Joan - Plantagenet, Lady Snowdon

Joan, Princess of Wales and Lady of Snowdon, (c. 1188 – February 2, 1237) was the wife of Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales and Gwynedd and effective ruler of most of Wales.

Joan (Joanna) was an illegitimate daughter of King John of England and a woman named Clemence Pinel. She should not be confused with her legitimate half-sister Joan, Queen Consort of Scotland.

Little is known about her early life; she was possibly born before her father, King John of England, married his first wife in 1189. Her mother's name is known only from Joan's obituary in the Tewkesbury Annals, where she is mysteriously called "Regina Clementina" (Queen Clemence). Joan seems to have spent her childhood in France, as King John had her brought to the Kingdom of England from Normandy in preparation for her wedding in December 1203 at 15 years of age or so.

Joan married Llywelyn the Great between December 1203 and October 1204. She and Llywelyn had at least two children together:

1. Elen ferch Llywelyn (Helen or Ellen) (1207-1253), married (1) John the Scot, Earl of Chester and (2) Robert II de Quincy
2. Dafydd ap Llywelyn (c. 1215-1246) married Isabella de Braose, died at Garth Celyn, Aber Garth Celyn, (Aber). Some of Llywelyn's other recorded children may also have been Joan's:
3. Gwladus Ddu (1206-1251), married (1) Reginald de Braose and (2) Ralph de Mortimer.
4. Susanna, who was sent to England as a hostage in 1228.
5. Margaret, who married Sir John de Braose, the grandson of William de Braose, 7th Baron Abergavenny and had issue.

In April 1226 Joan obtained a papal decree from Pope Honorius III, 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 (Joanna) was an illegitimate daughter of King John of England. Little is known about her early life; she was possibly born before King John married his first wife. Joan seems to have spent her childhood in France, as King John had her brought to the Kingdom of England from Normandy in preparation for her wedding in December 1203 at 15 years of age or so.

In April 1226 Joan obtained a papal decree from Pope Honorius III, 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.

At Easter 1230, William de Braose, 10th Baron Abergavenny, our ancestor through his legitimate wife, who was Llywelyn's nominal prisoner at the time, was discovered together with Joan in Llywelyn's bedchamber. William de Braose was hanged in the marshland at the foot of Garth Celyn, the place known since as Gwern y Grog. Joan herself was placed out of public view, under virtual house arrest, at Garth Celyn, for twelve months after the incident. She was then (apparently) forgiven by Llywelyn, and restored as wife and princess. She may have given birth to a daughter early in 1231.

Joan was never called Princess of Wales, but, in Welsh, "Lady of Wales." She died at the royal home, Garth Celyn, Aber Garth Celyn, on the north coast of Gwynedd in 1237. Llywelyn's great grief at her death is recorded; he founded a Franciscan friary on the seashore at Llanfaes, opposite the royal home, in her honour. The friary was consecrated in 1240, shortly before Llywelyn died.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan,_Lady_of_Wales for more information.

EVENTS The Third Crusade follows upon Saladin's uniting the Muslim world and recapturing Jerusalem.1189-1192 The first known merchant guild.1193 Sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade.1204 University of Cambridge is founded. 1209 King John seals Magna Carta 1215

LIFE

Joan, Princess of Wales and Lady of Snowdon, also known by her Welsh name of Siwan, (c. 1191 – 2 February 1237) was the wife of Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales and Gwynedd and effective ruler of most of Wales.

Joan was a natural daughter of King John of England. She should not be confused with her half-sister, Joan, Queen consort of Scotland.

Little is known about her early life. Her mother's name is known only from Joan's obituary in the Tewkesbury 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 the Kingdom of England from Normandy in December 1203 in preparation for her wedding to prince Llywelyn ab Iorwerth.

Thomas Pennant, in "Tours in Wales”, Volume 2, published London, 1810, writes : “It is said that Llewelyn the Great had near this place [Trefriw] a palace; ... The church of Trefriw was originally built by Llewelyn, for the ease of his princess, who before was obliged to go on foot to Llanrhychwyn, a long walk among the mountains.”

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Aug 23 2017, 13:28:09 UTC