A young queen stands on trial for the death of her husband. Some believed that she had something to do with his murder. They see her as a villainous woman who wants power, but in the time that she is living in, a woman must fight for any ounce of power she can get. This might sound familiar to those who study 16th-century European history, but our story goes back a few centuries to the 14th century. The story of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily, is often overlooked among the stories of powerful queens, especially those who came after her. However, Joanna’s story is worth telling, which is why Nancy Goldstone has decided to tell her tale in her biography, “The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily.”
I have heard of Joanna I of Naples from other history books, but her story was briefly mentioned. I didn’t really get a sense of who she was. That was until I found this book in a used bookstore and read the description on the back, which mentioned the murder case against her. It was very intriguing, and I wanted to know how she got to that point and how she became a legendary female ruler.
Joanna was the eldest daughter of Charles, Duke of Calabria, and Marie of Valois, Duchess of Calabria. When both of her parents died, Joanna and her sister Maria were raised by their grandparents, Robert the Wise King of Naples, and his second wife, Sancia of Majorca. Since Joanna’s father died young, he never became King of Naples, so the title passed on to Joanna. With the title came the responsibility to marry well and produce an heir. Neither of these conditions came easily for poor Joanna.
Her first husband was her cousin, Andrew, Duke of Calabria, the son of King Charles I of Hungary. They did not exactly see eye to eye when it came to who was in control of Naples, but the marriage did not last long as Andrew was assassinated, and the country of Hungary blamed Joanna for his death. Joanna decided to argue her case in court, and the pope found in her favor. Joanna’s second husband was Louis of Tartano, but again, it was a marriage at odds as Louis took all the real power away from Joanna. Husband number 3, James IV of Majorca, was the worst husband of all, as he was mentally unstable and abusive towards Joanna. Finally, Joanna married Otto of Brunswick, who was accepting of Joanna’s position as queen.
While we tend to focus on Joanna’s marital exploits, she was also a queen of not only Naples, but also Jerusalem and Sicily. Joanna was connected to some of the greatest minds of the era, including Petrarch and Boccaccio, and would go on to build churches and hospitals. She was an ally to the papacy until the Great Schism, which would result in Europe being divided and the murder of Joanna.
This was an extremely well-written and researched biography. Goldstone was able to show Joanna in a more sympathetic light and really made me feel sorry for a woman who lived centuries ago. It shows how dangerous it was for a woman in power during the Middle Ages and how one woman tried hard to fight for herself and her country. If you want a fantastic biography of one of the most dynamic and legendary medieval queens of all time, I highly recommend you read “The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily” by Nancy Goldstone.
In southeastern France, there is a region called Provence, known today for its lavender fields and its vineyards. In 13th-century France, Provence would be known as the birthplace of four queens who dominated European politics. The daughters, Marguerite, Eleanor, Sanchia, and Beatrice were the daughters of Raymond Berenger V Count of Provence, and his wife Beatrice of Savoy. They would become the queens of France, England, Germany, and Sicily. While the sisters were known for their beauty, how they acted as queen consorts for their husbands cemented their legacies in history. Nancy Goldstone tells the tale of these remarkable siblings and how they changed European history in her book, “Four Queens: The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe.”