Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Joan of Acre

1399881Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 29 — Joan of Acre1892Charles Lethbridge Kingsford

JOAN or JOANNA of Acre, Countess of Gloucester and Hertford (1272–1307), third daughter of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile, was born at Acre in the spring of 1272, while her parents were on the crusade. In the following autumn she left the Holy Land with her father and mother, and the winter was spent in Sicily. In the spring of 1273 Eleanor took her to Castile, where she was left under the care of her grandmother, Joanna. Joanna remained for five years in Spain, where she had for her tutor, Suerus, bishop of Calixien. In 1277 Edward opened negotiations for a marriage between Joanna and Hartmann, the eldest son of Rudolf of Hapsburg, king of the Romans, and in the spring of 1278 despatched Stephen and Margaret de Penchester to bring the young princess home. The marriage was eventually arranged to take place in September 1279, Rudolf promising to try and secure his son's election as king of the Romans and of Arles (Fœdera, i. 536, 548, 555–6, 559, Record ed.). The performance of the marriage was, however, delayed, and eventually Hartmann was accidentally drowned in December 1282. Edward almost immediately arranged another marriage for his daughter with Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester (1243–1295) [q. v.], who resigned his lands into the king's hands, and received them back with a settlement on his issue by Joanna, and failing such issue on her heirs, to the exclusion of his own. A papal dispensation for the marriage was granted on 16 Nov. 1289 (ib. i. 721), and the wedding took place on 30 April 1290, at Westminster Abbey (Oxenedes, p. 276, Rolls Ser.) Joanna lived with her first husband for nearly six years, and bore him a son and three daughters. In 1290 she took the cross with her husband, but neither of them went on the crusade (B. Cotton, p. 177, Rolls Ser.) On 7 Dec. 1295 Earl Gilbert died, and his estates reverted to Joanna, who did homage for them on 20 Jan. 1296. Very shortly afterwards Joanna fell in love with one of her squires, Ralph de Monthermer [q. v.], and she induced her father to knight him, and then married him privately early in 1297 (Hemingburgh, ii. 70). Edward learned of her intentions without discovering that they were already accomplished, and on 29 Jan. 1297 took all the countess's lands into his own hands. In March Edward endeavoured to arrange a marriage between her and Amadeus of Savoy (Fœdera, i. 861). Thereupon Joanna revealed the marriage. Edward was very wroth, and Monthermer was imprisoned, but the king eventually relented, and in July Joanna's lands were restored. Monthermer did homage on 2 Aug. (Parl. Writs, i. 297), and, assuming the title of Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, afterwards rose to high favour with the king. Joanna died at Stoke Clare, Suffolk, on 23 April 1307, and was buried in the Augustine priory there (Flores Hist. iii. 142). She left by her second husband two sons and a daughter.

[Fœdera, Record ed.; Hemingburgh (Engl. Hist. Soc.); authorities quoted; Green's Princesses of England, ii. 318–62, where many minor details of interest will be found.]

C. L. K.