Katherine of Lancaster

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[1]

Katherine of Lancaster (also known as Katherine Plantagenet and as Queen Catalina of Castile and Leon) (1372-1418) – was the daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his second wife, Constance of Castile who was the daughter and rightful heir of Pedro I of Castille, who died at the hands of his half brother Enrique II. She was born in Hertford Castle, her father's chief country home.

In 1386, Katherine and her sisters joined their father and mother in an expedition to Castile to gain John's rights to it's throne.John had ruled Santiago with ease, but in 1387 had to withdraw to Portugual because of an unsuccessful invasion of Leon. It was then that he accepted the proposal of King Juan, Enrique's son, that Katherine should marry his son (Enrique III) and that his wife should renounce all claims. A final treaty in regards to this proposal was ratified at Bayonne in Gascony on July 8, 1388. The marriage helped to restore a semblance of legitimacy to the Trastamara line.


On August 5, 1388 Katherine announced that she entered into the marriage freely and fully accepted the treaty. The treaty had included a dower of the towns of Soria, Almazan, Atienza, Deza, and Molina. In September of 1930 Katherine accepted the authority of the Avignon papacy and became a staunch supporter. By September 17, 1388 Katherine was married to the nine-year-old Enrique in Palencia Cathedral.Her husband took over the throne in 1390 and began to rule in 1393. Katherine's only contribution to Enrique's rule was the bearing of his three children and her devotion to the religous patronage of the Dominicans.

The couple's three children:

Enrique III died in 1406 and according to his will, his widow Catherine and his brother Ferdinand I of Aragon were to be joint regents during Juan's minority, but the custody of his son was given to two nobles, Diego Lopez de Stuniga and Juan Fernandez de Valasco. Katherine prepared to defend herself and her household due to the fact that she was not willing to relinquish her son. Fernando was eventually able to make a deal that allowed Katherine to maintain custody of her son.

Fernando ordered Mudejars (peasants, carpenters, seaman, and shipbuilders) to wear a symbol; a blue moon on their clothing. They were not allowed to leave their home. They were not allowed to work or trade, as well as the Jewish, with Christians. They were under the mercy of the Christians. This was an attempt by Juan II to suppress religious minority and with the interferance of Queen Catalina, this attempt only lasted until her death and tensions between the regents led to a division of rule. The royal council awarded Katherine control over the Northern kingdoms of Castille and Leon.

Katherine became increasingly involved in the wars in the south, Castile's alliance with France suffered and Katherine was able to strengthen her relations with Portugual (where her half-sister Philippa was queen)and with England. Her international policies were prosperous to the Castilian communities, but her co-regents were a drain on it. When Fernando died in 1416 Katherine's authority was reduced due to the fact that his rivals no longer supported her. The governmnet became very conciliar, Katherine, sickly due to a stroke, relinquished the custody of her son.

There is one vivid account of Katherine towards the end of her life recorded by Fernan Perez de Guzman. It alludes to the fact that she probably inherited physical characteristics from her father, and that she was a sickly woman. He describes her as being very tall and fat, pink with white in her complexion and fair. He states that she moved as though she was a man. He also says that she was virtuous and reserved in both her person and her reputation. She was said to be generous and magnificent in her ways, although she did play favorites and was greatly influenced by them. Despite her "favorites", she was twice as likely to banish women from her household.

Queen Catherine died at Valladolid on June 2, 1418 of a stroke, possibly precipitated by her great obesity, leaving her thirteen year-old son at the mercy of self-interested courtiers. She is burried with her husband in the capilla de los reyes nuevos in Toledo Cathedral. Her monumental effigy shows her with a long face and a highly arched forehead. She is the namesake of her great granddaughter Katherine of Aragon, first of the six wives of Henry VIII of England.

Katherine of Lancaster
Katherine of Lancaster

[edit] Ancestors

Katherine's ancestors in three generations

 
 
 
 
 Edward II of England
 
 
 Edward III of England
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Isabella of France
 
 
 John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Willem I, Count of Hainaut
 
 
 Philippa of Hainault
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Jeanne of Valois
 
Katherine of Lancaster[2]
 
 
 
 
 
 Alfonso XI of Castile
 
 
 Pedro I of Castile
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Maria of Portugal
 
 
 Constance of Castile
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Juan García de Padilla
 
 
 María de Padilla
 
 
 
 
 
 
 María Fernández de Henestrosa
 


[edit] References

  1. ^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  2. ^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Spanish royalty
Preceded by
Beatrice of Portugal		 Queen consort of Castile and Leon
1393–1406		 Succeeded by
Maria of Aragon
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
Constance		 — TITULAR —
 Queen regnant of Castile
1369–1394
Reason for succession failure:
Katherine's great-uncle, Henry II of Castile, seized the throne		 Succeeded by
John II
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_of_Lancaster"
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