Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent - by Anthony Goodman (Hardcover)

About the Book

A new account of the life and turbulent times of Joan, the wife of the Black Prince and mother of Richard II.

Book Synopsis

A new account of the life and turbulent times of Joan, the wife of the Black Prince and mother of Richard II.

Anthony Goodman's brilliant yet accessible scholarship draws in the reader in the most entertaining and vibrant way. He was one of our greatest historians of the later medieval period, whose warm humanity shines forth in his writing. He has given us, as a parting gift, the definitive biography of an exceptional, intriguing woman. I cannot recommend it highly enough. ALISON WEIR

Joan Plantagenet (1328-1385), acclaimed in her youth as the "FairMaid of Kent", became notorious for making both a clandestine and a bigamous marriage in her teens and, in her thirties, a scandalous marriage to her kinsman, Edward III's son and heir, Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince. Despite these transgressions, she later became one of the most influential people in the realm and a highly respected source of stability. Her life provides a distinctive perspective of a noblewoman at the heart of affairs in fourteenth-century England, a period when the Crown, despite enjoying some striking triumphs, also faced a series of political and social crises which shook conventional expectations. Furthermore, her life adds depth to our understanding of a time when marriage began to be regarded not just as a dynastic arrangement but a contract freely entered into by a couple.
This accessibly written account of her life sets her in the full context of her world, and vividlyportrays a spirited medieval woman who was determined to be mistress of her fate and to make a mark in challenging times.

The late Anthony Goodman was Professor Emeritus of Medieval and Renaissance History at the University of Edinburgh. His numerous publications include John of Gaunt; The Wars of the Roses; and Margery Kempe and Her World.

Review Quotes

[Goodman] had the genius to write originally and accessibly, clearly explaining the context of his stories and analysing their significance. His life of Joan, which he finished just before he died, is both a worthy account of her and a fitting coda to his own career.-- "CHURCH TIMES"

An important contribution towards a further redressing of a gender imbalance in studies of medieval public figures.. Scholars.both of medieval and gender studies, will rejoice in the illumination of the life of an almost-queen, one that was multi-faceted and not in the least one-dimensional.-- "PARERGON"

Goodman, with masterly skill, places Joan's unusual life in the context of the changing attitudes to marriage, and to the roles that women might play in society.-- "HISTORY"

Makes for a more rounded portrait.-- "TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT"

This excellent biography...will undoubtedly restore Joan to her rightful place in the pantheon of remarkable medieval women.-- "ESSEX JOURNAL"