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Joan, Lady of Wales and Lady of Snowdon, also known by her Welsh name often written as Siwan (said, approximately /''sɪuːan''/) (/92 – 2 February 1237) was an
illegitimate Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as ''b ...
daughter of
King John of England John (24 December 1166 – 19 October 1216) was King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. He lost the Duchy of Normandy and most of his other French lands to King Philip II of France, resulting in the collapse of the Angevin Empi ...
, and the wife of
Llywelyn the Great Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (, – 11 April 1240), also known as Llywelyn the Great (, ; ), was a medieval Welsh ruler. He succeeded his uncle, Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd, as King of Gwynedd in 1195. By a combination of war and diplomacy, he dominate ...
,
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...
(initially King of
Gwynedd Gwynedd () is a county in the north-west of Wales. It borders Anglesey across the Menai Strait to the north, Conwy, Denbighshire, and Powys to the east, Ceredigion over the Dyfi estuary to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. The ci ...
), effective ruler of all of
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
.Kate Norgate and A. D. Carr: "Joan [Siwan]", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (Oxford: OUP, 2004), Retrieved 2 February 2019.
/ref> Joan or Siwan in Welsh has been referred to as both "Lady of Wales" and "Princess of Wales".


Early life

Joan should not be confused with her half-sister, Joan, Queen of Scotland. Little is known about her early life. Her mother's name is known only from Joan's obituary in the ''
Tewkesbury Tewkesbury ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the north of Gloucestershire, England. The town grew following the construction of Tewkesbury Abbey in the twelfth century and played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses. It stands at ...
Annals,'' where she is called "Regina Clementina" (Queen Clemence); there is no evidence that her mother was in fact of royal blood. Joan may have been born in France, and probably spent part of her childhood there, as King John had her brought to
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
from
Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
in December 1203, in preparation for a marriage alliance to Prince
Llywelyn ap Iorwerth Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (, – 11 April 1240), also known as Llywelyn the Great (, ; ), was a medieval Welsh ruler. He succeeded his uncle, Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd, as King of Gwynedd in 1195. By a combination of war and diplomacy, he dominate ...
. Thomas Pennant, in ''"Tours in Wales", Volume 2'', published
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, 1810, writes : "It is said that Llewelyn the Great had near this place refriwa palace; ... The church of
Trefriw Trefriw () is a village and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It lies on the river Crafnant a few miles south of the site of the Roman fort of Canovium, sited at Caerhun. At the last three censuses, the population of the community ha ...
was originally built by Llewelyn, for the ease of his princess, who before was obliged to go on foot to
Llanrhychwyn Llanrhychwyn is a hamlet in Conwy county borough, Wales. It lies in the Conwy valley, less than a mile south of Trefriw, and a mile north-west of Llanrwst. Today neighbouring Trefriw is a village with a population of around 600, but in the tim ...
, a long walk among the mountains."


