Joanna, Duchess of Durazzo facts for kids

Joanna of Durazzo (born 1344 – died 20 July 1387) was an important noblewoman from a powerful European family. She was the oldest daughter of Charles, Duke of Durazzo, and his wife, Maria of Calabria. Joanna belonged to the House of Anjou-Durazzo, a famous royal family.

She became the Duchess of Durazzo when she was only four years old, after her father passed away in 1348. She ruled as Duchess from 1348 to 1368. Joanna was married twice during her life. Her first husband was Louis of Navarre, and her second was Robert IV of Artois, Count of Eu.

Joanna's Early Life and First Engagement

Joanna's father died in 1348, making her the Duchess of Durazzo. Even though she was the Duchess, Joanna stayed in Naples instead of moving to Durazzo. While in Naples, she was promised in marriage to her cousin, Charles Martel. He was the son of Queen Joan.

Charles Martel was expected to become the next ruler in Hungary. However, he sadly passed away around 1348 in Hungary. Because of this, Joanna's engagement to him was broken off.

Marriages and Efforts to Regain Durazzo

In 1365, when Joanna was 21, she married her first husband, Louis of Navarre. He became the Duke of Durazzo because of his marriage to Joanna. Louis was the son of Joan II of Navarre, a queen in her own right.

In 1368, the city of Durazzo was captured by the Albanian Topia dynasty. Their leader was a warlord named Karl Thopia. Joanna and Louis immediately started making plans to get Durazzo back. They also wanted to reclaim all the lands of the former Angevin Kingdom of Albania.

Reclaiming Durazzo with Allies

Joanna and Louis successfully gained support from important people. Louis's brother, Charles II the Bad, and Charles V, the King of France, agreed to help them. In 1372, Louis brought a group of hired soldiers, called the Navarrese Company, to help. These soldiers had fought with him in France.

Their army grew much larger in 1375 with new soldiers from Navarre. Many old documents show how much planning went into this military effort. They worked hard to make sure they would succeed. They finally took back the city of Durazzo in the middle of 1376.

Later Life and Challenges

Sadly, Louis passed away shortly after they recaptured Durazzo. Joanna and Louis did not have any children together. After Louis's death, Joanna never fully regained strong control over Durazzo. By 1385, the city was back in the hands of Karl Thopia.

Around 1376, Joanna married again. Her second husband was Robert IV of Artois, Count of Eu. This marriage also did not result in any children. Robert was not the Count of Eu for very long. He and Joanna were not told about his father's death in 1387.

Joanna and Robert were staying at Castel dell'Ovo in Naples. They both died on July 20, 1387. Joanna's sister, Margaret, who was the queen dowager and regent of Naples, ordered their deaths. Joanna is buried in San Lorenzo (Naples).

See also

In Spanish: Juana de Durazzo para niños