Joan Beaufort, Queen Consort of Scotland

Female 1404 - 1445  (~ 41 years)


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  • Name Joan Beaufort 
    Suffix Queen Consort of Scotland 
    Birth ~ 1404  (England) Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Gender Female 
    Death 15 Jul 1445  Dunbar Castle, East Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    • Dunbar Castle is the remnants of one of the strongest fortresses in Scotland, situated in a prominent position overlooking the harbour of the town of Dunbar, in East Lothian.

      Photo, map, history & source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar_Castle
    Burial Perth Charterhouse, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Person ID I46866  The Hennessee Family
    Last Modified 1 Dec 2016 

    Father Sir John Beaufort, III, Knight, 1st Earl of Somerset,   b. 1371-1373, Chateau de Beaufrot, Anjou, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Mar 1410, Hospital of St. Katherine's by the Tower, London, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 37 years) 
    Mother Lady Margaret Holland, Duchess of Clarence,   b. 0___ 1385, (England) Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 31 Dec 1439 (Age ~ 54 years) 
    Marriage (England) Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4
    Family ID F15808  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family James I of Scotland, King of Scotland,   b. 25 Jul 1394, Dunfermline Abbey, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 21 Feb 1437, Blackfriars, Perth, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 42 years) 
    Marriage 0___ 1424  [1, 5
    Children 
     1. James II of Scotland,   b. 16 Oct 1430, Holyrood Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 Aug 1460, Roxburgh Castle, Roxburghshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 29 years)
    Family ID F17193  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 30 Apr 2023 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - ~ 1404 - (England) Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 15 Jul 1445 - Dunbar Castle, East Lothian, Scotland Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Perth Charterhouse, Scotland Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • Joan Beaufort (c. 1404 – 15 July 1445) was the Queen Consort of Scotland from 1424 to 1437 as the spouse of King James I of Scotland. During part of the minority of her son James II (from 1437 to 1439), she served as the Regent of Scotland.


      Background and early life

      She was a daughter of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset, and Margaret Holland,[1] and a half-niece of King Henry IV of England.[2] James I of Scotland met Joan during his time as a prisoner in England and knew her from at least 1420.[1] She is said to have been the inspiration for James's famous long poem, The Kingis Quair, written during his captivity after he saw her from his window in the garden.[3] However, the marriage was at least partially political as their marriage was part of the agreement for his release from captivity, and from an English perspective an alliance with the Beauforts was meant to establish his country's alliance with the English, rather than the French.[1] Negotiations resulted in Joan's dowry of 10,000 merks being subtracted from his substantial ransom.[4]

      Queen of Scotland

      On 12 February 1424, Joan Beaufort and King James were wed at St Mary Overie Church in Southwark.[1][5] They were feasted at Winchester Palace that year by her uncle Cardinal Henry Beaufort. She accompanied her husband on his return from captivity in England to Scotland, and was crowned alongside her husband at Scone Abbey. As queen, she often pleaded with the king for those who might be executed.[6]

      The royal couple had eight children, including the future James II, and Margaret of Scotland, spouse of Louis XI of France.[1]

      Regency

      James I was assassinated in Perth on 21 February 1437. Joan had also been a target of assassination along with her husband, but managed to escape with just injuries.[1] She successfully directed her husband's supporters to attack his assassin Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, but was forced to give up power three months later.[1] The prospect of being ruled by an English woman was unpopular.[1] The Earl of Douglas was thus appointed to power, though Joan remained in charge of her son.[1]

      Near the end of July 1439, she married James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorne[1] after obtaining a papal dispensation for both consanguinity and affinity. James was an ally of the latest Earl of Douglas, and plotted with him to overthrow Alexander Livingston, governor of Stirling Castle, during the minority of James II.[citation needed] Livingston arrested Joan in August 1439 and forced her to relinquish custody of the young king.[1] In 1445, the conflict continued and she fell under siege at Dunbar Castle, where she died on 15 July 1445. She was buried in the Carthusian Priory at Perth.[1][5]

      Issue with James I of Scotland

      Margaret Stewart, Princess of Scotland (1424–1445) married Prince Louis, Dauphin of Viennois (later King Louis XI of France)
      Isabella Stewart, Princess of Scotland (1426–1494) married Francis I, Duke of Brittany
      Mary Stewart, Countess of Buchan (died 1465) married Wolfart VI van Borsselen
      Joan of Scotland, Countess of Morton (c. 1428–1486) married James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton
      Alexander Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (born and died 1430); Twin of James
      James II of Scotland (1430–1460)
      Annabella Stewart, Princess of Scotland married and divorced 1. Louis of Savoy, and then married and divorced 2. George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly
      Eleanor Stewart, Princess of Scotland (1433–1484) married Sigismund, Archduke of Austria.

      Issue with James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorne

      Adapted from:[5]

      John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl (c. 1440 – 1512)
      James Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan (1442 – 1499)
      Andrew Stewart, Bishop of Moray (c. 1443 – 1501) [1]

  • Sources 
    1. [S10069] "Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scots" biography, accessed & downloaded Thursday, December 1st, 2016 by David A. Hennessee, htt.

    2. [S7457] "Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset, KG (1406 - 22 May 1455)" biography, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Beaufor.

    3. [S8795] "John Beaufort, 1st Marquess of Somerset and 1st Marquess of Dorset, later only 1st Earl of Somerset, KG (c. 1373 - 16 M.

    4. [S9266] "Margaret Holland, Duchess of Clarence" biography, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Holland,_Duchess_of_Clarence,.

    5. [S10071] "James I of Scotland" biography, accessed & downloaded Thursday, December 1st, 2016 by David A. Hennessee, https://en.wi.