The New Murrey and Blue blog

Here they are again, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and Katherine de Roët/Swynford, the mistress who became his third duchess and thereby caused a storm throughout society nd history. A storm that still reverberates today, because it’s from John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster that the House of Lancaster descends, and from both of them came the House of Beaufort.

John and Katherine were dead by the time his son Henry stole the crown from and murdered his first cousin Richard II, thus undoubtedly instigated the Wars of the Roses. Even so, as far as I’m concerned, the famous lovers are definitely to be boo-hissed!

But there’s no doubt that theirs was an astonishing story, and love must have been involved. However, why did they bother to marry? After all, it was a little late and there was a tell-tale clutch of Beauforts by then.

John’s legitimate but murderous son and heir, Henry IV, wasn’t that amused. I don’t think he begrudged them marrying exactly, just the fact that they also managed to have their brood legitimised. That raised the Beauforts a little too close for Henry’s comfort. After all, usurpers can be usurped, right?

Well, that’s my opinion because Henry tried to make darned sure the Beauforts, legitimate or not, were excluded from the succession. Henry was long gone when his ploy failed ultimately and the offspring of a certain Beaufort named Margaret Beaufort usurped the throne of the legitimate king Richard III, becoming Henry VII, i.e. the Weasel we all know and love. Well, there was already one usurping Henry in the family, so two made a nice pair for the mantelshelf. Right?