Joan de Munchensi

Arms of the de Valence Earls of Pembroke

Joan de Munchensi or Munchensy (or Joanna), Lady of Swanscombe and Countess of Pembroke (c. 1230 – aft. September 20, 1307), was the daughter of Joan Marshal and granddaughter of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke suo jure.

Family

William Marshal was the great Lord Marshal who served five successive Kings of England and died in 1219. William's five sons each in turn became Earl of Pembroke, but all died childless. His inheritance was thus divided among his daughters. Joan Marshal, the fourth daughter, married Warin de Munchensi (or Munchensy), Lord of Swanscombe. They were survived by one daughter, Joan de Munchensi, who (owing to Joan Marshal's death soon after her daughter's birth) was brought up by her stepmother, Warin's second wife, Dionisie de Munchensi.

Marriage and children

In 1247 three sons of Hugh X of Lusignan, in difficulties after the French annexation of their territories, accepted Henry III's invitation to come to England. The three were William of Valence, Guy of Lusignan and Aymer. The king found important positions for all of them and William was soon married to Joan. Her portion of the Marshal estates included the castle and lordship of Pembroke and the lordship of Wexford in Ireland. The custody of Joan's property was entrusted to her husband. She also, apparently, transmitted to him the title of Earl of Pembroke; he thus became the first of the de Valence holders of the earldom.

William of Valence died in 1296. Accounts of the offspring of William and Joan vary, but all say that there were five children, others seven including the last two:

• Isabel de Valence (d. October 5, 1305), married before 1280 John Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings (May 6, 1262 – February 10, 1313). Their grandson Lawrence later became earl of Pembroke. They had:
  • William Hastings (1282 – 1311)
  • John Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings (September 29, 1286 – January 20, 1325), married to Juliane de Leybourne (d. 1367)
  • Sir Hugh Hastings of Sutton (d. 1347)
• Joan de Valence, married to John Comyn (the "Red Comyn"), Lord of Badenoch (d. murdered, February 10, 1306), and had
  • Elizabeth Comyn (November 1, 1299 – November 20, 1372), married to Richard Talbot, Lord Talbot
• John de Valence (d. January, 1277)
• William de Valence (d. in battle in Wales on June 16, 1282), created Seigneur de Montignac and Bellac
• Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke and Wexford in 1296 (c. 1270 – June 23, 1324), married firstly to Beatrice de Clermont and married secondly to Marie de Châtillon
• Margaret de Valence
• Agnes de Valence (b. about 1250)

Further reading

• Linda E. Mitchell, Joan de Valence: The Life and Influence of a Thirteenth-Century Noblewoman. Springer, 2016.