Simon of Joinville

Seal of Simon of Joinville.

Simon was the fourth son of Geoffrey IV of Joinville and Helvide of Dampierre, a daughter of Guy I of Dampierre. He is the younger brother of Geoffrey V of Joinville, Richard of Joinville who fight and die in Italy with Walter III of Brienne and William of Joinville, bishop of Langres then archbishop of Reims.

He succeeded his eldest brother Geoffrey V, which died without children at Krak des Chevaliers in late 1203 or early 1204 during the Fourth Crusade, as lord of Joinville.[1][2]

In 1209, he participated in the initial campaign of the Albigensian Crusade, and after the fall of Carcassonne he came back to Joinville.[3]

In the war of the Succession of Champagne, he fought for his cousin Erard of Brienne-Ramerupt and his wife Philippa of Champagne against the Countess-Regent Blanche of Navarre and her son Theobald, because the hereditary of the office of seneschal was not appointment by Blanche. Blanche's forces ravaged the lands of Joinville, and she imposed a humiliating surrender agreement : Simon's fortresses were seized, his eldest son Geoffroy was taken hostage, and he was forced to transfer his ancestral castle at Joinville to his brother Bishop William as security for his good conduct.[4][5][6]

Then, in 1218, he participated in the Fifth Crusade with his cousin, the king of Jerusalem John of Brienne. He fought in the Siege of Damietta and was back in Champagne on September 1220.[7][8]

Simon of Joinville died on May 1233 and was buried in Clairvaux Abbey.[9]

Castle and city of Joinville.

In the year 1207 he married Ermengarde of Montclair, daughter of John of Montclair, and had three children:[10]

• Geoffrey of Joinville, lord of Monclair.
• Isabelle of Joinville, lady of Montclair after her brother, married Simon IV of Clefmont.
• Béatrix of Joinville, married Guermond of Châlons.

Ermengarde of Montclair died in 1218 and Simon married secondly Blanche, daughter of Etienne d'Otre-Saone Seigneur d'Otre-Saone and his wife, Beatrice (Historic Genealogical et Chronologic de la Maison de France. Published 1730 p 696) and had six children:[10]

• John (Jean) of Joinville, lord of Joinville after his father's death.
• Geoffrey of Joinville, first baron of Geneville.
• Simon of Joinville, lord of Marnay and Gex, married Leonete of Gex.
• William (Guillaume) of Joinville, Archdeacon of Salins, rector of Arthinurchir (Ireland) and archdeacon of Besançon.
• Marie, married Guighes, Dauphin de Viennois
• Simonette of Joinville, married Jean of Tilchâtel.
• Héloïse of Joinville, married Jean of Faucogney. She founded the monastery of Montigny. (This child is not included in source document).