Joan, Countess of Toulouse
Joan of Toulouse | |
---|---|
Countess of Toulouse | |
Reign | 1249–1271 |
Predecessor | Raymond VII |
Co-Ruler | Alphonse, Count of Poitiers |
Born | 1220 Toulouse |
Died | 25 August 1271 Castle of Corneto near Siena |
Spouse | Alphonse, Count of Poitiers |
House | Toulouse |
Father | Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse |
Mother | Sancha of Aragon |
Joan (1220[1] – 25 August 1271) was Countess of Toulouse from 1249 until her death. She was the only child of Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse by his first wife Sancha of Aragon.
Biography
Joan was born at the Castle of Corneto near Siena. In 1225, aged five, Joan was betrothed to Hugh, eldest son and heir of Hugh X of Lusignan and Isabella, Countess of Angoulême and Dowager Queen of England.[2] However, the engagement was soon broken.
One of the conditions of the
Joan accompanied her spouse on both the Seventh Crusade in 1249 and the Eighth Crusade in 1270. In 1249, her father died, and she succeeded him as ruler of Toulouse with her spouse as co-ruler. Her mother-in-law installed a governor for them until their return to France. The couple took control over their lands in October 1250, and made their official entrance as Countess and Count of Toulouse in May 1251. After this, they confirmed the governor in his authority and left again. They seldom visited their lands.
Joan (who died four days after Alphonse) had attempted to dispose of some of her inherited lands in her will. Joan was the only surviving child and heiress of
Notes
- ^ A "Chronique en Languedocien, tirée du cartulaire de Raymond le Jeune comte de Toulouse" records the birth in 1220 of "Johanna filia Sancie regine, sororis regine Aragonum. "Histoire Générale de Languedoc 2nd Edn, vol. II, Preuves, CXX, p. 680.
- ^ The Chronicon Turonense records the betrothal in 1225 of "filiam Comitis Sanctis Ægidii" and "filium Comitis Marchiæ". Chronicon Turonense, Recueil des historiens des Gaules et de la France, vol. XVIII, p. 307.
- ^ The papal dispensation for the marriage of "L. regem Francorum...A. frater." and "R. filium quondam comitis Tolosani...filia" despite their 4º consanguinity is dated 26 June 1229. Histoire Générale de Languedoc, 2nd Edn, vol. V, Preuves, CLII, p. 658.
- ^ Histoire Générale de Languedoc 3rd Edn, vol. VIII, Preuves, Chartes, 535, col. 1695.
- ^ Elizabeth M. Hallam: Capetian France, 987-1328, 1980, p. 158.