Joan, Princess of Portugal

:For the Portuguese infanta, daughter of Edward of Portugal, see: Joan of Portugal
Blessed Joan of Portugal (February 6, 1452 – May 12, 1490; , ), was a Portuguese princess of the House of Aviz, daughter of King Afonso V of Portugal and his first wife Isabella of Coimbra.
Infanta Joan of Portugal was the second child of Afonso, but after the early death of her older brother John she was declared heiress to the throne in spite of being female. She was given the title of "Princess of Portugal," a title was reserved for the heir apparent. Other children of the king were styled, "Infante (Prince)" or "Infanta (Princess)". Even though she lost it after the birth of her younger brother, the future John II of Portugal, among the people she continued to be known as Princess Joan.
From a young age, Joan expressed a desire to become a nun; however, as she was second-in-line to the throne, her father did not allow it. During his military expedition to Tangier in 1471, Joan served as Regent of the Portuguese Kingdom. After vehemently refusing several proposals of marriage, Joan joined the Dominican Convent of Jesus in Aveiro in 1475. Her brother had, by then, been given an heir, so the family line was no longer in danger. Still, she was compelled several times to leave the convent and return to the court. She never professed as a nun. She continued to be a great supporter of her brother, John II of Portugal, throughout his reign and her life.
Joan died on May 12, 1490 in Aveiro and was buried in the Convent of Jesus in Aveiro. She was beatified in 1693 by Pope Innocent XII. As of this writing she has not been canonized, but she is known in Portugal as the Princess Saint Joan.
==Ancestors==
Joana's ancestors in three generations
Joana, Princess of Portugal	Father:Afonso V of Portugal	Father's father:Edward of Portugal 	Father's father's father:John I of Portugal
Joana, Princess of Portugal	Father:Afonso V of Portugal	Father's father:Edward of Portugal 	Father's father's mother:Philippa of Lancaster
Joana, Princess of Portugal	Father:Afonso V of Portugal	Father's mother:Leonor of Aragon 	Father's mother's father:Ferdinand I of Aragon
Joana, Princess of Portugal	Father:Afonso V of Portugal	Father's mother:Leonor of Aragon 	Father's mother's mother:Eleanor of Albuquerque
Joana, Princess of Portugal	Mother:Isabel of Coimbra 	Mother's father:Infante Pedro, Duke of Coimbra	Mother's father's father:John I of Portugal
Joana, Princess of Portugal	Mother:Isabel of Coimbra 	Mother's father:Infante Pedro, Duke of Coimbra	Mother's father's mother:Philippa of Lancaster
Joana, Princess of Portugal	Mother:Isabel of Coimbra 	Mother's mother:Isabella of Urgel 	Mother's mother's father:James II, Count of Urgell
Joana, Princess of Portugal	Mother:Isabel of Coimbra 	Mother's mother:Isabella of Urgel 	Mother's mother's mother:Isabella of Aragon
==External links==
*Catholic Encyclopedia: Blessed Joanna of Portugal
*Dominican Martyrology: May 12
Joan of Portugal
Joan of Portugal
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Category:Portuguese Roman Catholics
Joan of Portugal
Joan of Portugal
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Category:People from Lisbon
ca:Joana de Portugal i de Coïmbra
de:Johanna von Portugal
es:Juana de Portugal y Coimbra
it:Giovanna d'Aviz (1452-1490)
pt:Santa Joana, Princesa de Portugal