450:
337:. Due to the association of the House of Montfort with the English, and the House of Blois' association to the French, historians understand that John was working to avoid starting a conflict between the English and French. Philip promised John safe conduct and invited him to Paris to be heard. Once in Paris, John was quickly imprisoned and the French courts declared Joan of Penthièvre and her husband Charles of Blois to be the heirs of Brittany. This move spurred Joanna's vengeance.
420:
decisive victory, by the truce of
Malestroit in 1343, her husband John was released and hostilities ceased for a period. He was later imprisoned once again, but escaped and resumed the conflict. In the wake of her husband's death, Joanna stepped up once more and became the leader of the Montfort house once more to protect the title for her son from the House of Blois. In 1347, English forces acting on her behalf captured Charles of Blois in battle.
36:
434:
evidence she was insane. It is unlikely that "Warmer" (Warnier?) de Giston, assisted by his yeoman, would have risked gravely compromising himself by taking her out of the castle in 1347 and attempting to flee with her if she were mentally ill. Edward III probably imprisoned her in order to increase his own power in
Brittany.
319:
and his wife, Joan of Penthièvre. Their legitimacy came from the Duke's previous declaration that his heir would be Joan. Only shortly before the Duke's death did he change who his successor would be, which raised questions of legitimacy directed at the House of
Montfort. This claim was backed by the
433:
and elsewhere. King Edward III entrusted her to the care of Sir
William Frank until 1346, Thomas Haukeston (1346–57), John Delves (d. 1370) and finally to his widow Isabella and Godfrei Foljambe. Arthur de la Borderie attributed her confinement to mental illness, but more recent research finds no
392:
Charles of Blois tried to starve the people in
Hennebont. During a long meeting the bishop of Leon tried to persuade Joanna to surrender, but from the window she saw Walter Manny's fleet from England sailing up. Hennebont was strengthened with the English forces and held out. Charles was forced to
380:
In the siege of
Hennebont, she took up arms and, dressed in armor, conducted the defense of the town, encouraging the people to fight, and urging the women to "cut their skirts and take their safety in their own hands". When she looked from a tower and saw that the enemy camp was almost unguarded,
419:
Joanna of
Flanders slowly started stepping further back away from the war front, which would have been expected for women of her position. English warlords slowly began taking more and more leadership and acted in Joanna's place: a duchess avenging her husband. With neither side able to achieve a
299:
Shortly before dying, Duke John III reconciled with his half brother, John of
Montfort, at which John was declared the successor after not getting along due to John of Montfort's hatred for John's step-mother, Yolande. Once John III, Duke of Brittany died, the succession crisis became imminent.
503:
In those qualities admired by chivalry she was unquestionably an extraordinary woman: courageous and personally valiant, with a head to plan daring exploits and a heart to conduct her through the thick of the danger; impulsive and generous, a free-handed ruler and an admirer of those deeds of
205:
Joanna of
Flanders has continuously been overlooked by historians, who have focused far more on any of the men that were around Joanna instead of her. The house of Montfort often gets credit for actions taken solely by Joanna. It is imperative to give Joanna credit to her own actions taken.
504:
chivalrous daring in others which she was so willing to share in herself ... One cannot read her story without enthusiasm, yet one would like to know more of the woman before bestowing unreserved praise on the countess "who was worth a man in a fight" and "who had the heart of a lion".
308:, the house of John of Montfort and Joanna of Flanders. Their legitimacy came from Duke John III's reconciliation with John shortly before his death. This claim was backed by the King of England, Edward III, who would benefit from the House of Montfort taking control of Brittany.
412:. In a hard-fought battle, the sailors and knights grappled in hand-to-hand combat as Louis' men attempted to board Joanna's ship. According to Froissart, Joanna fought in person "with the heart of a lion, and in her hand she wielded a sharp
235:, became the Count of Flanders, Nevers, and Rethel. This while Joanna married John of Montfort, marrying into a debated claim for Duke and Duchess of Brittainy. She married John of Monfort in March 1329. John of Monfort claimed the title of
179:
Joanna of
Flanders did not invent the concept of women in warfare, she revolutionized the role of women in power. Joanna was able to rally the House of Montfort and functioned immaculately as a social, political, and military leader.
389:, drawing a portion of the Blois force with them. Having secured Brest, she gathered together extra supporters and secretly returned to Hennebont, evading the Blois forces and re-entering the town with her reinforcements.
340:
With her husband locked away, Joanna announced her son—still an infant at the time—the rightful heir and leader of her faction. Mustering an army, Joanna lead her army into the start of the War of Breton Succession.
