This biography of Katherine Swynford has an unfortunate title. It sounds like a bodice ripper, but rather it is a scholarly study of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster and the history of her time. More accurately, it is also a biography of John of Gaunt, who was the third son of Edward III of England. Without John of Gaunt there would be little knowledge of Katherine, in fact we might not even have known of her importance in the history of the English throne. Most the factual knowledge we have of her is derived from the records of John of Gaunt and the numerous grants he made to her. The story of Katherine and John spans the years 1350 to 1403, the years of Katherine's life.
Katherine de Roet was born in Hainault where Philippa, the wife of Edward III, was born. As a youngster Katherine's father brought her and her sister, also a Philippa, to the British court to serve the English Queen. Philippa de Roet eventually married Geoffrey Chaucer, of "Canterbury Tales" fame. She and Katherine remained close throughout their lives.
Like many who became fascinated by Katherine Swynford, many years ago I read the fictionalized romance of John and Katherine by Anya Seton. This study by Alison Weir, despite being non-fiction, is every bit as exciting as the novel. Weir is meticulous in her scholarship, citing many original sources. She deals in facts and leaves room for the reader to continue to muse on the whys and wherefores. I even found her chapter notes interesting. Although there are not many known facts about Katherine, Weir turns what is known into a fascinating story .
Katherine grew up at court and at a young age married a knight, Sir Hugh Swynford who fought along side John of Gaunt in the wars against the French. They had four children who lived, early death always a danger in medieval times.
John of Gaunt, 10 years older than Katherine, was married to Blanche of Lancaster and though it was an arranged marriage, it was apparently a love match as well, which was unusual for that period. Their oldest son became Henry IV and his decendents became the Yorkist monarchs of England. Sometime after Blanche's death John fell in love with Katherine. As she was not considered highly born, they were unable to marry, and she became his mistress. They had four children together whose surname was Beaufort. Their decendents were the Tudor monarchs.
John's second marriage was a political one; he married Constance of Castile. The marriage was part of an alliance against France. Theirs was not a happy marriage, and John's romance with Katherine continued for twenty more years with one short period of separation. Their love was long and enduring. When Constance died, John, despite strong public approbation, married Katherine. Unfortunately they only had four years as man and wife, but their children were legitimized by the Pope, thus enabling them to inherit titles and wealth.
During his lifetime, John of Gaunt was the most powerful and richest man in England. His descendants with his first wife Blanche, and those with Katherine, were a powerful influence on the history of England and Europe. His children with Constance became rulers in Spain and Portugal. Several American Presidents were also descendants of John of Gaunt.
So, this is the bare bones from which the romance of Katherine and John is constructed. If you have an interest in English medieval history, you couldn't have a more thorough guide than Alison Weir. I highly recommend her book. If you are only looking for the romantic interpretation of their story, read Anya Seton's book, but be aware it is not entirely accurate, though well written.
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