Joan of Kent
Joan of Kent, 4th Countess of Kent, 5th Baroness Wake of Liddell (also Joan Plantagenet, Joan of Woodstock, " the Fair Maid of Kent "; * September 29, 1328 in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, † August 7, 1385 in Wallingford, Oxfordshire ) was the wife of Edward, the " Black Prince " and mother of King Richard II of England.
Joan was the fourth and youngest child of Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent and Baroness Margaret Wake. Her father was the youngest son of King Edward I of England and his second wife Margaret of France. After her father's death in 1330, Joan was at the court of her cousin, Edward III. , along with his children brought up by England.
At the age of about twelve years, Joan secretly married Thomas Holland. When he was out of the country, it was with the Earl of Salisbury, William Montague, married. After the return of Holland summoned the Pope that her marriage to William Montague was not legitimate, although the first marriage had been secretly closed.
Upon the death of her brother John, 3rd Earl of Kent in 1352, she inherited the title of Earl of Kent and Baron Wake of Liddell.
On October 10, 1361 less than a year after the death of her husband, Joan married her nephew 2nd degree Edward, the " Black Prince ", in Windsor Castle.
Progeny
In the first marriage with Thomas Holland had five children:
- Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent (* 1350, † April 25, 1397 )
- John Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter ( * after 1350, † 1400)
- Edmund Holland
- Mathilda Holland
- Joan Holland
The marriage to William Montague remained childless.
His marriage to Edward Plantagenet had two children:
- Edward of Angoulême ( * 1365, † 1371 )
- Richard of Bordeaux (* 1367, † 1400)