House Beaufort
Characters
Don't look at me like that. It's all going to make sense eventually, someday, probably. It's not my fault this many people are named Thomas and John and Henry.
John of Ghent: third surviving son of Edward III and Philippa, Duke of Lancaster through inheritance from his first wife. Highly manipulative, scheming, a successful politician and statesman, fantastically rich.
Katherine Roet (Swynford): lady in waiting to Queen Philippa, later governess to John of Ghent's children, later mother of his children, later his wife. Intellectual and politically savvy, she helps guide all the Lancaster children.
Philippa Roet (Chaucer): younger sister of Katherine, married to poet Geoffrey Chaucer but will spend her life in John of Ghent's household, and will receive many favors and gifts from him.
Children of John of Ghent
By his first mistress, Marie de St. Hilaire
Blanche, bastard of Lancaster: first born daughter, she will grow up in her father's household and he will secure a happy marriage for her. She will have no children.
By his first wife, Blanche of Lancaster
Philippa, Queen of Portugal: first born daughter, highly intelligent
Elizabeth, Duchess of Exeter: second born daughter, she will marry twice for love. Her husband, John Holland the Duke of Exeter, and she will have several children, Richard, Constance, Elizabeth, Alice, John, and Edward.
Henry, Earl of Derby, Duke of Hereford: first surviving legitimate son, (will become Henry IV of England by usurping the throne). A tournament champion. Married to Mary de Bohun, with whom he will have six children, Henry, Thomas, John, Humphrey, Blanche, and Philippa.
By his second wife Constance of Castile
Catherine, Queen of Castille: similar in looks and mind to her famous father, she will rule Castille with her husband
By his third wife and mistress, Katherine Swynford (Rouet)
John Beaufort: eldest son of the couple, an accomplished knight. He will marry Margaret Holland and have six children
Henry Beaufort: second born child, highly intelligent, ordained a Bishop at a young age. Having an affair with Alice of Arundel, with whom he will eventually have a daughter, Jane
Thomas Beaufort: third born son, he too is an accomplished knight
Joan Beaufort: youngest child of the family, she will have over twelve children in her life and secure advantageous marriages and posts for all surviving
Children of Katherine Swynford (Rouet) (without?) John of Ghent, with her husband Hugh Swynford
Blanche Swynford: first born child of the couple, raised with the Lancaster children. Dies young, though John of Ghent had arranged a good marriage for her
Margaret Swynford: a nun
Thomas Swynford: youngest child, only son of the couple, holds high posts courtesy of and receives a generous pension from John of Ghent
Children of Philippa Chaucer (Rouet) (with?) her husband Geoffrey Chaucer
Elizabeth: a nun, the first born child
Thomas (Tom): later an accomplished statesman
Lewis: a priest, likely dies young. His father will dedicate a book to him
YOU ARE READING
Hand in Violent Hand
Historical FictionFULL Violent Delights/Hand in Hand novels, in chronological order. Do you want to laugh? Cry? Learn an absurd amount about Middle Ages history? Look no further. It's epic. It's gay. It's feminist. It's darkly funny, with periodic full historical...