428:
By this time Joanna and her son were living in England. In England, after being initially welcomed with honor, she was later confined by order of King Edward III and spent the rest of her life in confinement at
416:, wherewith she fought fiercely". Eventually the English forces beat off Louis's ships and made harbor near Vannes. Her forces then captured Vannes, besieged Rennes and sought to break the siege of Hennebont.
176:, and began the fight-back. There, she displayed considerable skill as a military leader. Aside from her astounding skills as a military leader, Joanna functioned as a leader that the people loved.
357:, where Joanna was residing for the time being. At the same time, her enemy Charles of Blois besieged Joanna and the House of Montfort. Joanna responded by sending Amaury de Clisson to ask King
408:
Joanna sailed to England to seek further reinforcements from King Edward, which he provided, but the English fleet was intercepted on its way to Brittany by Charles of Blois' ally,
268:. When her brother returned to defend his claim as the Duke of Brittany, Joan of Brittany stayed in England. She was married before 21 October 1385 to Ralph Basset, 4th Baron
441:
over the House of Blois in 1364, but she never returned to the duchy. The last mention made of the duchess and her guardian is 14 February 1374. It seems she died that year.
361:
for aid. Edward, in dire need to become allies with Brittany, found this opportunity impossible to ignore—Edward sent costly supplies for Joanna to help relieve the siege.
911:
867:
288:
died childless in 1341, he left behind a contentious succession dispute. For many years he tried to find means to ensure that the children of his stepmother,
872:
499:
Pierce Butler said that she is "known to us, through the enthusiastic record of Froissart, as an amazon, but hardly known at all as a woman". He concluded,
906:
877:
815:
533:
333:
In an attempt to resolve this question of succession, John of Montfort, Joanna's husband, reached out to King Philip VI. Philip, the uncle of
396:
Joanna began to move away from her sieges and began to focus more onto her fleet. Joanna's focus on naval warfare gave her a newfound title:
292:
would not inherit the Duchy, including trying to have her marriage to his father annulled. At this time he declared his heir to be his niece
1272:
852:
364:
Edward was eager to give, since he had been claiming the French crown for himself, and was therefore at odds with Philip. If he could get
1247:
1016:
857:
1138:
862:
164:. Much of her life was taken up in defense of the rights of her husband and, later, son to the dukedom, which was challenged by the
1045:
1222:
381:
she led three hundred men on a charge, burned down Charles' supplies and destroyed his tents. After this she became known as "
1257:
633:
385:". When the Blois faction realized what was happening, they cut off her retreat to the town, but she and her knights rode to
261:
106:
393:
retreat, but tried to isolate Joanna by taking other towns in Brittany. On his return he again failed to capture Hennebont.
1055:
987:
1282:
1262:
1227:
1133:
1050:
808:
289:
1277:
1267:
538:
1148:
1128:
1123:
1001:
369:
1252:
982:
492:
mentions her as one of the "heroic chatelaines" of the Middle Ages in her essay "The Enfranchisement of Women".
488:
described her as "the most extraordinary woman of the age". Victorian feminists also cited her as a role-model.
1237:
801:
543:
508:
Joanna was later celebrated for her fiery exploits in Breton folklore, in particular in a ballad collected in
1232:
824:
1242:
1074:
940:
775:
265:
169:
157:
368:
as an ally, this would be of great advantage for future campaigns. He prepared ships under the command of
172:. Known for her fiery personality, Joanna led the Montfort's cause after her husband had been captured by
43:
254:(1339–1399) with his life marred by the War of Brenton Succession, John was taken into the household of
305:
285:
232:
228:
20:
438:
334:
316:
293:
251:
240:
101:
1143:
650:
606:
449:
224:
220:
141:
131:
651:"Keeping Rapunzel: The Mysterious Guardianship of Joan of Flanders the Case for Feudal Constraint"
1187:
350:
977:
513:
358:
255:
1217:
1212:
1153:
1103:
8:
489:
321:
173:
386:
945:
517:
121:
456:
828:
684:
629:
473:
365:
236:
93:
300:
Immediately, two rivals formed vying for the title of Duke and Duchess of Brittany:
1158:
891:
524:(1922), Joanna is depicted as a heroine of Breton resistance to French occupation.
