Why did Joan of Arc wear male clothing?

This is a question that many scholars have asked themselves over the centuries, and it is one that still puzzles them, just as it did Joan’s contemporaries. Undoubtedly, Joan knew that it was not customary, and indeed considered heretical for women to wear men’s clothing in the fifteenth century. Then why did she insist upon wearing it? First of all, Joan of Arc wore male clothing because it was more appropriate and necessary for the nature of her mission; to raise the siege of Orléans, expel the English from France and have Charles VII crowned king. The clothes allowed her to move more freely in battle, as well as offering physical protection. Since the nature of her mission required her to wage war among men, male clothing was the only appropriate attire. As well as being more practical, it also allowed her to transcend the limits of her own sex and participate in battles. It was an important part of her role as “the Pucelle," the military leader and protector of France, that she took on as a public figure, and it was crucial to uphold this image among her soldiers at all times. It is important to remember that Joan lived at a time when women were widely regarded as the property of men, and were considered as being weak and thus more perceptive to corruption by demonic forces. Political power belonged to men, so Joan had to align herself with them as much as possible. It was therefore necessary for her to wear male clothing in order for her to transcend her role in society and symbolize something distinct from the accepted norms, both masculine and feminine. Interestingly, she did not in any way try to pass for a man, using her own name and not hiding her feminine looks. It is therefore worth noting, that she believed the power she needed to fulfil her mission resided in men’s clothing, and not in the male sex.
Furthermore, at the Rouen trial, which condemned Joan to the stake in 1431, she revealed to the judges that she believed wearing men’s clothing was a part of her mission and that is was God’s command. According to the Rouen trial documents, she further told the judges that if God commanded her to set the clothing aside, she would immediately do so, although she did not believe that wearing men’s clothing was against the Church. These statements suggest that it was not of her own choice and idea, but rather the will of God, and further that she did not see the issue with a woman wearing men’s clothing.
Lastly, Joan arguably wore male clothing in order to protect her virginity. During the Middle Ages, men were connected with the soul and women with the body. Consequently, it was only by rejecting the body and striving for rationality through virginity, as nuns did, that women could access the virtue otherwise restricted to men. Virginity in females was associated with purity and godliness, and considered a necessity to Joan’s contemporaries and the Church to believe she was actually a messenger from God. Since, as stated earlier, women were naturally more prone to corruption by demonic forces, keeping her virginity intact was of utmost importance to the success of Joan’s mission and the support of Charles VII. Furthermore, her reputation as a virgin, la Pucelle, was important. And indeed she became known as this. In the anonymous treaty De mirabili Victoria, the author tries to defend Joan’s choice in wearing male clothing, which suggests that he is clearly uncomfortable with this choice, and feels the need to justify her decision. However, the treaty ends by stating that “by her virginity she is loved and known”. It is therefore clear that this is attributed to her as a positive quality that, seemingly, makes up for her male clothing, as her virginity equals chastity and proves her worthiness of a godly mission. Moreover, according to her statements at the Rouen trial, she wore male clothing to protect her virginity in the company of men, and later while in prison, it served as protection from rape from her guards. An important factor to consider in this is that Joan believed her virginity was necessary for her salvation, and she believed her male clothes added protection. The reasons behind Joan of Arc wearing male clothing are thus complex and numerous. In the end, the clothes were an important tool to achieving what she believed was a mission from God, and thus essential to the fate of France during the Hundred Years’ War, and her salvation.