Joanna of Aragon, Countess of Foix

For other people named Joanna of Aragon, see Joanna of Aragon (disambiguation).

Joanna
Countess consort of Foix
Tenure	1392-1407
Born	October 1375 Daroca
Died	September 1407 Valencia
Spouse	Matthew of Foix
House	House of Barcelona
Father	John I of Aragon
Mother	Martha of Armagnac

Infanta Joanna of Aragon (October 1375 - September 1407) was the only surviving child of John I of Aragon and his first wife Martha of Armagnac. She was a member of the House of Aragon and was Countess consort of Foix by her marriage to Matthew of Foix.

Biography

Joanna was born at Daroca, the second of five children born into her father's first marriage. All of her siblings died not long after birth. After the birth of another child Infanta Eleanor in 1378, Martha died leaving her husband and her three-year-old daughter Joanna.

Joanna's father remarried to Violant of Bar, who like Martha bore many children but only one daughter lived to adulthood, the very much celebrated Yolande of Aragon, who played a large role in the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

Joanna's paternal grandparents were Peter IV of Aragon and his third wife Eleanor of Sicily. Her maternal grandparents were John I of Armagnac and his second wife Beatrice of Clermont.

In Barcelona, on 4 June 1392, Joanna married Matthew of Foix, son of Roger Bernard II, Viscount of Castelbon. He was her fourth cousin, both being descendants of Peter III of Aragon. They were married for fifteen years but in this time they had no children.

In 1396 King John died. He was succeeded by his brother, Joanna's uncle Martin of Aragon. However, Sicilian nobles were causing unrest and Martin was kept in Sicily, a land he'd claimed through his mother Eleanor of Sicily. In the meanwhile, Martin's wife Maria de Luna claimed the throne on behalf of Martin and acted as his representative until he arrived in 1397. Still, the delay opened the way for more problems and quarrels to surface in Aragon. His right to the throne was contested, by Matthew and Joanna, elder daughter of John I. However, Martin succeeded in quashing the invasion by the troops of Matthew and Joanna.

Joanna's younger half-sister Yolande claimed the throne with the support of her mother, despite Joanna still being alive. However, they also failed but Yolande married Louis II of Naples and had children, they all challenged Martin's rights to the throne.

Joanna, who failed to become Queen of Aragon, died childless in Valencia on September 1407. After Martin's death Yolande tried again to claim Aragon but failed.

Margaret, Countess of Tyrol's heir would have been her cousin Elisabeth of Carinthia, her son inherited these rights, he was Frederick III of Aragon, ruler of the island of Sicily. After his line died out, the succession would have gone to the grandchildren of Eleanor of Sicily, these were Joanna, who would have succeeded in 1401 and in 1407 Yolande. However, these lands instead went to Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria.

Ancestry

Family of Joanna of Aragon, Countess of Foix

16. James II of Aragon               8. Alfonso IV of Aragon                       17. Blanche of Anjou               4. Peter IV of Aragon                             18. Gombald d'Entença               9. Teresa d'Entença                       19. Constance of Attillon               2. John I of Aragon                                   20. Frederick III of Sicily               10. Peter II of Sicily                       21. Eleanor of Anjou               5. Eleanor of Sicily                             22. Otto III of Carinthia               11. Elisabeth of Carinthia                       23. Euphemia of Legnica               1. Joanna of Aragon                                         24. Gerald VI of Armagnac               12. Bernard VI d'Armagnac                       25. Martha de Béarn               6. John I of Armagnac                             26. Henry II, Count of Rodez               13. Cecilia of Rodez                       27. Mascarose of Baux               3. Martha of Armagnac                                   28. Robert, Count of Clermont               14. John, Baron of Charolais                       29. Beatrice of Bourbon               7. Beatrice of Clermont                             30. Renaud II, Lord of Dargies               15. Jeanne d'Argies                       31. Agnes de Bruyeres

References

Joanna of Aragon, Countess of Foix House of Barcelona Born: October 1375 Died: September 1407
French nobility
Vacant Title last held by Agnes of Navarre	Countess consort of Foix; Viscountess consort of Béarn, Marsan, Bruilhois, Gabardan, Nébouzan, Lautrec, Terres-Basses d'Albigeois 1392-1398	Vacant Title next held by Joan of Navarre
Vacant Title last held by Gerauda of Navailles	Viscountess of Castelbón; Baroness of Castelviel, Rosanes, Martorell, Montcada 1392-1398
Vacant Title last held by Béarnaise de Miramont	Baroness of Navailles and Sault 1392-1398