409:
244:
161:
86:
1172:
1118:
1030:
950:
925:
785:
430:
397:
188:
184:
493:
481:
312:
195:
165:
688:
453:
Joanna of Flanders spots the English fleet arriving to relieve Hennebont, 1342
1206:
1060:
793:
768:
273:
269:
509:
477:
485:
199:
611:
The Perfect King The Life of Edward III, Father of the English Nation
354:
258:
before he returned to reinforce his claim as the Duke of Brittany.
35:
116:
198:
for her courage and energy. Because of her feats of leadership,
413:
472:
Joanna was later known as a prototype of the martial woman in
729:
Hear Me Patiently:The Reform Speeches of Amelia Jenks Bloomer
484:
said she "had the courage of a man and the heart of a lion".
324:, who benefited from the House of Blois controlling Brittany.
624:
Klausmann, Ulrike; Meinzerin, Marion; Kuhn, Gabriel (1997).
202:
described her as "the most extraordinary woman of the age".
183:
Shortly after taking refuge in England, she was confined to
437:
She lived long enough to see the final victory of her son
353:, Charles of Blois arrived in 1342 and besieged the town
747:
La Chevalerie bretonne et la formation de l'armee ducale
512:, which relates her attack on the camp at Hennebont. In
496:
also cites her as one of the "heroic women" of the era.
264:(1341 – aft. 20 October 1399), born at the onset of the
714:
John Stuart Mill, Alice S. Rossi, Harriet Taylor Mill,
623:
563:
561:
559:
556:
626:Women pirates and the politics of the Jolly Roger
1204:
344:
823:
749:(in French). Presses Universitaires de Rennes.
809:
731:, Greenwood Press, Westport, CT, 1994, p.158/
279:
678:
534:Timeline of women's participation in warfare
194:Joanna was highly praised by the chronicler
718:, University of Chicago Press, 1970, p.102.
681:Joanna of Flanders : Heroine and Exile
816:
802:
34:
842:
16:Duchess consort of Brittany (c.1295–1374)
605:
448:
663:
1205:
744:
648:
567:
239:, although his claim was contested by
797:
753:
588:
586:
584:
582:
580:
578:
576:
375:
262:Joan of Brittany, Baroness of Drayton
53:30 April 1341–16 September 1345
13:
1248:Women in medieval European warfare
596:, Chapter IX, Barrie, London 1907.
573:
539:List of women warriors in folklore
403:
349:Beginning the war with a march on
14:
1294:
1149:Catherine of Luxembourg-Saint-Pol
1273:People of the Hundred Years' War
721:
668:. Vol. 2 (2015), p. 86-87.
708:
703:Joan of Arc: The Warrior Saint
695:
672:
657:
642:
628:. Montréal: Black Rose Books.
617:
599:
544:List of wartime cross-dressers
476:, and a possible influence on
423:
1:
1223:Women in 14th-century warfare
843:
549:
153:
65:
1258:14th-century French nobility
1075:War of the Breton Succession
941:Ermengarde-Gerberga of Anjou
649:Sarpey, Julie Marie (2016).
613:. Vintage. pp. 204–205.
345:The War of Breton Succession
328:
266:War of the Breton Succession
170:War of the Breton Succession
7:
776:Duchess consort of Brittany
527:
219:Joanna was the daughter of
156:1295 – September 1374) was
78:September 1374 (aged 78–79)
44:Duchess consort of Brittany
10:
1299:
1283:Mothers of French monarchs
1263:14th-century Breton people
1228:14th-century women regents
836:Consorts to early monarchs
738:
683:. Stroud: Amberley Books.
522:Histoire de Notre Bretagne
286:John III, Duke of Brittany
280:The Question of Succession
233:Louis I, Count of Flanders
229:Louis I, Count of Flanders
21:Joan, Countess of Flanders
18:
1278:14th-century French women
1268:14th-century Breton women
1180:
1171:
1111:
1102:
1082:
1073:
1038:
1029:
1009:
1000:
970:
963:
933:
924:
899:
890:
835:
782:
773:
765:
745:Morvan, Frederic (2009).
705:, Greenwood, 2003, p.116.
467:
444:
439:John IV, Duke of Brittany
252:John IV, Duke of Brittany
214:
137:
127:
115:
107:Joan, Baroness of Drayton
102:John IV, Duke of Brittany
92:
82:
74:
61:
57:
49:
42:
33:
28:
756:The Creation of Brittany
594:Women of Medieval France
225:Joan, Countess of Rethel
221:Louis I, Count of Nevers
142:Joan, Countess of Rethel
132:Louis I, Count of Nevers
19:Not to be confused with
754:Jones, Michael (1988).
