Family Card - Person Sheet
Family Card - Person Sheet
NameKatherine de ROET, 19G Grandmother
Birth25 Nov 1350
Death10 May 1403, Lincoln, Lincolnshire
BurialLincoln Cathedral
FatherSir Payne de ROET (~1310-1380)
Spouses
1John Of Gaunt Duke Of Lancaster, 19G Grandfather
Birth6 Mar 1340, St. Bavons Abbey, Ghent, Flanders
Death3 Feb 1399, Leicester Castle, Leicestershire
Burial15 Mar 1399, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, England
FatherEdward III King Of England (1312-1377)
MotherPhilippa Of Hainault Queen of England (1314-1369)
Marriage13 Jan 1396
Notes for Katherine de ROET
Her first husband was Sir Otes Swynford, from the manor of Kettlethorpe in Lincolnshire. Thus she was known as Katherine Swynford-Roet. Her first husband was a knight in service to John of Gaunt.
She became governess to 2 daughters of John of Gaunt.
Mistress of John during his marriage to Constance and later his 3rd wife.
After John of Gaunt’s death she was known as the dowager Duchess of Lancaster.
Internet Sources
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Swynford
From Caylus
She was his mistress for 25 years while he was married to someone else, bore him four illegitimate children—and then he married her anyway, making her a duchess and her descendants the Tudor dynasty.
England, 1396. John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the richest and most powerful nobleman in England, uncle to the king, stood before witnesses and married his mistress.
Not a young mistress. Not a political alliance. His longtime lover—a woman he'd been with for over two decades while married to someone else.
Katherine Swynford was about 46 years old. She'd been John's mistress since her twenties. She'd borne him four children. She'd been publicly denounced, called a witch and a whore, blamed for corrupting one of England's most powerful men. And now he was making her his wife. His duchess. One of the highest-ranking noblewomen in England.
Katherine came to England as a child, probably around 1360, when her father, Paon de Roet—a minor knight and herald—followed Queen Philippa to the English court. Katherine and her sister Philippa (later the poet Geoffrey Chaucer’s wife) were raised in the queen’s household, well-educated for girls of minor nobility. Katherine married Hugh Swynford, a knight serving John of Gaunt, around 1366.
John of Gaunt, King Edward III’s third surviving son, had married Blanche of Lancaster in 1359. After Blanche died in 1368—likely of plague—Katherine became close to John, caring for his children and grieving with him. By 1371, they were lovers, even though John married again that year—this time Constance of Castile for political gain. Katherine’s husband died around 1372, leaving her a widow. John provided for her, but she remained his mistress, openly acknowledged at court along with their four children, the Beauforts: John, Henry, Thomas, and Joan, born between 1373 and 1379.
Their affair scandalized England. Moralists denounced it. During the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, rebels even called for Katherine to be burned as a witch. Under pressure, John ended the relationship, and Katherine left for thirteen years.
After Constance died in 1394, John married Katherine in 1396. Suddenly, Katherine Swynford, former governess and mistress, became Duchess of Lancaster. Their children were legitimized in 1397 by King Richard II, though barred from royal succession.
John died in 1399, but Katherine lived as duchess until her death in 1403. The Beaufort children rose to power: John Beaufort became Earl of Somerset, Henry a cardinal, Thomas Duke of Exeter, Joan married Scottish royalty. John Beaufort’s granddaughter Margaret Beaufort gave birth to Henry Tudor in 1457, founding the Tudor dynasty.
Katherine Swynford endured scandal, illegitimacy, and public condemnation—and emerged as duchess, matriarch of kings and queens. She transformed her scandalous life into respectability and left a legacy that shaped English history.
She became governess to 2 daughters of John of Gaunt.
Mistress of John during his marriage to Constance and later his 3rd wife.
After John of Gaunt’s death she was known as the dowager Duchess of Lancaster.
Internet Sources
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Swynford
From Caylus
She was his mistress for 25 years while he was married to someone else, bore him four illegitimate children—and then he married her anyway, making her a duchess and her descendants the Tudor dynasty.
England, 1396. John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the richest and most powerful nobleman in England, uncle to the king, stood before witnesses and married his mistress.
Not a young mistress. Not a political alliance. His longtime lover—a woman he'd been with for over two decades while married to someone else.
Katherine Swynford was about 46 years old. She'd been John's mistress since her twenties. She'd borne him four children. She'd been publicly denounced, called a witch and a whore, blamed for corrupting one of England's most powerful men. And now he was making her his wife. His duchess. One of the highest-ranking noblewomen in England.
Katherine came to England as a child, probably around 1360, when her father, Paon de Roet—a minor knight and herald—followed Queen Philippa to the English court. Katherine and her sister Philippa (later the poet Geoffrey Chaucer’s wife) were raised in the queen’s household, well-educated for girls of minor nobility. Katherine married Hugh Swynford, a knight serving John of Gaunt, around 1366.
John of Gaunt, King Edward III’s third surviving son, had married Blanche of Lancaster in 1359. After Blanche died in 1368—likely of plague—Katherine became close to John, caring for his children and grieving with him. By 1371, they were lovers, even though John married again that year—this time Constance of Castile for political gain. Katherine’s husband died around 1372, leaving her a widow. John provided for her, but she remained his mistress, openly acknowledged at court along with their four children, the Beauforts: John, Henry, Thomas, and Joan, born between 1373 and 1379.
Their affair scandalized England. Moralists denounced it. During the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, rebels even called for Katherine to be burned as a witch. Under pressure, John ended the relationship, and Katherine left for thirteen years.
After Constance died in 1394, John married Katherine in 1396. Suddenly, Katherine Swynford, former governess and mistress, became Duchess of Lancaster. Their children were legitimized in 1397 by King Richard II, though barred from royal succession.
John died in 1399, but Katherine lived as duchess until her death in 1403. The Beaufort children rose to power: John Beaufort became Earl of Somerset, Henry a cardinal, Thomas Duke of Exeter, Joan married Scottish royalty. John Beaufort’s granddaughter Margaret Beaufort gave birth to Henry Tudor in 1457, founding the Tudor dynasty.
Katherine Swynford endured scandal, illegitimacy, and public condemnation—and emerged as duchess, matriarch of kings and queens. She transformed her scandalous life into respectability and left a legacy that shaped English history.
Notes for John Of Gaunt (Spouse 1)
One of the richest men in England. Politically influential.
Patron and close friend of Geoffrey Chaucer. John’s mistress Katherine was sister to Chaucer’s wife Phillipa.
Earl of Richmond.
Earl of Derby, Lincoln. Duke of Aquitaine. Lord of Beaufort & Nogent.
Burke says he died at Ely House, Holborn
Claimant to the King of Castile & Leon. Lord of Bergerac & Roche-sur-Yon.
The Complete Peerage vol.VII,pp.410-416 & vol.XIV,p.421.
Internet Sources
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Gaunt
Patron and close friend of Geoffrey Chaucer. John’s mistress Katherine was sister to Chaucer’s wife Phillipa.
Earl of Richmond.
Earl of Derby, Lincoln. Duke of Aquitaine. Lord of Beaufort & Nogent.
Burke says he died at Ely House, Holborn
Claimant to the King of Castile & Leon. Lord of Bergerac & Roche-sur-Yon.
The Complete Peerage vol.VII,pp.410-416 & vol.XIV,p.421.
Internet Sources
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Gaunt