Joanna of Aragon, Countess of Foix
Encyclopedia
Infanta Joanna of Aragon (October 1375 - September 1407) was the only surviving child of John I of Aragon
and his first wife Martha of Armagnac
. She was a member of the House of Aragon
and was Countess consort of Foix
by her marriage to Matthew of Foix.
, the second of five children born into her father's first marriage. All of her siblings died not long after birth. After the birth of another child Infanta Eleanor in 1378, Martha died leaving her husband and her three year old daughter Joanna.
Joanna's father remarried to Violant of Bar, who like Martha bore many children but only one daughter lived to adulthood, the very much celebrated Yolande of Aragon
, who played a large role in the Hundred Years' War
between England
and France
.
Joanna's paternal grandparents were Peter IV of Aragon
and his third wife Eleanor of Sicily
. Her maternal grandparents were John I of Armagnac
and his second wife Beatrice of Clermont.
In Barcelona
, on 4 June 1392, Joanna married Matthew of Foix, son of Roger Bernard II, Viscount of Castelbon. He was her fourth cousin, both being descendants of Peter III of Aragon
. They were married for fifteen years but in this time they had no children.
In 1396 King John died. He was succeeded by his brother, Joanna's uncle Martin of Aragon. However, Sicilian nobles were causing unrest and Martin was kept in Sicily, a land he'd claimed through his mother Eleanor of Sicily. In the meanwhile, Martin's wife Maria de Luna
claimed the throne on behalf of Martin and acted as his representative until he arrived in 1397. Still, the delay opened the way for more problems and quarrels to surface in Aragon. His right to the throne was contested, by Matthew and Joanna, elder daughter of John I. However, Martin succeeded in quashing the invasion by the troops of Matthew and Joanna.
Joanna's younger half-sister Yolande claimed the throne with the support of her mother, despite Joanna still being alive. However, they also failed but Yolande married Louis II of Naples
and had children, they all challenged Martin's rights to the throne.
Joanna, who failed to become Queen of Aragon
, died childless in Valencia on September 1407. After Martin's death Yolande tried again to claim Aragon but failed.
Margaret, Countess of Tyrol's heir would have been her cousin Elisabeth of Carinthia
, her son inherited these rights, he was Frederick III of Aragon, ruler of the island of Sicily
. After his line
died out, the succession would have gone to the grandchildren of Eleanor of Sicily, these were Joanna, who would have succeeded in 1401 and in 1407 Yolande.
However, these lands instead went to Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria
.
John I of Aragon
John I , called by posterity the Hunter or the Lover of Elegance , but the Abandoned in his lifetime, was the King of...
and his first wife Martha of Armagnac
Martha of Armagnac
Martha of Armagnac was the youngest child of John I of Armagnac and his second wife Beatrice of Clermont. She was the first wife of John I of Aragon but never became Queen consort of Aragon because she was outlived by her father-in-law Peter IV of Aragon.- Early Life and Family :Martha was the...
. She was a member of the House of Aragon
House of Aragon
The House of Aragon is the name given several royal houses that ruled the County, the Kingdom or the Crown of Aragon.Some historiansGuillermo Fatás y Guillermo Redondo, Alberto Montaner Frutos, Faustino Menéndez Pidal de Navascués...
and was Countess consort of Foix
Foix
Foix is a commune, the capital of the Ariège department in southwestern France. It is the least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France, although it is only very slightly smaller than Privas...
by her marriage to Matthew of Foix.
Biography
Joanna was born at DarocaDaroca
Daroca is a city and municipality in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, situated to the south of the city of Zaragoza. It is the center of a judicial district....
, the second of five children born into her father's first marriage. All of her siblings died not long after birth. After the birth of another child Infanta Eleanor in 1378, Martha died leaving her husband and her three year old daughter Joanna.