Marriage

Joan was betrothed to Llywelyn the Great in 1204, and the marriage is thought to have taken place in 1205, although some of the annals of the abbey of St Werburgh in Chester say that it occurred in 1204. She and Llywelyn had at least four children together: *
Gwladus Ddu Gwladus Ddu, ("Gwladus the Dark Eyes"), full name Gwladus ferch Llywelyn (died 1251) was a member of the Royal House of Gwynedd. She was a daughter of Llywelyn the Great of Gwynedd and probably Joan Plantagenet, Lady of Wales, the only known ill ...
(1206–1251), who married (1)
Reginald de Braose Reginald de Braose (19 September 1182 – June 1228) was one of the sons of William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber and Matilda, also known as Maud de St. Valery and Lady de la Haie. Her other children included William and Giles. The de Braoses ...
and (2)
Ralph de Mortimer Ranulph or Ralph de Mortimer (before 1198 to 6 August 1246) was the second son of Roger de Mortimer and Isabel de Ferrers of Wigmore Castle in Herefordshire. He succeeded his elder brother before 23 November 1227 and built Cefnllys and Knuckl ...
, with whom she had issue. *
Elen ferch Llywelyn Elen ferch Llywelyn (c. 1207 – 1253) was the daughter of Llywelyn the Great of Gwynedd in North Wales by Joan, Lady of Wales, the natural daughter of King John of England. Elen married John of Scotland, 9th Earl of Huntingdon, in about 12 ...
(Helen or Ellen) (1207–1253), married (1) John the Scot, Earl of Chester and (2)
Robert II de Quincy The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...
*Susanna, who was sent to England as a hostage in 1228, and possibly married
Máel Coluim II, Earl of Fife Máel Coluim II (or Maol Choluim II, usually anglicized as Malcolm II), was a 13th-century Mormaer of Fife who ruled the mormaerdom or earldom of Fife between 1228 and 1266. He was the nephew of Máel Coluim I, the previous mormaer, and the so ...
in 1230. *
Dafydd ap Llywelyn Dafydd ap Llywelyn (c. March 1212 – 25 February 1246) was List of rulers of Gwynedd, King of Gwynedd from 1240 to 1246. Birth and descent Though birth years of 1208, 1206, and 1215 have been put forward for Dafydd, it has recently been p ...
(–1246) married Isabella de Braose, died at
Abergwyngregyn Abergwyngregyn () is a village and Community (Wales), community of historical note in Gwynedd, a county and Principal areas of Wales, principal area in Wales. Under its historic name of Aber Garth Celyn it was the seat of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. ...
. Some of Llywelyn's other recorded children may also have been Joan's: *
Angharad ferch Llywelyn Angharad ferch Llywelyn (fl. 1260) was a daughter of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, Prince of Wales. The identity of her mother is uncertain; but several later genealogical sources, including ''Pedigrees of Some Of the Emperor Charlemagne's Descendants, V ...
*Marared/Margaret (born ) who married (1) Sir John de Braose (called Tadody), grandson of
William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber William de Braose, (or William de Briouze), 4th Lord of Bramber (1144/1153 – 9 August 1211), court favourite of King John of England, at the peak of his power, was also Lord of Gower, Abergavenny, Brecknock, Builth, Radnor, Kington, Li ...
. She married (2) Sir Walter de Clifford and had children by both husbands. Joan often mediated between her husband and her father. According to ''
Brut y Tywysogion ''Brut y Tywysogion'' () is one of the most important primary sources for Welsh history. It is an annalistic chronicle that serves as a continuation of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s ''Historia Regum Britanniae''. ''Brut y Tywysogion'' has survived ...
(The chronicle of the princes)'', when John was successfully campaigning in North Wales, "Llywelyn, being unable to suffer the king's rage, sent his wife, the king's daughter, to him, by the counsel of his leading men, to seek to make peace with the king on whatever terms he could." In April 1226 Joan obtained a
papal decree A papal bull is a type of public decree, letters patent, or charter issued by the pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the leaden seal ('' bulla'') traditionally appended to authenticate it. History Papal bulls have been in use at l ...
from
Pope Honorius III Pope Honorius III (c. 1150 – 18 March 1227), born Cencio Savelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 July 1216 to his death. A canon at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, he came to hold a number of importa ...
, declaring her legitimate on the basis that her parents had not been married to others at the time of her birth, but without giving her a claim to the English throne. Joan or Siwan in Welsh has been referred to as both "Lady of Wales" and "Princess of Wales".


Adultery

At
Easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...
1230, William de Braose, who was Llywelyn's prisoner at the time, was discovered with Joan in Llywelyn's bedchamber. William de Braose was hanged on 2 May 1230, according to local folklore at
Abergwyngregyn Abergwyngregyn () is a village and Community (Wales), community of historical note in Gwynedd, a county and Principal areas of Wales, principal area in Wales. Under its historic name of Aber Garth Celyn it was the seat of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. ...
; the place was known as Gwern y Grog. A letter from Nicholas, Abbot of Vaudy, suggests that the execution took place at Crogen near
Bala Bala may refer to: Films * ''Bala'' (1976 film), an English-language dance documentary * ''Bala'' (2002 film), a Tamil-language action film * ''Bala'' (2019 film), a Hindi-language black comedy Life forms *Bala shark (''Balantiocheilos melano ...
(''crogi'' means to hang). Joan was placed under
house arrest House arrest (also called home confinement, or nowadays electronic monitoring) is a legal measure where a person is required to remain at their residence under supervision, typically as an alternative to imprisonment. The person is confined b ...
for twelve months after the incident. She was then, according to the Chronicle of Chester, forgiven by Llywelyn and restored to favour. She may have given birth to a daughter early in 1231.


