Background
She was the daughter of Gaucher V de Châtillon, Constable of France and Isabelle de Dreux. In 1305, Joanna married Walter V of Brienne, the son of Hugh of Brienne, Count of Brienne and Lecce, and Isabella de la Roche.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
Joanna Chatillon
Edit ProfileCareer
She was Duchess of Athens by marriage (1308–1311). Her paternal grandparents were Gaucher IV de Châtillon and Isabelle de Villehardouin. Her maternal grandparents were Robert de Dreux, Viscount of Chateaudun and Isabelle de Villebéon.
The marriage produced two children:
Walter VI of Brienne, Count of Brienne, Lecce, and Conversano, titular Duke of Athens (died 19 September 1356), married firstly Margharita of Anjou-Tarent, and secondly, Jeanne de Brienne.
Isabella of Brienne, Countess of Lecce and Conversano, claimant to the Duchy of Athens, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem (1306–1360), married Walter of Enghien, by whom she had eleven children. Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen consort Elizabeth Woodville were her direct descendants.
Joanna may have tried to hold the Acropolis of Athens against them, but eventually surrendered lieutenant In April 1318, Joanna and her father sent a request to the Republic of Venice seeking money and ships for knights and infantry to Negroponte or Nauplia.
The request, however, was refused, as the Briennist vassals in Greece had turned to the Catalans in the meanwhile.
As late as the next year, however, Walter of Foucherolles was still commanding his vessels in the Argolid to remain loyal to Joanna and the young Walter. Joanna herself retained her ducal title until her death. Her tomb, in the church (now destroyed) of the Dominican monastery in Troyes had the inscription Duchesse d"Athènes.
