Joan de Valence

Heir to an earldom, and wife and widow of William de Valence (half-brother of King Henry III), Joan de Valence was an important actor in the volatile political world of thirteenth-century England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Yet, astonishingly, her story of survival, perseverance, and influence has never been told until now. Joan de Valence: The Life and Influence of a Thirteenth-Century Noblewoman draws on archival research, as well as tools of historical analysis and gender studies, to peel back the layers of this remarkable noblewoman's life. From her survival of the wars between king and baronage at mid-century to her life as a widow and magnate of the realm, the story of Joan de Valance, as Mitchell argues, exemplifies the range of experiences of noblewomen during the middle ages.

Introduction: Writing Medieval Women's Biographies
1. Growing Up as a Marshal, Marriage, and Motherhood (1230 1258)
2. War, Rebellion, and Recovery (1258 1285)
3. Success, Conflict, Death, and Bereavement (1285 1296)
4. Widow, Lord, and Countess (1297 1307)
Conclusion: The Legacies of Joan de Valence
Appendix One: The Family Connections of Joan de Valence
Appendix Two: Joan de Valence's Property
Appendix Three: Litigation of Joan de Valence in Widowhood