• Born: Spring 1272, Acre, Hazafon, Palestine
• Married (1): 30 Apr 1290, Westminister Abbey, Westminster, Middlesex, England
• Married (2): Early 1297
• Died: 23 Apr 1307, Clare, Risbridge, Suffolk, England
• Buried: 26 Apr 1307, Austins Friars, Clare, Suffolk, England

  Research Notes:

The Continuator of Florence of Worcester records the birth at Acre in [1272] of "filiam…Johannam" to "Alienor uxor domini Eadwardi".

The Annales Hospitalis Argentinenses record that "comes Hartmannus [filius reginæ uxoris Rudolfi Regis]" was betrothed to "filia regis Anglie". This betrothal was arranged by King Rudolf to exploit Anglo/French rivalry. Two charters dated 1276 record negotiations for the marriage between “dominus rex Alemaniæ...filium suum Hartmannum” and “filiam regis Angliæ Johannam”. A charter dated Dec 1278 records the agreement that the marriage between “R. Romanorum rex...Hartmannum comitem de Habspurg et de Kyburg, Alsatiæ langravium natum suum” and “Johannæ...Edwardi...regis Angliæ...filiæ”, already betrothed, should be celebrated. The marriage was postponed. The dispensation for the marriage of “Gileberto comiti Gloverniæ et Hertfordiæ” and “Johanna nata...Edvardi regis Angliæ”, dated 16 Nov 1289, records the 2° and 3° affinity between the parties illustrated by the 2° and 3° consanguinity between “Aliciam natam quondam...Hugonis comitis Marchiæ” [the bridegroom´s first wife] and “prædictam Johannam”. The Continuator of Florence of Worcester records the marriage "ultimo die mensis Aprilis apud Westmonasterium" of "Gilbertus de Clare comes Gloverniæ" and "dominam Johannam dicta de Acra…filium regis Angliæ". The Chronica de Fundatoribus et Fundatione of Tewkesbury Abbey records the marriage of “Gilbertus secundus” and “Johanna de Acres, filia regis Edwardi primi”. The Annals of Dunstable record that “Edwardus rex…Johannam filiam suam secundo genitam” married “Gilberto comiti Gloverniæ” in 1290. The Annals of Dunstable record that “comitissa Gloverniæ, filia domini regis” married “cuidam militia sine assensu regio” in 1296. The primary source which confirms her second marriage more precisely has not yet been identified. Her second marriage was clandestine. The king, her father, did not know that Joan was already married when he agreed 16 Mar 1297 her marriage to Amédée Comte de Savoie. He confiscated Joan's lands 3 Jul 1297 when he found out about the marriage, but pardoned her 2 Aug 1297.

A manuscript history of the foundation of Dunmow Priory records the death in 1307 of “Johanna de Acres comitissa de Clare” and her burial “in ecclesia fratrum S. Augustini apud Clare”. ¹

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Joan (of Acre), Countess of Gloucester and Hertford, b. at Acre in Palestine probably in 1272, was 2nd daughter of Edward I, by Eleanor of Castile. She was first betrothed to Herman, son of the King of Germany, who died in 1282, before the marriage could take place. She m. 1stly, at the beginning of May 1290, in Westminster Abbey, by dispensation granted 16 Nov 1289, Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, abovenamed, who d. 7 Dec 1295. She m. 2ndly, clandestinely, to her father's great displeasure, presumably early in 1297, Ralph de Mothermer, a member of the late Earl's household. On 29 Jan 1296/7 the escheator was ordered to take into this hand all the lands, goods, and chattels of Joan, Countess of Gloucester, from which it might be inferred that the King, suspecting her intentions with regard to Monthermer, sought to coerce her to abandon the marriage by degradation and loss of estates. On 16 Mar, the King gave his assent to her marriage with Amadeus of Savoy, and therefore must have been ignorant of her marriage, if it had already taken place, and on 12 May it was ordered that Joan should have reasonable allowance for herself and children. It would seem that by 3 July the King had discovered Joan's marriage with Monthermer, for he took her lands into his own had, but by 31 July, when he certainly knew of her marriage, he appears to have been partly mollified, for her lands were restored (except Tonbridge); in ordering her to provide 100 men to serve in France, however, the special proviso was made that they might be commanded by anyone except Ralph de Monthermer, her husband. She was pardoned two days later, 2 Aug 1297. She d. 23, and was buried 26 Apr 1307, int he Austin Friar's church at Clare in Suffolk, aged 35. ²

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Inquisition Post Mortem

435. JOAN LATE THE WIFE OF GILBERT DE CLARE, SOMETIME EARL OF GLOUCESTER AND HERTFORD, THE KING’S DAUGHTER, viewable here. ³