Jeanne de Ponthieu, dame d'Épernon, Countess of Vendôme and of Castres, (Jeanne de Ponthieu, dame d'Épernon, comtesse de Vendôme et de Castres, before 1336 – 30 May 1376) better known in English as Joan of Ponthieu, was a French vassal; she was Dame d'Épernon suo jure by inheritance from 1343 to 1376. She was the youngest daughter of Jean II de Ponthieu, Count of Aumale. She was Countess of Vendôme and of Castres as the wife of Jean VI de Vendôme, Count of Vendôme and of Castres. She acted as regent for her infant granddaughter Jeanne, suo jure Countess of Vendôme from 1371 until the child's premature death in 1372.
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Early life
Joan was born in France sometime before 1336, the youngest daughter of Jean II de Ponthieu, Count of Aumale (died 1343), and Catherine d'Artois (1296 – November 1368). Joan was a direct descendant of King Ferdinand III of Castile by his second wife Joan, Countess of Ponthieu. King Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile were also among her many royal ancestors.
She had an elder sister, Blanche de Ponthieu (before 1326 – 12 April/May 1387) who became suo jure Countess of Aumale on 16 January 1340 upon the death of their father. Joan inherited the title and realm Dame d'Épernon after her father in 1343. The seigneury of Épernon was part of her father's inheritance which came into his family about 1256 upon the marriage of his grandmother Laure de Montfort, Dame d'Épernon to the Infante Ferdinand of Castile, Count of Aumale.
