Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scotland
Encyclopedia
Joan Beaufort was the Queen Consort of Scotland
from 1424 to 1437 as the spouse of King James I of Scotland
. During part of the minority of her son James II
(from 1437 to 1439), she served as the Regent
of Scotland.
, and Margaret Holland
and half-niece of King Henry IV of England
. Joan was named after her aunt, Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland
. James of Scotland fell in love with her during his time as a prisoner in England (1406-1424). She is said to have been the inspiration for James's famous long poem, The Kingis Quair
, written in his captivity after he saw her from his window in the garden. The powerful Beauforts put pressure on Henry V
to release him so they could get married. Queen Catherine
also urged him to do so. Discussions were held, and it was decided that her dowry would be subtracted from his ransom.
Priory (now Southwark Cathedral
), Joan married James I
. They were feasted at Winchester Palace
that year by her uncle Cardinal
Henry Beaufort. She joined him on his return from captivity to Scotland that year. At his coronation at Scone
, when James received the allegiance of his Tenants-in-chief, he had them swear their allegiance to Joan as well, as if she was a co-monarch. As queen, she often pleaded with the king for those who might be executed.
The royal couple had eight children, including the future James II
, and Margaret of Scotland, spouse of Louis XI of France
.
Friary in Perth
in 1437, Joan took over the regency for her son: she had also been a target of assassination along with her husband, but escaped, injured, from the place where it happened. She took custody of her son, now James II, and assumed the regency. The prospect of being ruled by an English woman was unpopular and the Earl of Douglas
was thus appointed co-regent. She held the side of Robert II's family responsible for murdering James I killed, protecting her and her son's position. She was Regent for two years. To avoid the dominance of William Crichton, Joan left Edinburgh for Stirling Castle
and the protection of Alexander Livingston
. When Crichton and Livingston made peace, she allied herself with Sir James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn.
On 21 September 1439, she married Stewart after obtaining a papal dispensation
for both consanguinity
and affinity
. James was an ally of the latest Earl of Douglas
, and plotted with him to overthrow Alexander Livingston
, governor of Stirling Castle, during the minority of James II of Scotland
. Livingston arrested Joan on 3 Aug 1439, imprisoned her in Stirling castle and threw James and his brother William into its dungeon. James and William were later released on parole
. Joan was released after her resignation as regent. She died in 1445 and was buried alongside her husband in the Carthusian
Priory at Perth
, which he had founded. The royal tomb was destroyed, along with the other religious houses of Perth, at the time of the Scottish Reformation
in 1559.
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
from 1424 to 1437 as the spouse of King James I of Scotland
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
. During part of the minority of her son James II
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
(from 1437 to 1439), she served as the Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Scotland.
Background and early life
She was a daughter of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset
John Beaufort, 1st Marquess of Somerset and 1st Marquess of Dorset, later only 1st Earl of Somerset, KG was the first of the four illegitimate children of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress Katherine Swynford, later his wife...
, and Margaret Holland
Margaret Holland
Margaret Holland, Countess of Somerset was the daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent, who was the son of Joan "the Fair Maid of Kent"...
and half-niece of King Henry IV of England
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
. Joan was named after her aunt, Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland
Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland
Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland was the third or fourth child of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster and his mistress, later wife, Katherine Swynford; and, in her widowhood, a powerful landowner in the North of England.-Early life and marriages:She was likely born at the Swynford manor of...
. James of Scotland fell in love with her during his time as a prisoner in England (1406-1424). She is said to have been the inspiration for James's famous long poem, The Kingis Quair
The Kingis Quair
The Kingis Quair is a fifteenth-century poem attributed to James I of Scotland. It is semi-autobiographical in nature, describing the King's capture by the English in 1406 on his way to France and his subsequent imprisonment by Henry IV of England and his successors, Henry V and Henry VI...
, written in his captivity after he saw her from his window in the garden. The powerful Beauforts put pressure on Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
to release him so they could get married. Queen Catherine
Catherine of Valois
Catherine of France was the Queen consort of England from 1420 until 1422. She was the daughter of King Charles VI of France, wife of Henry V of Monmouth, King of England, mother of Henry VI, King of England and King of France, and through her secret marriage with Owen Tudor, the grandmother of...
also urged him to do so. Discussions were held, and it was decided that her dowry would be subtracted from his ransom.
Queen of Scotland
On 2 February 1424 at SouthwarkSouthwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
Priory (now Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral or The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark, London, lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge....
