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Biography of Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403

Paternal Family Tree: Roet

Maternal Family Tree: Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403

Descendants Family Tree: Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403

1359 Double Royal Wedding

1396 Marriage of John of Gaunt and Katherine Roet

1397 Legitimation of the Beauforts

1397 Murder of Thomas of Woodstock

1399 Death of John of Gaunt

On 25 Nov 1350 Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster was born to Giles "Payne" Roet (age 40).

Double Royal Wedding

On 19 May 1359, or thereabouts, a double-royal wedding celebration took place at Reading Abbey, Berkshire [Map] whereby two children of King Edward III of England (age 46) were married:

[her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 19) and Blanche Duchess of Lancaster (age 17) were married. She by marriage Countess Richmond. She the daughter of Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster (age 49) and Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster (age 39). He the son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England (age 44). They were half second cousin once removed. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

John Hastings 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 11) and Margaret Plantagenet Countess of Pembroke (age 12) were married. At the time John Hastings 2nd Earl Pembroke was a ward of King Edward III of England who would enjoy the benefit of the substantial revenue of the Earldom of Pembroke until John came of age nine years later in 1368. She died two or so years later probably of plague. She the daughter of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England. He the son of Laurence Hastings 1st Earl Pembroke and Agnes Mortimer Countess of Pembroke (age 42). They were half fourth cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King John of England.

In or before 1367 Hugh Swynford and Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 16) were married.

Around 1367 [her son] Thomas Swynford was born to [her husband] Hugh Swynford and Katherine Roet (age 16).

In 1371 [her husband] Hugh Swynford died.

On 21 Sep 1371 [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 31) and Constance of Castile Duchess of Lancaster (age 17) were married at Roquefort, Landes. She by marriage Duchess Lancaster. His younger brother [her future brother-in-law] Edmund of Langley 1st Duke of York (age 30) married Constance's sister in July 1372. An example of Marriage of Two Sets of Siblings. She the illegitmate daughter of Peter "Cruel" I King Castile and Maria Padilla. He the son of King Edward III of England (age 58) and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England.

In 1373 [her illegitimate son] John Beaufort 1st Marquess Somerset and Dorset was born illegitimately to [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 32) and Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 22). He a grandson of King Edward III of England.

In 1375 [her illegitimate son] Cardinal Henry Beaufort was born illegitimately to [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 34) and Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 24). He a grandson of King Edward III of England.

Around Jan 1377 [her illegitimate son] Thomas Beaufort 1st Duke Exeter was born illegitimately to [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 36) and Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 26). He a grandson of King Edward III of England.

In 1379 [her illegitimate daughter] Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland was born illegitimately to [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 38) and Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 28). She a granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

In 1380 [her father] Giles "Payne" Roet (age 70) died. He was buried at St Paul's Cathedral [Map].

In 1391 [her son-in-law] Robert Ferrers (age 18) and [her illegitimate daughter] Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland (age 12) were married at Beaufort en Vallée [Map]. She the illegitmate daughter of [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 50) and Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 40). She a granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

Marriage of John of Gaunt and Katherine Roet

Froissart Book 4 Chapter 73. [13 Jan 1396]. At this period, the [her husband] duke of Lancaster (age 55) married his third wife [Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 45)], the daughter of a Hainault knight, called sir [her father] Paon de Ruet: he had formerly been one of the knights to the good and noble queen Philippa of England, who much loved the Hainaulters, as she was herself of that country.

This lady whom the duke of Lancaster married was called Catherine, and in her youth had been of the household of the duchess Blanche of Lancaster. Before the lady Blanche's death, and even when the duke was married to his second wife Constance, the daughter of don Pedro, he cohabited with the lady Catherine de Ruet, who was then married to an English knight [[her former husband] Hugh Swynford] now dead*.

