Overview
This lecture covers the life, lineage, marriages, influence, and legacy of Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland, a prominent English noblewoman in the late 14th and early 15th centuries.
Family Background and Early Life
- Joan Beaufort was born around 1377 as the only daughter of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford.
- She was one of four children later legitimised by papal bull in 1396.
- Her birth place is uncertain but possibly Kettlethorpe or Pleshey; birth year possibly 1377 or 1379.
- She was named after Joan of Kent, Dowager Princess of Wales.
Marriages and Children
- Joan first married Robert Ferrers, 5th Baron Boteler of Wem, in 1391/2, having two daughters: Elizabeth Ferrers and Mary/Margery.
- After Ferrers' death, she married Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, in 1396.
- Joan and Ralph had 14 children, including Katherine Neville, Eleanor Neville, Richard Neville (5th Earl of Salisbury), and Cecily Neville.
- Many of her children made strategic marriages and became prominent nobles, bishops, or royalty.
Political Influence and Patronage
- Joan and Ralph benefited from their connection to Henry IV, obtaining lands, offices, and pensions.
- She orchestrated advantageous marriages for her children, including the significant marriage between Cecily Neville and Richard, Duke of York.
- Joan was made a Lady of the Order of the Garter in 1399.
- Acted as a patron to religious figures like Margery Kempe and supported literature.
Later Life and Legacy
- Upon Ralph's death in 1425, lands were controversially divided, leading to the Neville-Neville feud.
- Joan became a powerful landowner and swore a vow of chastity in widowhood.
- Participated in religious life and was depicted in the Neville Book of Hours.
- Died in 1440 at Howden, Yorkshire, and was buried in Lincoln Cathedral.
- She was grandmother to Edward IV and Richard III, and an ancestor to Henry VIII and Catherine Parr.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Papal bull — an official papal letter or document.
- Wardship — guardianship of a minor and their estate.
- Order of the Garter — England's premier order of chivalry.
- Indult — a special papal permission or privilege.
- Neville-Neville feud — internal conflict over inheritance within the Neville family.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review family tree and lineage of Joan Beaufort and the Neville family.
- Study the impact of Joan's descendants in the Wars of the Roses.
- Read further on the role of women in medieval English nobility.