Death and burial

Joan died at the royal home at Abergwyngregyn, on the north coast of Gwynedd, in 1237. Llywelyn's great grief at her death is recorded; he founded a
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
friary A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may ...
in her honour on the seashore at
Llanfaes Llanfaes (formerly also known as Llanmaes) is a small village on the island of Anglesey, Wales, located on the shore of the eastern entrance to the Menai Strait, the tidal waterway separating Anglesey from the north Wales coast. Its natural har ...
, opposite the royal residence. This was consecrated in 1240, shortly before Llywelyn died. It was destroyed in 1537 by
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
of England during the dissolution of the monasteries. A stone coffin originally identified as Joan's can be seen in St Mary's and St Nicholas's parish church,
Beaumaris Beaumaris (; ) is a town and community (Wales), community on the Anglesey, Isle of Anglesey in Wales, of which it is the former county town. It is located at the eastern entrance to the Menai Strait, the tidal waterway separating Anglesey fro ...
,
Anglesey Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...
. Above the empty coffin is a slate panel inscribed: In recent years doubt has been cast on the identity of the woman shown on the coffin lid, which is not thought to belong to the coffin on which it rests. Experts have suggested the costume and style of carving belong to a much later decade than the 1230s when Joan died, although the coronet would indicate a member of the royal family.
Eleanor de Montfort Eleanor de Montfort, Princess of Wales and Lady of Snowdon (1252 – 19 June 1282) was an English noblewoman and Welsh princess through her marriage to Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, who was List of rulers of Gwynedd, Prince of Gwynedd, and later, Prince ...
is thought the likeliest alternative.


In literature

*Joan and her affair with William de Braose is the subject of
Saunders Lewis Saunders Lewis (born John Saunders Lewis; 15 October 1893 – 1 September 1985) was a Welsh politician, poet, dramatist, Medievalist, and literary critic. Born into a Welsh-speaking ministerial family in Greater Liverpool, Lewis studied in a p ...
's Welsh-language verse play '' Siwan.'' *
Edith Pargeter Edith Mary Pargeter (28 September 1913 – 14 October 1995), also known by her pen name Ellis Peters, was an English author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translations of ...
's novel ''The Green Branch'' is set in
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
and the
Welsh Marches The Welsh Marches () is an imprecisely defined area along the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods. The English term Welsh March (in Medieval Latin ''Marchia W ...
in 1228–1231, when Llewelyn ruled Gwynedd and most of the rest of Wales. *Joan is the main character of
Sharon Kay Penman Sharon Kay Penman (August 13, 1945 – January 22, 2021) was an American historical novelist, published in the UK as Sharon Penman. She was best known for the Welsh Princes Trilogy and the Plantagenet series. In addition, she wrote four medieval ...
's novel ''
Here Be Dragons "Here be dragons" () means dangerous or unexplored territories, in imitation of a medieval practice of putting illustrations of dragons, sea monsters and other mythological creatures on uncharted areas of maps where potential dangers were though ...
'', which uses the alternative spelling "Joanna".


References


Sources

* *''Rotuli Litterarum Clausarum in Turri Londinensi'' I, p. 12. * Henry Luard. ''Annales Monastici'' 1, 1864 *''Tewkesbury Annals'' *''Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700''; by Frederick Lewis Weis, Lines: 27–27, 29A–28, 29A–29, 176B–27, 254–28, 254–29 {{DEFAULTSORT:Joan, Lady of Wales 1190s births 1237 deaths Year of birth uncertain House of Plantagenet Illegitimate children of English monarchs Welsh royalty 13th-century English nobility 13th-century English women 13th-century Welsh nobility 13th-century Welsh women Children of John, King of England Daughters of kings