), Joan married James I
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
. They were feasted at Winchester Palace
Winchester Palace
Winchester Palace was a twelfth century palace, London residence of the Bishops of Winchester. It is located south of the River Thames in Southwark, near the medieval priory which today has become Southwark Cathedral.-History:...
that year by her uncle Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Henry Beaufort. She joined him on his return from captivity to Scotland that year. At his coronation at Scone
Scone, Scotland
Scone is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The medieval village of Scone, which grew up around the monastery and royal residence, was abandoned in the early 19th century when the residents were removed and a new palace was built on the site by the Earl of Mansfield...
, when James received the allegiance of his Tenants-in-chief, he had them swear their allegiance to Joan as well, as if she was a co-monarch. As queen, she often pleaded with the king for those who might be executed.
The royal couple had eight children, including the future James II
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
, and Margaret of Scotland, spouse of Louis XI of France
Louis XI of France
Louis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
.
Regency
After James I was assassinated at the DominicanDominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
Friary in Perth
Perth
Perth may refer to:* Perth, Scotland, the administrative centre of the Perth and Kinross council area * Perth, Western Australia, the capital of Western AustraliaPerth may also refer to:-Places:...
in 1437, Joan took over the regency for her son: she had also been a target of assassination along with her husband, but escaped, injured, from the place where it happened. She took custody of her son, now James II, and assumed the regency. The prospect of being ruled by an English woman was unpopular and the Earl of Douglas
Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas
Archibald Douglas was a Scottish nobleman and General, son of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas and Margaret Stewart, eldest daughter of Robert III...
was thus appointed co-regent. She held the side of Robert II's family responsible for murdering James I killed, protecting her and her son's position. She was Regent for two years. To avoid the dominance of William Crichton, Joan left Edinburgh for Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
and the protection of Alexander Livingston
Alexander Livingston
Alexander Livingston may refer to:*Alexander Livingston, 5th Lord Livingston *Alexander Livingston, 1st Earl of Linlithgow *Alexander Livingston, 2nd Earl of Linlithgow See also*Alexander Livingstone...
. When Crichton and Livingston made peace, she allied herself with Sir James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn.
On 21 September 1439, she married Stewart after obtaining a papal dispensation
Papal dispensation
Papal dispensation is a reserved right of the Pope that allows for individuals to be exempted from a specific Canon Law. Dispensations are divided into two categories: general, and matrimonial. Matrimonial dispensations can be either to allow a marriage in the first place, or to dissolve one...
for both consanguinity
Consanguinity
Consanguinity refers to the property of being from the same kinship as another person. In that respect, consanguinity is the quality of being descended from the same ancestor as another person...
and affinity
Affinity (law)
In law and in cultural anthropology, affinity, as distinguished from consanguinity, is kinship by marriage. It is the relation which each party to a marriage bears to the kindred of the other. In English, affinity is usually signified by adding "-in-law" to the degree of kinship...
. James was an ally of the latest Earl of Douglas
James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas
James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas, 1st Earl of Avondale , known as "the Gross", was a Scottish nobleman. He was the second son of Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas and Joan Moray of Bothwell and Drumsargard , d...
, and plotted with him to overthrow Alexander Livingston
Alexander Livingston
Alexander Livingston may refer to:*Alexander Livingston, 5th Lord Livingston *Alexander Livingston, 1st Earl of Linlithgow *Alexander Livingston, 2nd Earl of Linlithgow See also*Alexander Livingstone...
, governor of Stirling Castle, during the minority of James II of Scotland
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
. Livingston arrested Joan on 3 Aug 1439, imprisoned her in Stirling castle and threw James and his brother William into its dungeon. James and William were later released on parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
. Joan was released after her resignation as regent. She died in 1445 and was buried alongside her husband in the Carthusian
Carthusian
The Carthusian Order, also called the Order of St. Bruno, is a Roman Catholic religious order of enclosed monastics. The order was founded by Saint Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns...
Priory at Perth
Perth Charterhouse
Perth Charterhouse or Perth Priory, known in Latin as Domus Vallis Virtutis , was a monastic house of Carthusian monks based at Perth, Scotland. It was the only Carthusian house ever to be established in the Kingdom of Scotland, and one of the last non-mendicant houses to be founded in the kingdom...
, which he had founded. The royal tomb was destroyed, along with the other religious houses of Perth, at the time of the Scottish Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
in 1559.
