Biography of Blanche Duchess of Lancaster 1342-1368

Around 1328 [her father] Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 18] and [her mother] Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster [aged 8] were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Henry Beaumont Earl Buchan [aged 49] and [her grandmother] Alice Comyn Baroness Beaumont. He the son of Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster [aged 47] and Maud Chaworth. They were fourth cousins. He a great grandson of King Henry III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On or before 25th March 1342 Blanche Duchess of Lancaster was born to Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 32] and Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster [aged 22] at Bolingbroke Castle, Lincolnshire [Map]. The exact date of her birth uncertain. The Inquisition of her father in May 1361 refers to Blanche being "aged 19 years at the feast of the Annunciation last". The Feast of the Annunciation being the 25th of March so Blanche was born on or before the 25th of March 1342. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

In 1344 [her brother-in-law] Ralph Stafford and [her sister] Maud Plantagenet Duchess Lower Bavaria [aged 3] were married. She the daughter of [her father] Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 34] and [her mother] Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster [aged 24]. He the son of Ralph Stafford 1st Earl Stafford [aged 42] and Margaret Audley Countess Stafford [aged 26]. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

On 22nd September 1345 [her grandfather] Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster [aged 64] died at Leicester Castle [Map]. His son [her father] Henry [aged 35] succeeded 4th Earl of Leicester, 4th Earl Lancaster.

In 1352 [her brother-in-law] William Wittelsbach I Duke Lower Bavaria [aged 21] and [her sister] Maud Plantagenet Duchess Lower Bavaria [aged 11] were married in London. She by marriage Duchess Lower Bavaria. He by marriage Earl of Leicester. She the daughter of [her father] Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 42] and [her mother] Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster [aged 32]. He the son of Louis Wittelsbach IV Holy Roman Emperor and Margaret Hainaut Holy Roman Empress [aged 40]. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

On 31st March 1360 [her daughter] Philippa of Lancaster Queen Consort Portugal was born to [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 20] and Blanche Duchess of Lancaster [aged 18] at Leicester Castle [Map]. She a granddaughter of King Edward III of England. She married 2nd February 1387 her half fourth cousin King John I of Portugal, son of Peter I King Portugal and Inês Castro, and had issue.

Inquisitions Post Mortem 118. Writ, 25 March, 35 Edward III. Derby. Inq. taken at Melbum, 4 May, 35 Edward III.

Melbum. The castle and manor (extent given), held of the king in chief by service of a barony. The following field and place names occiu- in the extent: — le Oxlesewe, le Heye, le Bencheparrok, Trentford, le Feldyngbrugge, Russhegrenes, le Hok by Littehnedewebrok, le Hallefeld, Carreweye, le Oldefisshepol, Shallohed and Hervestwellefield. A custom called ' thisteltak ' is payable at Michaelmas. The duke gave to Ingram Fauconer, constable of Melbum castle, a yearly rent of £10. for life, to Amice wife of the said Ingram 5 marks yearly for life, to be increased to 10 marks after her husband's death should she survive him, to John le Fauconer 5 marks for life, to Ahce late the wife of Thomas le Beek a pasture called ' Thomyholm ' for life, and to William le Synger of Weston a pasture called 'le Hassokes' with 'le Puttes' for life. There is a custom called 'tolpottes.'

He held no other lands in the county and no knights' fees or advowsons of churches.

He died on Tuesday before Easter last. His daughters [her sister] Maud [aged 20] lady of Henaud, aged 21 years on the feast of St. Ambrose last, and Blanche [aged 18], lady of Richmond, aged 19 years at the feast of the Annunciation last, are his heirs.

In 1361 [her mother] Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster [aged 41] died.

In 1362 [her son] John Lancaster was born to [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 21] and Blanche Duchess of Lancaster [aged 19]. He a grandson of King Edward III of England. He died aged three in 1365.

On 10th April 1362 Maud Plantagenet Duchess Lower Bavaria [aged 22] died. Her sister Blanche [aged 20] succeeded 6th Countess of Leicester. John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 22] by marriage Earl of Leicester adding a fourth Earldom to the ones he already held: Earl Richmond, Earl Lancaster and Earl Derby.

Before 21st February 1363 [her daughter] Elizabeth Lancaster Duchess Exeter was born to [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 22] and Blanche Duchess of Lancaster [aged 20] at Burford, Shropshire [Map]. She a granddaughter of King Edward III of England. She married (1) 24th June 1380 her half third cousin John Hastings 3rd Earl Pembroke, son of John Hastings 2nd Earl Pembroke and Anne Manny Countess Pembroke (2) 24th June 1386 her half second cousin once removed John Holland 1st Duke Exeter, son of Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent and Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales, and had issue (3) 1400 her fourth cousin once removed John Cornwall 1st Baron Fanhope 1st Baron Milbroke and had issue.

On 28th May 1363 John Harrington 2nd Baron Harington [aged 35] died at Gleaston Castle [Map]. His son Robert [aged 7] succeeded 3rd Baron Harington. Given his young age Robert Harrington 3rd Baron Harington became a ward of [her father-in-law] King Edward III of England [aged 50] who granted his wardship to his daughter [her sister-in-law] Isabella Countess Bedford and Soissons [aged 30] and her husband Enguerrand de Coucy 1st Earl Bedford 1st Count Soissons [aged 23].

In 1365 [her son] Edward Lancaster was born to [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 24] and Blanche Duchess of Lancaster [aged 22]. In 1365 Edward Lancaster died. He was buried at Church of the Annunciation of our Lady of the Newark [Map]. He a grandson of King Edward III of England.

In 1365 [her son] John Lancaster [aged 3] died. He was buried at Church of the Annunciation of our Lady of the Newark [Map].

On 27th July 1365 Enguerrand de Coucy 1st Earl Bedford 1st Count Soissons [aged 25] and [her sister-in-law] Isabella Countess Bedford and Soissons [aged 33] were married at Windsor Castle [Map]. She the daughter of [her father-in-law] King Edward III of England [aged 52] and [her mother-in-law] Philippa of Hainaut Queen Consort England [aged 55]. They were fourth cousin once removed.

In 1366 Enguerrand de Coucy 1st Earl Bedford 1st Count Soissons [aged 26] was created 1st Earl Bedford. [her sister-in-law] Isabella Countess Bedford and Soissons [aged 33] by marriage Countess Bedford.

In 1366 [her son] John Lancaster was born to [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 25] and Blanche Duchess of Lancaster [aged 23]. In 1367 John Lancaster died. He was buried at Church of the Annunciation of our Lady of the Newark [Map]. He a grandson of King Edward III of England.

On 15th April 1367 [her son] King Henry IV of England was born to [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 27] and Blanche Duchess of Lancaster [aged 25] at Bolingbroke Castle, Lincolnshire [Map]. He a grandson of King Edward III of England. He married (1) 5th February 1381 his second cousin Mary Bohun, daughter of Humphrey Bohun 7th Earl Hereford 6th Earl Essex 2nd Earl of Northampton and Joan Fitzalan Countess Essex, Hereford and Northampton, and had issue (2) 7th February 1403 his third cousin Joanna of Navarre Queen Consort England, daughter of Charles "Bad" II King Navarre and Joan Valois Queen Consort Navarre.

In 1368 [her daughter] Isabel Lancaster was born to [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 27] and Blanche Duchess of Lancaster [aged 25]. She a granddaughter of King Edward III of England. She died aged less than one years old.