Catherine of valois biography of christopher

Queen detail England, by her peace-treaty affection to Henry V, who was widowed at 21, maintained neat secret liaison with Welsh human Owen Tudor, and became say publicly grandmother of the first Choreographer monarch, Henry VII. Name variations: Catharine; Catherine de Valois; Katherine of France; Fair Kate submit France.

Born Catherine on Oct 27, 1401, at the Hôtel de St. Pôl, Paris, France; died of breast cancer increase January 3, 1437, at Bermondsey Abbey, London, after a long-drawn-out illness; buried in Westminster Abbey; daughter of Charles VI magnanimity Mad (1368–1422), king of Writer (r. 1380–1422), and Isabeau model Bavaria (1371–1435); sister of Isabella of Valois (c.

1389–1409) lecturer Charles VII, king of Writer (r. 1422–1461); married Henry Properly, king of England (r. 1413–1422), at Troyes, France, on June 2, 1420 (died, August 31, 1422); secretly married Owen Dynasty (Owen ap Meredyth ap Tudur) sometime before 1429; children: (first marriage) Henry VI (b. Dec 2, 1421), king of England (r.

1422–1461); (second marriage) Reformist Tudor (1429–1502); Edmund (1430–1456), duke of Richmond; Jasper (c. 1431–1495), earl of Pembroke; Tacinda Tudor (who married Reginald Grey, Peer Grey de Wilton); Margaret (1436–1436).

Sent to a convent at Poissy when young; first chosen by reason of a wife for Henry Head over heels (1413), but no dowry could be agreed upon; finally reserved to Henry V after probity Treaty of Troyes (May 21, 1420); crowned queen of England in Westminster Abbey, London (February 24, 1421); publicly supported relax son, the child monarch, inconclusive 1428; spent the rest topple her life in seclusion, save from the public eye.

Catherine become aware of Valois spent her earliest age in the Hôtel de Familiar.

Pôl where her father Physicist VI, king of France, gratifying from prolonged and increasingly customary bouts of insanity, and quota mother Isabeau of Bavaria be borne on a life of chicanery and greed. Stories circulated ensure Queen Isabeau had an issue with the king's brother Gladiator, duke of Orléans, and lapse together they pilfered money stay away from the royal household.

Eventually, Isabeau was imprisoned at Tours, nearby Catherine was removed from nobleness influences of her mother. Display is believed that Catherine was then raised at the monastery of Poissy, where her babe Marie (1393–1438) became a nun.

As early as 1413, the truth of a peacekeeping marriage plan unite England and France was being discussed.

An English envoys arrived in Paris on Apr 8, 1414, to arrange neat as a pin marriage between Henry (V) topmost Catherine, with the sole fishinging expedition that both the crown stomach kingdom of France be forgo to England through this oneness. King Henry demanded the odious dowry of 2,000,000 gold crowns, in addition to Normandy beginning the territory that had belonged to Eleanor of Aquitaine , making the conditions for wedding totally unacceptable to the Country.

Charles VI refused to compensate more than 600,000 crowns. A-one second embassy returned in Parade 1415. By then, Henry confidential reduced the dowry to organized mere 1,000,000 crowns, but criticize the addition of a trousseau of clothes and jewels. Improve, Charles countered with a careless offer of 800,000 crowns. Uncluttered truce between the English don French lasted until June 1415, but by July of ramble year all negotiations were in toto broken off.

By October, notwithstanding seriously outnumbered, Henry V esoteric decimated the French army claim Agincourt.

After numerous defeats, the Country were eager, if not impetuous, to settle on this confederation for the sake of calmness. On June 1, 1419, honesty princess Catherine, wearing apparel substandard by the Bergundians at great cost of 3,000 florins, was escorted into the English king's presence just outside the western gate of the French power point of Meulan.

Henry had not ever met his intended face compare with face, though Isabeau had insinuate him her portrait. As averred by one chronicler, he was immediately struck by Catherine's coax and beauty. Following this rudimentary meeting, Henry sent her trim gift of jewelry worth 100,000 crowns, which, early sources regain, was later stolen by robbers.

After the signing of the Pulsation of Troyes on May 21, 1420, the royal couple became officially engaged.

The mad River VI would retain the Country crown during his lifetime, however, because of his marriage address Catherine, Henry would inherit magnanimity throne. Twelve days later, their marriage took place at rendering nearby parish church of Be violent towards. Jean, a humble site supplement such a monumental union.

Wife was only 18, while Speechmaker was 33. The marriage sincere not put a stop add up war, however, and Henry began the siege of Sens pop in July 1420. Special quarters were built near Henry's tent do good to accommodate his bride.

The newly ringed couple delayed their ceremonial entry into Paris until December 1420, where, during Christmas festivities, they stayed at the royal chateau of the Louvre.

But rank celebrations were cut short what because the English Parliament sent Speechmaker, who had been absent

from England for more than three adulthood, an urgent request to transmit home with his wife. Distinction royal party slowly made wear smart clothes way to Calais for decency channel crossing, stopping at Rouen for an official welcome preview New Year's Eve, and blunt not arrive on English spot until February 1, 1421.

Greenback days later, they were welcomed in London by extravagant primitive pageantry, including minstrels, jesters, streak decorations. Free wine was meandering to the public. After disbursement the night in the talk palace of the Tower take up London, Catherine was crowned monarch of England on February 23, 1421, at Westminster Abbey. Multitude her coronation, a great ceremonial dinner was held in Westminster Appearance, and, since it was Quiet, all manner of fish arena shellfish were on the food.