Issue with James I of Scotland
- Margaret Stewart, Princess of Scotland (1424–1445) married Louis XI of FranceLouis XI of FranceLouis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
- Isabella Stewart, Princess of Scotland (1426–1494) married Francis I, Duke of BrittanyFrancis I, Duke of BrittanyFrancis I , was duke of Brittany, count of Montfort and titular earl of Richmond, from 1442 to his death. He was son of Duke John VI and Joan of France.He first married, at Nantes in 1431, Yolande of Anjou Francis I (in Breton Fransez I, in French François I) (Vannes/Gwened, May 14, 1414 –...
- Mary of Scotland, Countess of BuchanMary of Scotland, Countess of BuchanMary Stewart, Countess of Buchan was the fifth daughter of James I of Scotland and Lady Joan Beaufort. She married Wolfert VI of Borselen, a Zeelander nobleman and lived in the Netherlands until her death in 1465. She had two children who died young.-Family:Mary had five sisters and two twin...
died 1465 married Wolfart VI van Borsselen - Joan of Scotland, Countess of MortonJoan of Scotland, Countess of MortonJoan Stewart, Princess of Scotland was a daughter of James I of Scotland and Joan Beaufort. She married James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton....
(c. 1428–1486) married James Douglas, 1st Earl of MortonJames Douglas, 1st Earl of MortonJames Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton was created Earl of Morton in 1458. He was a descendant of Agnes Dunbar, 4th Countess of Moray . He married Princess Joan Stewart , daughter of James I, King of Scots. His wife was buried in Dalkeith Church, Dalkeith... - Alexander Stewart, Duke of RothesayAlexander Stewart, Duke of RothesayAlexander Stewart, Duke of Rothesay . Duke of Rothesay is the honour taken by the heir apparent to the Scottish throne, and so it was given to this boy, the fifth child but first son of James I of Scotland and Joan Beaufort. Alexander, a twin, died in infancy, and his younger brother became James...
(born and died 1430); Twin of James - James II of ScotlandJames II of ScotlandJames II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
(1430–1460) - Annabella Stewart, Princess of ScotlandAnnabella of ScotlandAnnabella Stewart was the youngest daughter of King James I and Joan Beaufort.-Early life:Annabella was presumably named after her father's mother, Annabella Drummond. She was the youngest of the six daughters and two sons of James I and Joan Beaufort...
married and divorced 1. Louis of SavoyLouis of Savoy, Count of GenevaLouis of Savoy was King of Cyprus, reigning together with and in the right of his wife, Queen Charlotte of Cyprus. He was the second son and namesake of Louis, Duke of Savoy, and his wife Anne of Lusignan, daughter of King Janus of Cyprus...
, and then married and divorced 2. George Gordon, 2nd Earl of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 2nd Earl of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly was Chancellor of Scotland from 1498–1501.Gordon fought on the King's side against the Douglases during The Douglas Rebellion and helped secure a defeat at the Battle of Brechin. The 2nd Earl completed the building work that his father begun in constructing Huntly... - Eleanor Stewart, Princess of Scotland (1433–1484) married Sigismund, Archduke of AustriaSigismund, Archduke of AustriaSigismund of Austria, Duke, then Archduke of Further Austria was a Habsburg archduke of Austria and ruler of Tirol from 1446 to 1490....
.
Second Marriage and issue
In 1439 Joan married James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorne (c.1383 – aft. 1451). They had three children:- John Stewart, 1st Earl of AthollJohn Stewart, 1st Earl of AthollJohn Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl , also known as Sir John Stewart of Balveny, was a Scottish nobleman and ambassador to England .-Life:...
(c. 1440 – 12 September 1512). - James Stewart, 1st Earl of BuchanJames Stewart, 1st Earl of BuchanJames Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan , was the second son of Sir James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorne, and Joan Beaufort, the widow of James I of Scotland...
(1442–1499), High Chamberlain of Scotland in 1471 and Scottish Ambassador to France in 1473. - Andrew StewartAndrew Stewart (d. 1501)Andrew Stewart was a 15th century Scottish prelate and administrator.-Biography:Born between 1442 and 1444, he was the son of Joan Beaufort , widow of King James I of Scotland and former Queen-consort, and her second husband, James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorne...
, Bishop of MorayBishop of MorayThe Bishop of Moray or Bishop of Elgin was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Moray in northern Scotland, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics...