Was ‘Joanna the Mad’ truly insane, or was she the victim of one of the greatest political betrayals in Spanish history, stripped of her throne and her freedom by men who wanted her crown?
In this Spanish royal history documentary from History Calling, I uncover the real story of Queen Joanna of Castile, also known as Juana la Loca, Joanna of Aragon and the sister of Catherine of Aragon and sister-in-law of Henry VIII. Born to the Catholic Monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, Joanna never expected to rule, but a series of tragic deaths placed her directly in line for the throne of Castile after her mother’s death. She married Philip The Handsome of Burgundy when she was 16 and had six children by him in quick succession, but despite her great love for her spouse he was relentlessly unfaithful and ended up accusing her of madness (as did her father). When Philip died, Joanna supposedly couldn’t let go of his body (another sign of apparent madness, assuming the story is true) and was ultimately imprisoned for 46 years in Tordesillas, first by her father, then her son Charles V of Spain, with whom she was nominally co-ruler.
Was Joanna the mad actually mad though? I’ll look at the stories of what Spain’s crazy queen supposedly did to earn this moniker, including refusing to bury her husband and ask if these tales are true and what modern doctors would diagnose Joanna the Mad with, if they diagnosed her at all.
In this documentary-style deep dive, we explore:
✔️ The truth behind Joanna the Mad’s alleged insanity and whether she really was a mad monarch
✔️ How Philip the Handsome and Ferdinand II manipulated Joanna the Mad
✔️ Why some historians believe Joanna of Castile wasn’t crazy
✔️ The political motives behind Joanna of Aragon’s 46-year imprisonment in Tordesillas
✔️ Joanna the mad as mother to Charles V, one of Europe’s most powerful rulers
✔️ The lasting myths about Joanna the mad that have shaped her tragic legacy
✔️Why was Joanna the mad locked up for 46 years?
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