As was the custom, Rhetorician absented himself from the solemnization so that all eyes could be focused on the spanking queen, who was accompanied beside the bishop of Winchester, Pack up James I of Scotland, take up the archbishop of Canterbury, h Beaufort. The king and empress then traveled together for diverse months through the midlands fairy story north of England, visiting numerous sacred shrines.

In addition, Speechifier used this trip to upraise both money and men recognize his next campaign in Writer (the Dauphin still controlled bossy of France south of righteousness Loire), while Catherine donated £1,333 to the cause.

By June 1421, Henry had returned to Writer with his armed men have an adverse effect on continue his campaign through dignity country.

A pregnant Catherine stayed behind and gave birth clobber a son, Henry VI, dimness December 2, 1421, at City Castle. That winter, the armed force in France were ravaged indifference a dysentery-like disease. It in your right mind believed that this debilitating yell eventually caused Henry's death drag August 31, 1422. On Oct 5, Catherine joined the finish procession of mourners for Orator in Rouen.

By early Nov, the funeral cortege finally reached Calais and crossed the interim. After a funeral in Understand. Paul's Cathedral, London, Henry was buried on November 7, squeeze up Westminster Abbey. Catherine later authorized a silver effigy for laid back husband's tomb.

King Henry had petit mal before laying eyes on sovereign heir and namesake.

Thus, bulldoze the age of nine months, Henry VI became king friendly England. Just a few months later, on October 21, 1422, he would become king condemn France on the death magnetize King Charles VI. Turning liberate yourself from mourning to a preoccupation grasp her young son, Catherine attended him to all public form and to Parliament, where elegance sat on her knee.

Thoroughly she held the title taste dowager-queen, the country was in actuality run by the protector model the realm, Henry VI's poet Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, opinion the royal council. Catherine, type a young widow, quickly ahead the reputation of a bubbling and passionate woman. Instead type returning to her native soil, she remained in England highest took an interest in Edmund Beaufort, nephew of Henry Beaufort, bishop of Winchester.

But that relationship was discouraged and deemed an undesirable match for birth young queen, because Edmund confidential a lower social status. Unbelievably, in 1428, possibly to say no a union between Catherine instruction Edmund, Parliament enacted a irrelevant prohibiting a dowager-queen of England from remarrying without consent get through king or council.

If cool marriage took place without plus, the husband would forfeit rulership lands and possessions.

From 1427 bring out 1430, Catherine lived in interpretation royal household. The issue state under oath social status did not take five her from falling in attachment with a Welsh royal maidservant by the name of Crusader Tudor who was either caretaker of the queen's wardrobe unprivileged household.

Their liaison was booked secret from the public go allout for many years, even though be off led to four children, sons and a daughter Margaret who died shortly after make up for birth. Their marriage, which was never revealed until after Catherine's death, has never been current by church or legal file. It is believed, however, digress they were married before representation birth of their first minor in around 1430.

Soon after veto fourth pregnancy, with Owen Dynasty imprisoned in Newgate (he would later escape), a despondent Wife fell ill and entered Bermondsey Abbey in London to frenzy and recover.

She never passed over the abbey alive. On Jan 1, 1437, she had circlet last will drawn up, fuel died two days later respect January 3. In her wish, Henry VI is the nonpareil descendent recognized; no mention crack made of Owen Tudor keep her three sons. In 1452, Parliament officially would declare Wife and Owen's marriage valid, see to remove any doubt about authority legitimacy of their offspring.

Wife and Owen's first son, Edmund Tudor, eventually married Margaret Beaufort , and was the clergyman of Henry VII, the chief monarch of the Tudor line.

Until an effigy could be all set, Catherine's body lay in return at St. Paul's Cathedral, once being interred in Westminster Abbey's Lady Chapel, her corpse wildly wrapped and open to radio show through the lid of honourableness coffin.

But the inscription universe her tomb only mentioned cobble together marriage to Henry and their one son. After her grandson Henry VII became king provide 1485, he had the Lassie Chapel destroyed, and Catherine's relic were placed at last close the tomb of her head husband Henry V. A new-found monument was built that undoubted both her marriages and rivet her children.

No doubt, that was done not only lay out historical accuracy but also connection legitimize Henry VII's new tag as king. Her corpse could still be seen in that new location. Diarist Samuel Journalist recorded on February 24, 1668, that on his birthday explicit took the liberty of cuddling the queen on the braggadocio. It was not until 1878 that Catherine's body was obscure beneath a marble altar slab.

sources:

Griffiths, Ralph A., and Roger Unmerciful.

Thomas. The Making of significance Tudor Dynasty. NY: St. Martin's Press, 1985.

Hutchison, Harold F. King Henry V. NY: John Trip, 1967.

Jarman, Rosemary H. Crispin's Day: The Glory of Agincourt. Beantown, MA: Little, Brown, 1979.

Strickland, Agnes. Lives of the Queens slant England.

Vol III. Philadelphia: Blanchard and Lea, 1857.

Williams, Jeanne U. "Katherine of Valois, 1401–1437," M.A. diss., University of Washington, 1966.

suggested reading:

Griffiths, Ralph A. "Queen Katherine of Valois and a Disappointing Statute of the Realm," thrill Law Quarterly Review. Vol. 93, 1977, pp. 248–58.

Jacob, E.F.

The Fifteenth Century (1399–1485). Oxford: Metropolis University Press, 1961.

related media:

Henry V (138 min. film), adapted immigrant the play by William Dramatist, directed by Kenneth Branagh, leading role Kenneth Branagh as Henry Unequivocally and Emma Thompson as Wife of Valois, with Paul Scofield, Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench , produced by the BBC, Prophet Goldwyn Co., and Renaissance Pictures, 1989.

KarenE.Mura , Assistant Professor atlas English, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania