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Joan Plantagenet4th Countess of Kent
Date of Birth: 29.09.1328
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Content:
- Princess Joan, Countess of Kent: A Royal Life
- First Marriage and Royal Favor
- Annulment and Second Marriage
- Third Marriage to the Black Prince
- Later Life and Royal Succession
- Tragedy and Legacy
Princess Joan, Countess of Kent: A Royal Life
Early Life and FamilyJoan of Kent was born into a prominent family, the daughter of Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent, and Margaret Wake, 3rd Baroness Wake of Liddell. Her father, a half-brother of King Edward II, was unjustly executed in 1330 for alleged conspiracy against the crown. As a result, Joan's family was imprisoned in Salisbury Castle.
Upon the accession of Edward III, however, Joan's fortunes improved. Her family was released from prison and placed under the king's protection. Joan and her siblings were welcomed into the royal court, where she established close connections with her cousins, the sons of Edward III.
First Marriage and Royal Favor
In 1347, Joan secretly married Thomas Holland, a member of the royal household. Their union was not initially recognized by the king, and in 1348, Edward III pressured Joan into an arranged marriage with William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.
Annulment and Second Marriage
Thomas Holland returned to England in 1349 and appealed to the Pope to recognize his marriage to Joan. With the Pope's support, their union was validated, and Joan's marriage to Salisbury was annulled.
Joan and Thomas had five children together. In 1352, upon the death of her brother John, Earl of Kent, Joan inherited the title and became Countess of Kent.
Third Marriage to the Black Prince
After the death of Thomas Holland in 1360, Joan became one of the most sought-after widows in England. Her cousin, Edward the Black Prince, heir to the throne, had been secretly in love with her for many years.
Despite the objections of her parents and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Joan and the Black Prince married in 1361. The union was a happy one, and Joan bore two sons, Richard and Edward.
Later Life and Royal Succession
In 1362, the Black Prince was appointed Duke of Aquitaine and left for France with Joan. They returned to England in 1372. When the Black Prince died in 1376, their younger son, Richard, became heir to the throne.
Upon the death of Edward III in 1377, 10-year-old Richard II was crowned King of England. Joan, as his grandmother, played an influential role in his early reign.
Tragedy and Legacy
In 1385, Joan's eldest son by her first marriage, Thomas Holland, was executed for a plot against the king. Joan intervened on her son's behalf but died on August 8th, the day of his execution.
Joan, Countess of Kent, was a remarkable woman who played a significant role in English history. Her beauty, intelligence, and royal connections made her an influential figure during the reigns of Edward III and Richard II. She is remembered as a devoted mother, a loving wife, and a loyal supporter of the Crown.