The duke of Lancaster had three children1 by her, previous to his marriage, two sons and a daughter: the eldest son was named [her illegitimate son] John (age 23) lord Beaufort of Lancaster; the other [her illegitimate son] Thomas [Henry] (age 21), whom the duke kept at the schools in Oxford, and made a great churchman and civihan. He was afterward bishop of Lincoln, which is the richest bishopric in the kingdom: from affection to these children, the duke married their mother, to the great astonishment of France and England, for Catherine Swynford was of base extraction in comparison to his two former duchesses Blanche and Constance. When this marriage was announced to the ladies of high rank in England, such as the duchess of Gloucester (age 30), the countess of Derby2, the countess of Arundel (age 20), and others connected with the royal family, they were greatly shocked, and thought the duke much to blame. They said, "he had sadly disgraced himself by thus marrying his concubine;" and added, that, "since it was so, she would be the second lady in the kingdom, and the queen (age 6) would be dishonourably accompanied by her; but that, for their parts, they would leave her to do the honours alone, for they would never enter any place where she was. They themselves would be disgraced if they suffered such a base-born duchess, who had been the duke's concubine a long time before and during his marriages, to take precedence, and their hearts would burst with grief were it to happen." Those who were the most outrageous on the subject were the [her brother-in-law] duke (age 41) and duchess of Gloucester. They considered the duke of Lancaster as a doating fool for thus marrying his concubine, and declared they would never honour his lady by calling her sister. The [her brother-in-law] duke of York (age 54) made light of the matter, for he lived chiefly with the king and his brother of Lancaster. The duke of Gloucester was of a different way of thinking: although the youngest of the three brothers, he yielded to no man's opinion, was naturally very proud and overbearing, and in opposition to the king's ministers, unless he could turn them as he willed. Catherine Ruet, however, remained duchess of Lancaster, and the second lady in England, as long as she lived. She was a lady accustomed to honours, for she had been brought up at court during her youth, and the duke fondly loved the children he had by her, as he showed during his life and at his death.

Note 1. Froissart mistakes in the number, and Thomas for Henry. According to Sandford, he had four children by Catherine Swynford : — John Beaufort, earl of Somerset, — Henry Beaufort, bishop of Winchester and cardinal of Beaufort, — [her illegitimate son] Thomas Beaufort (age 19), duke of Exeter and earl of Dorset, — [her illegitimate daughter] Joan Beaufort (age 17), countess of Westmoreland. For farther particulars, see Sandford and Dugdale.

Note 2. This reference to the Countess of Derby is confusing. In 1396 the Earl of Derby was [her step-son] Henry (age 28), future King Henry IV, who inherited the title from fhis mother Blanche when she died in 1368. Henry's first wife Mary Bohun had died in 1394, and he marired his second wife Joanna of Navarre Queen Consort England (age 26) in 1403?

On 13 Jan 1396 John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 55) and Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 45) were married at Lincoln Cathedral [Map]. She by marriage Duchess Lancaster. He the son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England.

Before 29 Nov 1396 [her son-in-law] Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland (age 32) and [her illegitimate daughter] Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland (age 17) were married. She by marriage Baroness Neville Raby. She the illegitmate daughter of [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 56) and Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 46). He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

Legitimation of the Beauforts

Parliament Rolls Richard II Jan 1397: Legitimation of Beaufort. 04 Feb 1397. 28. Be it remembered that on Tuesday, the fifteenth day of the parliament [4 February 1397], the chancellor (age 53), by order of the king (age 30), declared that our holy father the pope, in reverence of the most excellent person of the king and his honourable uncle the [her husband] duke of Guyenne and of Lancaster (age 56), and of his blood, has enabled and legitimized my lord [her illegitimate son] John Beaufort (age 24), his brothers [Note. [her illegitimate son] Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 22) and [her illegitimate son] Thomas Beaufort 1st Duke Exeter (age 20)], and his [her illegitimate daughter] sister (age 18). And therefore our lord the king, as sole ruler of his kingdom of England, for the honour of his blood, willed and enabled of his abundant royal power, and legitimized, of his own authority, the said John, his said brothers, and sister. And he also pronounced and published the ability and legitimation, according to the form of the charter of the king made thereon.


29. Which charter was read in full parliament, and delivered to the said duke, father of the said John, and his said brothers and sister; the tenor of which charter follows:

Richard, by the grace of God, king of England and France and lord of Ireland, to our most beloved kinsmen the noble John, knight, Henry, cleric, Thomas, donzel, and our beloved noblewoman Joan Beaufort, lady-in-waiting, our most beloved cousins born of our uncle that noble man John duke of Lancaster, our lieges, greeting and the goodwill of our royal majesty. While inwardly considering how endlessly and with how many honours of parental and sincere affection of our aforementioned uncle and of his mature counsel we are on all sides blessed, we have judged it appropriate and worthy that in consideration of his merits, and in contemplation of the grace of persons, we should endow you, who are resplendent with probity and virtuous life and conduct, and are born of royal stock and divinely marked with many virtues and gifts, with the protection of grace and favour by special prerogative. Thus it is that, yielding to the prayers of our said uncle, your father, we grant to you who, so it is claimed, have suffered such defect of birth, that, notwithstanding this defect, which, together with its various consequences, we wish to be fully included in these presents, you may nevertheless receive all honours, dignities, preferments, estates, degrees, and public and private offices, both perpetual and temporal, and feudal and noble rights, by whatsoever name they are called, such as duchies, lordships, earldoms, baronies, or whatsoever other fiefs they be, whether they be dependent upon or held of us mediately or intermediately, which may be preferred, promoted, elected, taken up and allowed, and received, retained, performed and exercised prudently, freely and lawfully, as if you were born in wedlock, notwithstanding any statutes or customs of our kingdom of England decreed or observed to the contrary; and we dispense you [from this defect] by the tenor of these presents, by the plenitude of our royal power and with the assent of our parliament; and we restore you and each of you to legitimacy.

