France's Catherine de Valois, King Henry V of England and Owen Tudor

French Princess Catherine de Valois

Catherine de Valois, less often referred to as Catherine of France, was the tenth of twelve children born to France's King Charles VI, "The Beloved," later "The Mad," and Isabeau of Bavaria.

She was born on 27th October 1401 in Paris. The king and queen's children were neglected. The king suffered from a mental health crisis; at times, he believed that he was made of glass and would shatter if anyone touched him, so he was a remote figure. Isabeau was disinterested in her royal offspring.

Henry V Overpowers France to Win Catherine and a Crown

Twenty-six-year-old King Henry V of England became ruler when his father, Henry IV, died on 21st March 1413. This son of the House of Lancaster continued the negotiations that Henry IV had initiated with France for a marriage with Catherine de Valois.

Earlier petitions for Henry, then Prince of Wales, to marry England's murdered king Richard II's widow Isabella (Catherine de Valois' older sister) had been rejected by France. Henry IV had also been unable to secure a match for Henry with Catherine of Pomerania. However, Henry's sister Philippa married Catherine's brother Eric of Pomerania in 1405.

War with France was swift to follow Henry V's demands for huge tracts of French land, the formerly English-held Normandy and Aquitaine, plus a monumental dowry of 2 million crowns to marry Catherine de Valois. The French baulked at this, and Henry responded with military action. It was said that Catherine de Valois was rather pleased that she was worth fighting over.

It took seven years of bloodshed and the signing of the Treaty of Troyes to secure the union and France. The treaty guaranteed that Henry V and his heirs would inherit the French crown after Charles VI's death. The dowry was reduced to 600000 crowns.

Henry V and Catherine's Short Marriage

Henry and Catherine were married on 2nd June 1420 at Troyes Cathedral. The couple spent the first months of their marriage on the battlefield, subduing French resistance to the treaty before they proceeded to England. Catherine was crowned at Westminster Abbey, London, on 23rd February 1421.

She gave birth to the future King Henry VI on 6th December 1421 at Windsor Castle. Henry V was in France at the time, and he had implored her not to have their child at the castle because he was superstitious. When he learned of his son's birthplace, it seemed that he could see into the future: "I, Henry born at Monmouth shall have a small time reign and much get but Henry born at Windsor shall long reign and lose all."

Nine months later, Catherine was with Henry V and his armies in France when he was struck down by dysentery (or perhaps smallpox.) Henry V passed away on 31st August 1422. The hero of the 1415 Battle of Agincourt was succeeded by his baby son.

Abiding by Henry V's deathbed instructions, Henry VI's regent, the man who ruled in his stead, was his paternal uncle John, the Duke of Bedford, and in his absence, another uncle Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, took up the reins of power. Catherine returned to England a 21-year-old widow and queen dowager.

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Catherine, Queen Dowager

Catherine's brother Charles proclaimed himself King Charles VII of France ignoring the Treaty of Troyes terms. In the subsequent battles with English armies, it was Charles and his troops who were victorious.

Although the monarchs of England prior to 1801 referred to themselves as the rulers of France, the crown was lost when Henry VI was probably napping in his cradle.

England's parliament realised that Catherine would be highly sought after as a bride so they passed an act that stated the queen dowager could only marry with the consent of the king (who needed to reach maturity), or as a punishment, her husband would lose his lands and property. Henry was six years old when the act was passed.

Catherine took a lover named Owen Tudor, in Welsh Owain ap Maredudd ap Tudor, who was a courtier and soldier. There has long been debate about whether the couple should get married. There is no proof that they did, and it would have been illegal without Henry VI's consent if they had done so.

They had at least six children, including Edmund Tudor, the father of King Henry VII of England. Several European royal houses have de Valois and Tudor ancestry. Another son Jasper had an illegitimate daughter named Joan, who was an ancestor of Oliver Cromwell, the scourge of the Stuart monarchy.

Catherine Dies and Henry VI Loses His Throne

Shortly after giving birth to a short-lived daughter at new year 1437, Catherine fell ill. She died at the Abbey of St. Saviour, Bermondsey, London, on 3rd January 1437. She was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Edmund and Jasper Tudor were raised by Katherine de la Pole, Abbess of Barking. She was the sister of William de la Pole, 1st Earl of Suffolk. He urged Henry VI to spend time with his half-brothers. Henry awarded them the earldoms of Richmond and Pembroke and proclaimed that there was no need to legitimise them as he recognised them as his blood relatives.

The Wars of the Roses almost destroyed England. Henry VI was ousted by the House of York ruler King Edward IV in 1461. Sixty-year-old Owen Tudor was slain as he led a Lancastrian army in battle in February 1461.

Catherine's Grandson Henry Tudor, King Henry VII of England

Henry VI and Edward IV fought, won and lost the throne over the next decade, but Henry was finally deposed and died, probably murdered, in the Tower of London in May 1471. His father had been correct when he said that Henry VI would have a long reign and lose all.

After Edward IV's death and the mysterious disappearance of Edward's sons Edward V and Prince Richard, it was their uncle King Richard III who ruled for two stormy years between 1483-1485. He was killed at the Battle of Bosworth on 22nd August 1485, and Catherine de Valois' grandson Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, became King Henry VII of England. The Tudors ruled for the next 118 years.

Sources

• Catherine of Valois (1401-1437) - The Tudor Society
  
• Catherine of Valois | Biography & Facts | Britannica
  
• Catherine of Valois, Queen of England | Unofficial Royalty
  

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2023 Joanne Hayle