701:Stephen Wesley Richey,
247:. Joanna and John had:
209:
1253:Women in war in France
1017:Margaret of Huntingdon
758:. The Hambledon Press.
716:Essays on Sex Equality
506:
464:
372:to relieve the siege.
1238:Duchesses of Brittany
1188:Catherine de' Medici
978:Constance of Normandy
679:Sarpy, Julie (2019).
514:Jeanne Coroller-Danio
501:
452:
359:Edward III of England
1233:14th-century regents
1154:Margaret of Brittany
1139:Isabella of Scotland
1104:Montfort of Brittany
964:House of Cornouaille
868:Prostlon of Brittany
227:, and the sister of
1243:Regents of Brittany
1144:Françoise d'Amboise
1056:Isabella of Castile
1002:House of Penthièvre
983:Ermengarde of Anjou
873:Lotitia of Brittany
490:Harriet Taylor Mill
160:by her marriage to
158:Duchess of Brittany
1090:Joanna of Flanders
1046:Blanche of Navarre
946:Hawise of Normandy
727:Anne C. Coon (ed)
664:Famiglietti, R.C.
518:Breton nationalist
465:
376:Siege of Hennebont
294:Joan of Penthièvre
241:Joan of Penthièvre
150:Joanna of Flanders
29:Joanna of Flanders
1200:
1199:
1196:
1195:
1167:
1166:
1098:
1097:
1069:
1068:
1025:
1024:
996:
995:
959:
958:
920:
919:
907:Roscille of Anjou
886:
885:
878:Oreguen of Rennes
792:
791:
783:Succeeded by
666:Audouin Chauveron
635:978-1-55164-059-4
461:History of France
306:House of Montfort
243:and her husband,
147:
146:
1290:
1178:
1177:
1159:Margaret of Foix
1109:
1108:
1080:
1079:
1051:Yolande of Dreux
1036:
1035:
1007:
1006:
968:
967:
931:
930:
897:
896:
845:
840:
839:
818:
811:
804:
795:
794:
766:Preceded by
763:
762:
759:
750:
732:
725:
719:
712:
706:
699:
693:
692:
676:
670:
669:
661:
655:
654:
646:
640:
639:
621:
615:
614:
603:
597:
592:Butler, Pierce,
590:
571:
565:
383:Jeanne la Flamme
370:Sir Walter Manny
335:Charles of Blois
320:King of France,
317:Charles of Blois
290:Yolande of Dreux
245:Charles of Blois
237:Duke of Brittany
231:. Her brother,
162:John of Montfort
155:
87:John of Montfort
70:
67:
38:
26:
25:
1298:
1297:
1293:
1292:
1291:
1289:
1288:
1287:
1203:
1202:
1201:
1192:
1173:House of Valois
1163:
1129:Joan of Navarre
1119:Mary of Waltham
1094:
1065:
1021:
992:
988:Matilda FitzRoy
955:
951:Bertha of Blois
926:House of Rennes
916:
892:House of Nantes
882:
831:
822:
788:
786:Mary of Waltham
779:
771:
741:
736:
735:
726:
722:
713:
709:
700:
696:
677:
673:
662:
658:
647:
643:
636:
622:
618:
604:
600:
591:
574:
566:
557:
552:
530:
470:
457:François Guizot
454:
447:
431:Tickhill Castle
426:
406:
404:Fighting at Sea
378:
347:
331:
282:
217:
212:
189:King Edward III
185:Tickhill Castle
111:
68:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1296:
1286:
1285:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1250:
1245:
1240:
1235:
1230:
1225:
1220:
1215:
1198:
1197:
1194:
1193:
1191:
1190:
1184:
1182:
1175:
1169:
1168:
1165:
1164:
1162:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1134:Joan of France
1131:
1126:
1121:
1115:
1113:
1106:
1100:
1099:
1096:
1095:
1093:
1092:
1086:
1084:
1077:
1071:
1070:
1067:
1066:
1064:
1063:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1042:
1040:
1033:
1031:House of Dreux
1027:
1026:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1019:
1013:
1011:
1004:
998:
997:
994:
993:
991:
990:
985:
980:
974:
972:
965:
961:
960:
957:
956:
954:
953:
948:
943:
937:
935:
928:
922:
921:
918:
917:
915:
914:
909:
903:
901:
894:
888:
887:
884:
883:
881:
880:
875:
870:
865:
860:
855:
849:
847:
837:
833:
832:
825:Royal consorts
821:
820:
813:
806:
798:
790:
789:
784:
781:
772:
767:
761:
760:
751:
740:
737:
734:
733:
720:
707:
694:
671:
656:
641:
634:
616:
598:
572:
554:
553:
551:
548:
547:
546:
541:
536:
529:
526:
494:Amelia Bloomer
482:Jean Froissart
469:
466:
446:
443:
425:
422:
