But the victorious army soon arrived at the gates of Naples, and Charles blockaded the queen in her castle, forgetting in his ingratitude that she had saved his life and loved him like a mother.
Joan during the siege endured all the worst fatigues of war that any soldier has to bear.

She saw her faithful friends fall around her wasted by hunger or decimated by sickness.

When all food was exhausted, dead and decomposed bodies were thrown into the castle that they might pollute the air she breathed.

Otho with his troops was kept at Aversa; Louis of Anjou, the brother of the King of France whom she had named as her successor when she disinherited her nephew, never appeared to help her, and the Provencal ships from Clement VII were not due to arrive until all hope must be over.

Joan asked for a truce of five days, promising that, if Otho had not come to relieve her in that time, she would surrender the fortress.
On the fifth day Otho's army appeared on the side of Piedigrotta.