April 1272 - 23 April 1307
House: Plantagenet
Titles: Countess of Hertford, Countess of Gloucester
Joan of Acre, born in the Kingdom of Acre during the Ninth Crusade, was an English princess renowned for her royal parentage, spirited personality, and unconventional marital choices. As the daughter of Edward I of England and Eleanor of Castile, she was born into the influential Plantagenet dynasty. Joan’s early years were spent in the care of her grandmother in France, distanced from her royal parents, which shaped her independent character. Her life was marked by two significant marriages; initially to Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester, which aligned her with one of the most powerful English nobles, and later to Ralph de Monthermer, a squire with whom she had a secret wedding. Joan’s legacy is also tied to claims of miracles at her grave and her presence in literary works, illustrating her lasting cultural impact beyond her immediate political and social roles.
Death: Died at age 35 at Clare Castle, England. Buried at Clare Priory, Suffolk, England.
Children: Gilbert, Eleanor, Margaret, Elizabeth, Mary, Joan, Thomas, Edward
Marriages: First married to Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester, and secondly to Sir Ralph de Monthermer