Murder of Thomas of Woodstock

Around 08 Sep 1397 [her brother-in-law] Thomas of Woodstock 1st Duke of Gloucester (age 42) was murdered in Calais [Map] for his role as leader of the Lords Appellant. Duke Albemarle, Duke Gloucester, Earl Essex forfeit. His son Humphrey Plantagenet 2nd Earl Buckingham (age 16) succeeded 2nd Earl Buckingham.

Walter Clopton was part of the inquiry into his death the outcome of which is not known. A John Hall was executed for the murder.

On 27 Nov 1397 [her illegitimate son] John Beaufort 1st Marquess Somerset and Dorset (age 24) and [her daughter-in-law] Margaret Holland Duchess Clarence (age 12) were married. She by marriage Countess Somerset. She the daughter of Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent and Alice Fitzalan Countess Kent (age 47). He the illegitmate son of [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 57) and Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 47). They were half third cousins. He a grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

Death of John of Gaunt

On 03 Feb 1399 [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 58) died at Leicester Castle [Map]. Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 48) was by his side. He was buried in the Choir of St Paul's Cathedral [Map] with his first wife Blanche Duchess of Lancaster. His son [her step-son] King Henry IV of England (age 31) succeeded 2nd Duke Lancaster, 7th Earl of Leicester.

King Richard II of England (age 32) witheld the future Henry IV's inheritance from him giving Henry reason to return to England to claim his lands and titles.

On 10 May 1403 Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 52) died. She was buried in Lincoln Cathedral [Map].

After 20 May 1475. St Mary's Church, Ewelme [Map]. Monument to Alice Chaucer Duchess Suffolk (deceased). Wrist Garter. The effigy was, apparently, viewed to determine how a lady should wear the garter at the re-commencement of Lady of the Garter appointments in 1901 after a gap of several hundred years. A particularly fine Cadaver Underneath the chest on which Alice's effigy lies. Full-length in a shroud. Chest with Angels with Rounded Wings holding Shields.

Detail of the South Side of the Monument to Alice Chaucer Duchess Suffolk.

1 Roet Arms impaled Chaucer Modern Arms. Alice's paternal grandparents.

2 De La Pole Arms impaled Stafford Arms. Her third husbands parents Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk and Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk.

3 Montacute and Monthermer Arms impaled Francis? Possibly Alice's second husband's parents John Montagu 3rd Earl Salisbury and Maud Francis Countess of Salisbury.

4 De La Pole Arms quartered Chaucer Modern Arms.

5 Roet Arms quartered Chaucer Modern Arms.

6 Chaucer Modern Arms.

7 De La Pole Arms.

8 De La Pole Arms impaled England Henry IV Arms signifying Alice's son John's marriage to [her great granddaughter] Elizabeth of York sister of [her great grandson] King Edward IV of England.

Detail of the North Side of the monument to Alice Chaucer Duchess Suffolk. Arms from left to right ...

1 De La Pole Arms quartered Chaucer Modern Arms impaled Unknown.

2 De La Pole Arms impaled Chaucer Modern Arms. Her third husband William "Jackanapes" de la Pole 1st Duke of Suffolk.

3 De La Pole Arms quarted Chaucer Modern Arms. Alice's son John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk by her second husband William "Jackanapes" de la Pole 1st Duke of Suffolk.

4 Chaucer Modern Arms.

5 Montacute and Monthermer Arms quartering impaled Chaucer. Alice's second husband Thomas Montagu 1st Count Perche 4th Earl Salisbury.

6 Roet Arms. Alice's paternal grandmother [her sister] Philippa Roet.

7 England Henry IV Arms impaling Roet Arms probably signifying [her former husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster and Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster, Katherine being the sister of Alice's paternal grandmother Philippa Roet who married Geoffrey Chaucer.

