Biography of john of gaunt
A Plantagenet powerhouse, John of Gaunt was the 4th son of King Edward III, but would go on to become arguably the most powerful and successful of his brothers. Marrying into the Duchy of Lancaster, he amassed a fortune, claimed the crown of Castile and was a highly influential political figure of the time.
Divisive in his life time, his legacy would go on to shape an era, with his descendants fighting the Wars of the Roses and ultimately becoming kings of England. Here are 10 facts about the royal ancestor, John of Gaunt.
1. Gaunt is an anglicisation of Ghent
John of Gaunt was born in the abbey of Saint Bavo in Ghent, modern-day Belgium, on 6 March 1340, while his father, who had claimed the throne of France in 1337, was seeking allies against the French among the dukes and counts of the Low Countries.
Correctly, he should be known as ‘John of Ghent’, but the town of Ghent was called Gaunt in his own lifetime, and, significantly, over 200 years later in Shakespeare’s lifetime as well. John is very well-known as ‘John of Gaunt’ thanks to his appearance in Shakespeare’s play about his nephew, Richard II.
Helen Carr joins me today to discuss John of Gaunt: son of Edward III, younger brother to the Black Prince, uncle of Richard II and father of Henry IV. Not only was he the key intersecting ancestor around which the Plantagenet family splits, but his other children also give us the Tudor dynasty.
Listen Now2. He was the 4th son, so unlikely to inherit the throne
He was the 6th child and 4th son of King Edward III and his queen, Philippa of Hainault and had 6 younger siblings, three brothers and three sisters. One of his three older brothers, William of Hatfield, died at a few weeks old in 1337, and so did one of his younger brothers, William of Windsor, in 1348.
4 of John’s 5 sisters died before reaching adulthood, and their father outlived only 4 of his and the queen’s 12 children: John, his older sister Isabella, and his younger brothers Edmund and In 1376, the Lords and Commons of England gathered at Westminster Palace to attend the first Parliament held in almost three years, with the intention to reform what they considered to be a corrupt government; this would later be called the ‘Good Parliament’ and would alter the political landscape thereafter, giving the Commons significantly more gravitas. At 62 the king, Edward III, was approaching the end of his reign and had largely retired from politics. The war with France was – for a time- dormant, but the domestic atmosphere was fraught. The financial repercussions of the king’s pursuits in France had become widely felt, but he was yet to hear the complaints of the Commons who endured the weight of the corruption at the heart of the king’s coterie. As preparations for Parliament began, Edward III, though in ill health, and preoccupied with his mistress Alice Perrers, was eager to make himself scarce. The Lords and Commons gathered at Westminster with a catalogue of grievances to put to the king, but were surprised to find another member of the royal family seated in his place: his son, John of Gaunt. The Good Parliament episode marked John of Gaunt’s presence as a controversial, but key player in court politics. In William Langland’s contemporary allegory, Piers Plowman, Gaunt is described as a devious “cat of the court”. John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster was the third surviving son of Edward III. Of all of Edward’s offspring, he was the most loyal to his father’s interests and the most ambitious, titling himself King of Castile and Léon- a significant territory in Spain that was currently under the rule of the Trastámaran king Enrique. After a period of civil war in Spain between step-brothers, Enrique and Pedro the Cruel, which ended in fratricide with the death of Pedro, Gaunt diplomatically married Pedro’s eldest daughter, Constance, in 1371. Through her, he claimed the throne with the intention to extend English power into Spain, which was a By Kathryn Warner $17.99 English prince and regent (1340–1399) This article is about the historical figure. For places and organisations named after him, see John O'Gaunt. A portrait commissioned c. 1593 by Sir Edward Hoby for Queenborough Castle, Kent, probably modelled on Gaunt's tomb effigy in Old St Paul's Cathedral. His tabard shows the royal arms of Castile and León impaling his differenced Plantagenet arms, while on the shield Castile and León is shown as an inescutcheon of pretence, representing his claim to that kingdom by right of marriage to Constance of Castile. St Paul's Cathedral, London, remains now lost John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (6 March 1340 – 3 February 1399), was an English royal prince, military leader and statesman. He was the fourth son (third surviving) of King Edward III of England, and the father of King Henry IV. Because of Gaunt's royal origin, advantageous marriages and some generous land grants, he was one of the richest men of his era and an influential figure during the reigns of both his father and his nephew, Richard II. As Duke of Lancaster, he is the founder of the royal House of Lancaster, whose members would ascend the throne after his death. His birthplace, Ghent in Flanders, then known in English as Gaunt, was the origin of his name. John's early career was spent in France and Spain fighting in the Hundred Years' War. He made an abortive attempt to enforce a claim to the Crown of Castile that came through his seco John of Gaunt: Son of One King, Father of Another (Paperback)
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New paperback edition - The first biography to tell the personal story of the wealthiest, most powerful and most hated man in medieval England.
"Old John of Gaunt, time-honour’d Lancaster" John of Gaunt (1340-1399) was the son of one king and the father of another.
He claimed a Spanish kingdom via his wife, daughter of King Pedro the Cruel. He was the wealthiest, most powerful and most hated man in England for decades. He had a famous and enduring love affair with his mistress Katherine Swynford, whom he later married. He was sometimes the ally and sometimes the enemy of his capricious nephew Richard II. His descendants battled for control of the kingdom during the Wars of the Roses. Via his three marriages, he was the ancestor of numerous royal and noble families across Europe.
John of Gaunt is the first biography of this most intriguing of men to appear for decades, and the first to tell his personal story. About the Author
Kathryn Warner holds two degrees in medieval history from the University of Manchester. She is considered a foremost expert on Edward II and an article from her on the subject was published in the English Historical Review. She has run a website about him since 2005 and a Facebook page about him since 2010 and has carved out a strong online presence as an expert on Edward II and the fourteenth century in general. Kathryn teaches Business English as a foreign language and lives between Dusseldorf and Cumbria. Praise For…
"Kathryn Warner has once again illuminated the life of a famous Plantagenet figure through genealogical and financial records. . . . If you want to learn more about the founding of the Lancastrian dynasty and the rise of the Beauforts through John of Gaunt John of Gaunt
John of Gaunt Reign 2 March 1390 – 3 February 1399 Predecessor Richard II Claimed 29 January 1372 – 8 July 1388 Born 6 March 1340
Saint Bavo's Abbey, Ghent, FlandersDied 3 February 1399 (aged 58)
Leicester Castle, Leicestershire, Kingdom of EnglandBurial 15 March 1399 Spouses Issue
more...House Father Edward III of England Mother Philippa of Hainault Allegiance Kingdom of England Service 1367–1388 Conflicts