JOANNA of Albret, Queen of Navarre. — Last of the Albret dynasty to reign over French Navarre, J. was born in Pau on 7 January 1528: her father was Henry of Albret, her mother Margaret of France, sister of Francis I. She was sought in marriage by Charles V for his son Philip with a view to absorbing the small kingdom, but the King of France vetoed the match; she was instead married to William, Duke of Cleves, though the marriage was not consummated; finally in 1548 she wed Anthony of Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme.
In 1555 she succeeded her father as Queen of Navarre and defended the kingdom against French and Spanish claims. Around 1560 she openly espoused Calvinist ideas and soon became the official protector of the Calvinist movement at the French court, boldly intervening in the religious struggles. After the battle of Jarnac, in which the Prince of Condé had died, she solemnly presented her young son Henry to the assembled Calvinist forces, offering him as their sure leader. In Béarn she had forbidden the celebration of Mass and officially established Calvinism. In 1570, following the treaty of Saint-Germain, she reconciled with Queen Catherine de’ Medici, representative of Catholicism, and negotiated the marriage of her son Henry of Navarre to Margaret of Valois. She died suddenly during these negotiations on 9 June 1572.