Joan of Scotland, Countess of Morton
Encyclopedia
Joan Stewart, Princess of Scotland (circa 1428 – after 16 October 1486) was a daughter of James I of Scotland
and Joan Beaufort
. She married James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton
.
Joan was born deaf and reportedly used sign language
, even in public, which was scandalous behaviour for the time. She was first betrothed to James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Angus
but the marriage never took place and he died a year after she left for France to be with her sister Margaret, Dauphine of France after their mother's death in 1445. As she was 17, she would likely have been educated in Scotland as there was no education for the deaf in this period and her sign language was probably a result of monastic sign language which she could as likely been exposed to in Scotland as France. She was known as "the dumb lady" (muta domina), or "the dumb lady of Dalkeith," as wife of the 4th Lord Dalkeith
. In 1445 she went to France with her sister Eleanor
who three years later married the Archduke
of Austria
. She possibly lived at the French Court or that of her sister Isabella
who was married to the Duke of Brittany
. Joan (Johanna) remained in France for 9 more years before she was called home to Scotland in 1457. Back in Scotland she married James Douglas, 4th Baron Dalkeith
who became Earl of Morton
upon their marriage. Of the six daughters of James I of Scotland
, only Joan and Annabella
married Scottish Nobles.
Joan had the following children:
She was buried at Dalkeith Church, Midlothian
. Joan's effigy on the Morton Monument is said to be the world's oldest image of a known deaf person.
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...
and Joan Beaufort
Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scotland
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 , she served as the Regent of Scotland....
. She married James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton
James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton
James 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...
.
Joan was born deaf and reportedly used sign language
Sign language
A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
, even in public, which was scandalous behaviour for the time. She was first betrothed to James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Angus
James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Angus
James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Angus, Lord of Liddesdale and Jedburgh Forest was a Scottish Nobleman. He was the son of William Douglas, 2nd Earl of Angus and Margaret Hay of Yester....
but the marriage never took place and he died a year after she left for France to be with her sister Margaret, Dauphine of France after their mother's death in 1445. As she was 17, she would likely have been educated in Scotland as there was no education for the deaf in this period and her sign language was probably a result of monastic sign language which she could as likely been exposed to in Scotland as France. She was known as "the dumb lady" (muta domina), or "the dumb lady of Dalkeith," as wife of the 4th Lord Dalkeith
Dalkeith
Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the River North Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540...
. In 1445 she went to France with her sister Eleanor
Eleanor of Scotland
Eleanor of Scotland was a daughter of James I of Scotland and Joan Beaufort. She first married Sigismund , a Habsburg Duke, then Archduke of Further Austria, and finally ruler of Tyrol ....
who three years later married the Archduke
Archduke
The title of Archduke denotes a noble rank above Duke and below King, used only by princes of the Houses of Habsburg and Habsburg-Lorraine....
of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. She possibly lived at the French Court or that of her sister Isabella
Isabella of Scotland
Not to be confused with Isabella of Scotland, Countess of NorfolkIsabella Stewart was a Scottish princess and by marriage the Duchess of Brittany...
who was married to the Duke of Brittany
Duke of Brittany
The Duchy of Brittany was a medieval tribal and feudal state covering the northwestern peninsula of Europe,bordered by the Alantic Ocean on the west and the English Channel to the north with less definitive borders of the Loire River to the south and Normandy to the east...
. Joan (Johanna) remained in France for 9 more years before she was called home to Scotland in 1457. Back in Scotland she married James Douglas, 4th Baron Dalkeith
James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton
James 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...
who became Earl of Morton
Earl of Morton
The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morton....
upon their marriage. Of the six daughters of 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...
, only Joan and Annabella
Annabella of Scotland
Annabella 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 Scottish Nobles.
Joan had the following children:
- James Douglas (died 1480).
- John Douglas, 2nd Earl of MortonJohn Douglas, 2nd Earl of MortonJohn Douglas, 2nd Earl of Morton was the son of James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton and Princess Joan of Scotland, Countess of Morton, daughter of James I of Scotland by his wife Lady Joan Beaufort. He became earl in 1493, upon his father's death...
(1466–1513) married Janet Crichton (died 1515). - Janet (died 1490), married Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of BothwellPatrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of BothwellPatrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell was Lord High Admiral of Scotland. Under his territorial designation of Sir Patrick Hepburne of Dunsyre, Knt., he was Sheriff of Berwickshire, 15 June 1480...
(died 1508). - Elizabeth (died 1479).
She was buried at Dalkeith Church, Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
. Joan's effigy on the Morton Monument is said to be the world's oldest image of a known deaf person.