Hunting the Swallow (Hand in Hand Chronicles)

Afterword/References

Owen Tudor has often been the subject of romantic speculation, due to his and Queen Catherine's unconventional relationship. I choose to set this after her death, in that I find his relationship with his step son, interesting in and of itself. Facts are somewhat scant as Owen isn't noble so his movements are hazy at best. That said all dates and movements and locations are as accurate as possible. Here is what we do know.

Owen Tudor was born in 1402 about, so he is Queen Catherine's age.

At some point he becomes a part of King Henry V's household, his father was likely killed at Aberstywyth, though even that is not certain (nor is it clear why he'd wind up working for the man who killed his father). Likely he would have started work at the palace at age 10, probably in 1413 or so when Henry V started hiring Welshmen.
Most accounts date him as being knighted at Agincourt, and serving as a squire in the king's household, later serving in Normandy, however that is based off the fact that an Owain ap Merdith, did those things. Our Owen Tudor is named Owain ap Maredudd, a completely different name, and therefore potentially not the same person (though it could be a clerical error). In all likelihood, our Owen Tudor was in fact a tailor, keeping the king's wardrobe and then the Dowager Queens.
It's unclear when he met Catherine, though he was in her service by the mid 1420s. Thats not unusual—plenty of people were in her service.
By 1429 Catherine only showed up to court for holidays and such, then scarcely even that.
Come 1436, Catherine is dying, she goes to an abby and summons Henry VI, but it's unclear if he made it in time or not. Her will only states he is to settle her affairs. This is singuarly odd given the following.
Owen Tudor, presumably personally, drops Edmund of Hadham, and Jasper of Hatfield, off at an abby, with no instructions. Then he proceeds directly towards Wales.
Henry VI has Jasper and Edmund picked up and moved to Catherine de la Pole, for care. This is completely common with motherless children and Henry VI was lacking in close female relatives. It shows no real lack of attachment it was just pragmatic for the fifteen year old king who had no nursery established. He would pay substantially for their care including giving them each a servant, and giving de la Pole a good deal of wine (perhaps the little boys were a bit naughty!). He would continue to pay for their care there till 1442, when it stops and notes for payments for lessons and such appear at court. At this point they are presumably at least 7-9 between them. This doesn't mean he didn't meet or visit them, in fact he likely did we just lack particular records. Barking Abby is rather near London so an easy trip.
Owen Tudor, as is shown in the novel, flees to Wales and is arrested by Gloucester on the grounds of 'mixing his blood with royal blood' this is fascinating becuase it's the first reference to his affair with Catherine. The three escapes as shown in the novel did occur, but it's not clear how Owen escaped. He was with both Robin Ddu, and a priest at the time. Henry VI, as is shown, completely pardoned him, putting him in Suffolks care till he could lift charges.
After he was pardoned, Owen essentially disappears to us. He gets the 100, then two 40 crown grants, and Glen Conwy, he collects the money himself so he's at court sometimes. Since he has no job no one really tells us where he is. We have no proof he visited his sons, but we wouldn't really. Nor do we have any movements properly for the boys. In all theory he does visit them.
They are not given his name till they are invested as earls. It is unknown why they are named english and french names, where the name Jasper even came from, or their ages. Likely both boys were born between 1430-34, with Jasper younger. Jasper is stated to be younger, presumably by a year or so since he and his brother always get moved and knighted together so there wasn't a massive gap. Owen and Catherine's marraige was never, ever questioned, not even by Yorks, which is odd as we have zero proof of it.

I would hazard Jasper was possibly decently younger than we thought. He seems to be babied a bit, he lives with Owen longer, no talk is ever made of marriage for him, at all, and Henry VI gives him a post with Owen , and Owen visits him at Pembroke later on, checking on him more than Edmund. There's nothing going on there that Jasper was incompetent, he'll survive the War of the Roses and be quite clever, so all those actions imply he was rather young. I would guess 1434 or 35 birthdate as possible, making him coming to the palace at 7, this would track with Owen and Henry VI seeming to care for him a bit more longer.