Joanna's father remarried to Violant of Bar, who like Martha bore many children but only one daughter lived to adulthood, the very much celebrated Yolande of Aragon
Yolande of Aragon
Yolande of Aragon, , was a throne claimant and titular queen regnant of Aragon, titular queen consort of Naples, Duchess of Anjou, Countess of Provence, and regent of Provence during the minority of her son...
, who played a large role in the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
between England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Joanna's paternal grandparents were Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV, , called el Cerimoniós or el del punyalet , was the King of Aragon, King of Sardinia and Corsica , King of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona Peter IV, (Balaguer, September 5, 1319 – Barcelona, January 6, 1387), called el Cerimoniós ("the Ceremonious") or el del punyalet ("the one...
and his third wife Eleanor of Sicily
Eleanor of Sicily
Eleanor of Sicily was Queen Consort of Aragon . She was the daughter of Peter II of Sicily and Elisabeth of Carinthia. She was the third wife of Peter IV of Aragon.- Early life and family :...
. Her maternal grandparents were John I of Armagnac
John I of Armagnac
John I of Armagnac , son of Bernard VI and Cecilia Rodez, was Count of Armagnac from 1319 to 1373. In addition to Armagnac he controlled territory in Quercy, Rouergue and Gévaudan...
and his second wife Beatrice of Clermont.
In Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, on 4 June 1392, Joanna married Matthew of Foix, son of Roger Bernard II, Viscount of Castelbon. He was her fourth cousin, both being descendants of Peter III of Aragon
Peter III of Aragon
Peter the Great was the King of Aragon of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona from 1276 to his death. He conquered Sicily and became its king in 1282. He was one of the greatest of medieval Aragonese monarchs.-Youth and succession:Peter was the eldest son of James I of Aragon and his second wife...
. They were married for fifteen years but in this time they had no children.
In 1396 King John died. He was succeeded by his brother, Joanna's uncle Martin of Aragon. However, Sicilian nobles were causing unrest and Martin was kept in Sicily, a land he'd claimed through his mother Eleanor of Sicily. In the meanwhile, Martin's wife Maria de Luna
Maria de Luna
Maria de Luna , was a queen consort of Aragon, as the spouse of King Martin I of Aragon. She was known as "La Grande" , and is regarded as one of the most notable queens in Aragon...
claimed the throne on behalf of Martin and acted as his representative until he arrived in 1397. Still, the delay opened the way for more problems and quarrels to surface in Aragon. His right to the throne was contested, by Matthew and Joanna, elder daughter of John I. However, Martin succeeded in quashing the invasion by the troops of Matthew and Joanna.
Joanna's younger half-sister Yolande claimed the throne with the support of her mother, despite Joanna still being alive. However, they also failed but Yolande married Louis II of Naples
Louis II of Naples
Louis II of Anjou was the rival of Ladislaus as King of Naples. He was a member of the House of Valois-Anjou.-Biography:...
and had children, they all challenged Martin's rights to the throne.
Joanna, who failed to become Queen of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, died childless in Valencia on September 1407. After Martin's death Yolande tried again to claim Aragon but failed.
Margaret, Countess of Tyrol's heir would have been her cousin Elisabeth of Carinthia
Elisabeth of Carinthia
Elisabeth or Elizabeth was the daughter of Otto III of Carinthia by his wife Euphemia of Silesia-Liegnitz. She was born in Gorizia.-Family:...
, her son inherited these rights, he was Frederick III of Aragon, ruler of the island of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. After his line
Patrilineality
Patrilineality is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritance of property, names or titles through the male line as well....
died out, the succession would have gone to the grandchildren of Eleanor of Sicily, these were Joanna, who would have succeeded in 1401 and in 1407 Yolande.
However, these lands instead went to Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria
Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria
Rudolf IV der Stifter was a scion of the House of Habsburg and Duke of Austria and Duke of Styria and Carinthia from 1358, as well as Count of Tyrol from 1363 and first Duke of Carniola from 1364 until his death...
.