.
-Marie Marmo Mullaney, Caldwell Coll., NJ
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Sutton Publishing Ltd
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0750927879
• ISBN 13: 9780750927871
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240