Joan of England (died 1348) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joan of England
Born	19 December 1333 or 28 January 1334 Tower of London (perhaps)
Died	2 September 1348 (aged 14)
Burial	Bayonne Cathedral
House	Plantagenet
Father	Edward III of England
Mother	Philippa of Hainault

Joan of England (born in 1333 or 1334 – died in 1348) was a princess. She was the daughter of Edward III of England, who was the King of England, and his wife, Philippa of Hainault. Joan, also known as Joanna, was likely born in the Tower of London.

As a child, Joan was cared for by Marie de St Pol. Marie was the wife of Aymer de Valence and started Pembroke College, Cambridge. Joan grew up with her sister Isabella, her brother Edward, and their cousin Joan of Kent. Sadly, she passed away at a young age during the terrible disease known as the Black Death that spread across Europe in 1348.

A Royal Childhood and Journey

In 1338, when Joan was young, she traveled with her father, King Edward III, to Koblenz. There, they met Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor. They were special guests at an important meeting called the Imperial Diet. This meeting took place in the church of Saint Castor.

King Edward III had formed an alliance with Emperor Louis against Philip VI of France. However, by 1341, the emperor ended his support for Edward.

It is thought that Joan might have been promised in marriage to one of Emperor Louis's sons. These sons were also nephews of Joan's mother, Philippa. Joan may have even stayed at their court for a time to be educated. But King Edward III brought her back to England in 1340.

A Journey for Marriage

In 1345, Joan was betrothed, or promised in marriage, to Peter of Castile. Peter was the son of Maria of Portugal and Alfonso XI of Castile. This marriage was planned to create a strong bond between the royal families of England and Castile.

In the summer of 1348, Joan left England with her parents' blessing. She traveled with a large group of heavily armed guards. This made her one of the most protected women in Europe at that time. It is even said that her trousseau, which included all her clothes and belongings for the marriage, needed an entire ship to carry it. Her travel plans included a stop at one of her family's castles in Bordeaux, France.

The Black Death and Joan's Passing

When Joan began her journey, the Black Death had not yet reached England. It is very unlikely that her group knew about the terrible danger ahead. Even though the plague was already severe in Bordeaux, Joan and her advisors did not think to leave the city at first.

Soon, they watched in horror as people in their group began to get sick and die. Robert Bouchier, who was the leader of Joan's traveling party, died on August 20.

Joan became very worried for her own life. She was probably moved to a small village called Loremo. She stayed there for some time, hoping to escape the disease. However, she could not avoid it. Joan became the first person in her camp to catch the plague. She suffered a quick and violent illness, passing away on September 2, 1348.

Some records say that Joan was buried in Bayonne Cathedral. A statue of her can be found in Westminster Abbey, on the south side of her father's tomb.

A King's Sad Letter

After Joan's death, her father, King Edward III, sent a letter to King Alfonso of Castile. This letter explained the sad news. Here is a summary of what King Edward wrote:

King Edward told King Alfonso how much effort had gone into planning the marriage between Prince Pedro and his beloved daughter, Joan. This marriage was meant to bring lasting peace and a strong connection between their royal families.

He explained that he had sent Joan to Bordeaux on her way to Spain. But then, he shared the heartbreaking news. He wrote that "destructive Death," which takes both young and old, had sadly taken his dearest daughter, Joan. He said he loved her more than anyone because of her good qualities.

King Edward wrote that no one would be surprised if he felt deep sadness from this loss, because he was human too. But he said that he trusted in God. He believed that Joan, who was pure, had been sent to Heaven. There, she could pray for them before God.