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Old 26th May 2019, 05:07 PM   #2
fernando
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Wink Here you are a lollipop, Jim

That man is Pierre de Souzy, a Parisian antiquary, who bought the armour from a French Lady, whose family had kept it since 1760, when her ancestor acquired it from a Bitish businessman.
Actually Pierre has bought this armour as a mere historic curiosity, believing it was moulded for a youngster.
When one day his daughter tried it on, his wife said; we could call you Joana D'Arc. This was what triggered the antiquarian to research the probable relic in national museums. He then was lucky to have it dated from XV century, the period of the Orleans maiden.
Detailed examination revealed dents on the helm and chest piece, corresponding to blows suffered in the battle of Jargeau, in the siege of Orleans and the attempt to take over Paris.
For Jean-Pierre Duchiron, specialist in armour and curator of the Musée de l'Armée, the armour was made to fit a woman. Such observation helped proving the authenticity of the piece. In 6th April 1429 Joana has been in Tours, by order of Carlos VII. In the city, she would receive a sword, a new banner and an armour set made under measure. We know it had 28 Kilos of plates - a neck piece with 5 or 6 pieces overlaped, a sort of bluson of tight steel, plates covering the hips, a steel skirt and more ieces of bent steel for the elbows, knees, legs and feet. Her helm most probably had a steel band in the chin and a visor that protected her face (Donald Spoto)
Since 1929 the facade of a house in Tours reminds the spot where Joana d'Arc's armour was produced: A la Puselle Armée.
After the failure in taking over Paris, Joana would have left the armour in the Abbey of Saint-Denis, as an ex-vote.
The helm, however, made Duchiron disagree from other experts in that the armour had in fact belonged to the French heroine. Journalist William J. Kole used the armour style to contest the authenticity of the relic. Souzy's gothic armour was not in fashion during Joana's period; her actual armour should have had rather less detail.
Like in the case of her famous ring, the relic veracity is not unanimous; and its origin is also cloudy.
For some specialists, Joana could have either left it in Saint-Denis, or having been captured with it. In both cases, the armour set, that would have cost 100 war horses, could have been disembarked in England as war trophy.
And ... in case the armour possessed by de Souzy is the real thing, the relic would have discreetly returned to France in 1760.

(A 2 hour translation of an article by Fábio Tucci Farah e Carlos Evaristo)

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Last edited by fernando; 26th May 2019 at 05:29 PM.
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