8 Roet Arms impaling Chaucer Modern Arms. Her paternal grandparents Geoffrey Chaucer and Philippa Roet.

Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk: Around 1376 she was born to Hugh Stafford 2nd Earl Stafford and Philippa Beauchamp Countess Stafford. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward I of England. Before 1394 Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk and she were married. She by marriage Countess Suffolk. She the daughter of Hugh Stafford 2nd Earl Stafford and Philippa Beauchamp Countess Stafford. He the son of Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk and Katherine Wingfield Countess Suffolk. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward I of England. On 08 Apr 1419 Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk died.

Philippa Roet: Around 1346 she was born to Giles "Payne" Roet. Before 1367 Geoffrey Chaucer and she were married at St Mary de Castro Leicester, Leicestershire. Excerpta Historica Page 152. Philippa, his eldest daughter, is stated to have been the maid of honour to Philippa Queen of Edward the Third who by the name of "Philippa Pycard" obtained a grant of one hundred shillings per annum on the 20th January 1370, and married Geoffrey Chaucer, to whom, in consequence, it is supposed, of this connexion, the Duke of Lancaster granted the Castle of Dodington. Of John of Gaunt's connexion with Chaucer, however, no proof has been found; and the circumstance of the lady assigned to him for his wife being styled "Philippa Pycard," instead of Roelt, renders the assertion, that she was the sister of the Duchess of Lancaster, extremely doubtful. Around 1387 Philippa Roet died.

Excerpta Historica Page 152. Issue Of Katherine De Roelt. Wife Of Sir Hugh Swynford, And Afterwards Of John of Gaunt Duke Of Lancaster.

Letters Patent Of King Henry The Fourth Certifying The Legitimacy Of Sir Thomas Swynford; With Notices Of The Swynford Family.

Every one is aware that John of Gaunt, "time-honoured Lancaster," formed an illicit connection with Katherine, the widow of Sir Hugh Swynford, and daughter and coheiress of Sir [her father] Payne Roet, Knight, a native of Hainault, and Guienne King of Arms, and that he subsequently married her.

This lady had been governess of the Duke's daughters by his first wife, when his attachment to her, perhaps, commenced. In March 1377, Lady Swynford obtained a confirmation from Edward the Third of a grant from the Duke of Lancaster, of the manors of Gryngelley and Wheteley for life.1 On the 27th December, 3 Ric. II. 1379, the Duke granted her the wardship of the heir of Bertram de Sanneby, "pour le bone et greable service quelle nostre treschier et bien amee Dame Katherine Swynford, Maistresse de noz tresames filles Philipe et Elizabeth de Lancastre, ad fait a nos dittes filles;" and in September, 5 Ric. II. 1381, he gave her an annuity of two hundred marks, payable out of his honor of Tickhill.2 The Duke's second wife Constance, daughter and heiress of Peter, King of Castile and Leon, died in 1394; and two years afterwards, namely, on the 13th January 1396, being then about the age of fifty-four, he married Lady Swynford at Lincoln, to the great displeasure of the Duchess of Gloucester and other ladies of the blood royal.3 As Lady Swynford was then upwards of forty, and had been the Duke's mistress above twenty years, it may be inferred, that gratitude and conscientious motives were his only inducements for making her his wife. The Duke of Lancaster had by her, before his marriage, four children, who were surnamed Beaufort, from being born in Beaufort Castle in France: namely, [her illegitimate son] John, who became Earl and Marquess of Somerset; [her illegitimate son] Henry, Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal of England; [her illegitimate son] Thomas, Duke of Exeter;4 and [her illegitimate daughter] Joan, who married Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland. All these children obtained letters of legitimation from Richard the Second, in February 1397, which was preceded by a similar act by the Pope. The King's patent for the purpose was read in the Parliament then sitting at Westminster;5 and the proceeding was ratified and confirmed by its authority. On the same occasion, Sir John Beaufort was created Earl of Somerset to hold to him and the heirs male of his body.6

Note 1. Fœdera, vii. 140.

Note 2. Sandford's Genealogical History, ed. 1707, p. 253.

Note 3. Ibid. and Dugdale's Baronage, ii. 119.

Note 4. He was buried at Bury St. Edmund's, and on the 20th of February 1772, his corpse being accidentally discovered, the coffin was sold as old lead, and his remains shamefully exposed.

Note 5. Rot. Parl. iii. p. 343a.

Note 6. Rot. Parl. iii. p. 343.

Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

Royal Descendants of Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403

Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland

King Edward IV of England

King Richard III of England

Anne Neville Queen Consort England

King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Catherine Parr Queen Consort England

Jane Grey I Queen England and Ireland

George Wharton

Brigadier-General Charles FitzClarence

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Queen Consort Camilla Shand

Diana Spencer Princess Wales

Catherine Middleton Princess of Wales