Joanna of Castile

Term Paper # 98239

History > European
Women Studies > Historical Figures

Joanna of Castile

A biography of the life of Joanna of Castile (1479-1555) otherwise known as 'Joan the Mad.'

1,893 words () | 5 sources | MLA | 2007 France

Paper Summary:

This paper considers the life of Joanna of Castile by examining her ancestry and childhood. Reflection is then given to the circumstances surrounding Joanna's marriage and relationship with her husband, while also considering the worldviews of the 14th century. The paper concludes by attempting to respond to whether Joanna was truly mad, or whether the men who controlled her were just using this accusation as a way of obtaining their political ambitions.

Outline:
Introduction
Ancestry and Childhood
A Wife, a Mother, and 14th Century Worldviews
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Joanna of Castile (1479-1555), or "Joan the Mad," the daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, is "best known for her infatuation with her husband and apparent madness after his death" (Jeannine Dugan, 2007). Wild, impetuous, but possibly not insane, Joanna spent the majority of her life imprisoned by her own father not long after the birth of her youngest child in 1507. Almost fifty years later, abandoned and alone, and considered as being totally mad, Queen Juana l of Castile died in her windowless prison at the age of 75 years. "

Sample of Sources Used:

Geoffrey Woodward - author. Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain 1474-1516 a Re-assessment. Journal Title: History Review. Publication Year: 1998. Page Number: 11. COPYRIGHT 1998 History Today Ltd.; COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group
Frederick Adams Woods M. D. - author. Mental and Moral Heredity in Royalty: A Statistical Study in History and Psychology. Publisher: H. Holt and Company. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 1906.
Jeannine Dugan, 2007. Online Article: Joan of Castile (or Joan the Mad). Information retrieved 09/06/2007.<http://monarchs.suite101.com/article.cfm/joan_of_castile_or_joan_the_mad>
Richard Slusser - author. Wall-to-Wall Morality. Newspaper Title: The Washington Times. Publication Date: July 29, 2000. Page Number: 1. COPYRIGHT 2000 News World Communications, Inc.; COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group
Xs4all.nl., Online Article: Junana the Mad of Castile, 2007. Information retrieved 09/06/2007.< http://www.xs4all.nl/~kvenjb/madmonarchs/juana/juana_bio.htm>