INSIGNIA OF CHIVALRY
JOAN'S BANNERS
"I had a banner of which the field was sprinkled with lilies; the world was painted there, with an angel at each side; it was white, of the white cloth called 'boccassin' ; there was written above, I believe, 'Jhesus Maria' ; it was fringed with silk."
Joan's Standard [top center] which is most often referred to as her Banner was made for her at Tours, prior to her departure for Orleans, by Hauves Poulnoir. Two Banners were made, one large and one smaller, bore an image of God holding an orb and flanked by two angels upon a field of white, spangled with lilies, (fleur-de-lis), and edged in silk. The names of Jesus and Mary, rendered as Jhesus and Maria were also upon the banner.
An artist's rendering of Joan's Standard [Banner].
Joan's Penon [top left] was triangular in shape and bore a depiction of the Annunciation upon it.
Joan's Banner bore a depiction of the Crucifixion.
JOAN'S SWORD
"I had a sword I had taken at Vaucouleurs. Whilst I was at Tours, or at Chinon, I sent to seek for a sword which was in the Church of Saint Catherine de Fierbois, behind the altar; it was found there at once; the sword was in the ground, and rusty; upon it were five crosses; I knew by my Voice where it was. I had never seen the man who went to seek for it. I wrote to the Priests of the place, that it might please them to let me have this sword, and they sent it to me. It was under the earth, not very deeply buried, behind the altar, so it seemed to me: I do not know exactly if it were before or behind the altar, but I believe I wrote saying that it was at the back. As soon as it was found, the Priests of the Church rubbed it, and the rust fell off at once without effort. It was an armorer of Tours who went to look for it. The Priests of Fierbois made me a present of a scabbard; those of Tours, of another; one was of crimson velvet, the other of cloth-of-gold. I had a third made of leather, very strong. When I was taken prisoner I had not got this sword. I always bore the sword of Fierbois from the time I had it up to my departure from Saint-Denis, after the attack on Paris."
"Jeanne's Voices had told her that there was an ancient sword hidden somewhere behind the altar of St. Catherine's at Fierbois, and she sent De Metz to get it. The priests knew of no such sword, but a search was made, and sure enough it was found in that place, buried a little way under the ground.
It had no sheath and was very rusty, but the priests polished it up and sent it to Tours, whither we were now to come. They also had a sheath of crimson velvet made for it, and the people of Tours equipped it with another, made of cloth-of-gold. But Jeanne meant to carry this sword always in battle; so she laid the showy sheaths away and got one made of leather.
It was generally believed that his sword had belonged to Charlemagne, but that was only a matter of opinion. I wanted to sharpen that old blade, but she said it was not necessary, as she should never kill anybody, and should carry it only as a symbol of authority."
Mark Twain, "Joan of Arc," Chapter 10, book II
JOAN'S SUIT OF ARMOR
Charles VII provided Joan of Arc with a suit of armour costing 100 écus, either 2 500 sols or 125 tournois pounds. This was not an outstanding sum and contributed towards the inventory that Joan established during her trial.
Through the Count of Laval's testimony, we learn that the suit of armour was in fact a "harnois blanc," or "all-in-one" suit of armour, rather than a suit comprising of several detachable pieces.
In comparison, this suit of armour cost twice as much as the cheapest equipment used, yet cost eight times less than the most expensive.
This suit of armour was offered to the town of Saint Denis in ex voto after the failed attack on Paris.
Fom that moment on, Joan wore a suit of armour taken from a Bourguignon, the value of wich remains unknown. The Saint Denis suit of armour was almost certainly not destroyed but possibly suffered the same fate of the sword that was offered to Sainte Catherine de Fierbois by a soldier, and then borrowed by Joan of Arc.
Olivier Bouzy, "Jeanne d'Arc, Mythes et Réalités," Atelier de l'Archer
JOAN'S COAT OF ARMS
By a Grant of Nobility dated December 29, 1429, and made in favor of her parents, Jacques and Isabelle d'Arc, her brothers Jacquemin, Jean and Pierre, and their male and female descendants, in perpetuity, Joan herself was thereby enobled.
Joan's arms is described as:
Azure a sword per pale argent hilted or between a crown in chief and two fleurs-de-lys of the last.
The grant of nobility further exempted Joan's village of Domremy from taxation.
The descendants of Joan of Arc adopted the surname du Lys.
D'ARC COAT OF ARMS
Prior to the Grant of Nobility, it is believed that the family d'Arc used an arms described as:
Azure, a bow Or in fess accompanied with 3 arrows Or, 2 in saltire, 1 in pale, the pheons and plumes Argent (even a chief Argent, a lioncel Gules).