410:Louis of Spain
405:
402:
377:
374:
346:
343:
330:
327:
326:
325:
315:, the hose of
313:House of Blois
309:
281:
278:
277:
276:
259:
216:
213:
211:
208:
196:Jean Froissart
166:House of Blois
145:
144:
139:
135:
134:
129:
125:
124:
119:
113:
112:
110:
109:
104:
98:
96:
90:
89:
84:
80:
79:
76:
72:
71:
63:
59:
58:
55:
54:
51:
47:
46:
40:
39:
31:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1295:
1284:
1281:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1249:
1246:
1244:
1241:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1219:
1216:
1214:
1211:
1210:
1208:
1189:
1186:
1185:
1183:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1170:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1116:
1114:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1101:
1091:
1088:
1087:
1085:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1072:
1062:
1061:Joan of Savoy
1059:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1043:
1041:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1028:
1018:
1015:
1014:
1012:
1008:
1005:
1003:
999:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
975:
973:
969:
966:
962:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
938:
936:
932:
929:
927:
923:
913:
910:
908:
905:
904:
902:
898:
895:
893:
889:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
850:
848:
841:
838:
834:
830:
826:
819:
814:
812:
807:
805:
800:
799:
796:
787:
778:
777:
770:
769:Joan of Savoy
764:
757:
752:
748:
743:
742:
730:
724:
717:
711:
704:
698:
690:
686:
682:
675:
667:
660:
652:
645:
637:
631:
627:
620:
612:
608:
607:Mortimer, Ian
602:
595:
589:
587:
585:
583:
581:
579:
577:
569:
564:
562:
560:
555:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
532:
531:
525:
523:
519:
515:
511:
505:
500:
497:
495:
491:
487:
483:
479:
475:
462:
458:
451:
442:
440:
435:
432:
421:
417:
415:
411:
401:
399:
394:
390:
388:
384:
373:
371:
367:
362:
360:
356:
352:
342:
338:
336:
323:
318:
314:
310:
307:
303:
302:
301:
297:
295:
291:
287:
275:
271:
267:
263:
260:
257:
253:
250:
249:
248:
246:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
222:
207:
203:
201:
197:
192:
190:
186:
181:
177:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
151:
143:
140:
136:
133:
130:
126:
123:
120:
118:
114:
108:
105:
103:
100:
99:
97:
95:
91:
88:
85:
81:
77:
73:
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
45:
41:
37:
32:
27:
22:
1124:Joan Holland
1089:
774:
755:
746:
728:
723:
715:
710:
702:
697:
680:
674:
665:
659:
644:
625:
619:
610:
601:
593:
521:
510:Barzaz Breiz
507:
502:
498:
471:
460:
455:Illus. from
436:
427:
418:
407:
395:
391:
382:
379:
363:
348:
339:
332:
298:
283:
218:
204:
193:
187:by order of
182:
178:
174:King Phillip
149:
148:
1218:1374 deaths
1213:1295 births
568:Morvan 2009
478:Joan of Arc
424:Confinement
168:during the
69: 1295
1207:Categories
853:Argentaela
780:1341–1345
689:1104594605
550:References
486:David Hume
256:Edward III
200:David Hume
1181:1514–1547
1112:1365–1514
1083:1341–1365
1039:1221–1341
1010:1156–1196
971:1072–1156
912:Aremburge
355:Hennebont
329:Diplomacy
322:Philip VI
122:Dampierre
934:958–1072
858:Marmohec
829:Brittany
609:(2008).
528:See also
474:Brittany
366:Brittany
900:938–958
863:Wembrit
846:578–907
739:Sources
274:Drayton
687:
632:
468:Legend
463:, 1869
445:Legacy
414:glaive
398:pirate
270:Basset
215:Family
138:Mother
128:Father
83:Spouse
50:Tenure
570:, n2.
520:book
387:Brest
351:Redon
284:When
117:House
94:Issue
685:OCLC
630:ISBN
459:'s,
311:The
304:The
223:and
210:Life
75:Died
62:Born
827:of
516:'s
272:de
1209::
844:c.
575:^
558:^
480:.
400:.
296:.
191:.
154:c.
66:c.
817:e
810:t
803:v
691:.
653:.
638:.
152:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
