A gripping biography of a forgotten medieval heroine, Joanna of Flanders, who defied expectations and shaped the course of history.
Joanna of Flanders, Countess de Montfort and Duchess of Brittany, vanished from public life after 1343. Wife of the late Duke John de Montfort, Joannas rightful place was in Brittany as regent for their five-year-old son. Despite her fame for defending Hennebont in 1342, she accompanied Edward III of England to Britain in February 1343 and seemingly never departed. She resided in England in comfortable obscurity until her death around 1374.
What happened to her and why? Thisbiographyseeks to answer those questions and explores the complexities ofmedieval social structures, the care of the vulnerable, and the custody of women. Discover the story of astrong female figurewhose life was intertwined with theHundred Years Warand theBreton Wars of Succession. Was she a political prisoner, a victim of mental illness, or something else entirely?
New, original research finally solves the riddle of the disappearance of Joanna of Flanders, described by David Hume as 'the most extraordinary woman of the age', early in the Hundred Years War.
Originally from Louisiana,Julia Sarpyis a subject specialist librarian and adjunct faculty at Nova Southeastern University. She received her doctorate in European History from the University of Houston. A UCLA alum, she also hold master’s degrees from University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University.
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