Women in History – History… the interesting bits!

Lady Katherine Gordon, “Duchess of York”

22/06/202422/06/2024Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

*The Two Princes Edward and Richard in the Tower, 1483* by Sir John Everett Millais

I don’t usually start my articles with a disclaimer, but with this one, I think I will. The Princes in the Tower is always a hot topic, after all. So, I will warn you. Here, I am going to look into the life of Lady Katherine Gordon, rather than the veracity of the claim of her husband, Perkin Warbeck/Prince Richard, to being the younger of the two lost Princes. I am giving you the information and evidence that Katherine would have been presented with at the time, and not making any actual judgements. I will leave that to others who have spent much more time on the study of the Princes than I.

Lady Katherine Gordon was, by all accounts, a beautiful woman, with connections, though distant, to the Scottish royal family. She was the daughter of George Gordon, second Earl of Huntly, and his third wife, Elizabeth Hay. George Gordon had previously been married to Annabella Stewart, a great-aunt of James IV, meaning that Katherine was distantly related to the king by marriage.

Katherine first came to prominence in 1496, when she was given as a bride to Richard, Duke of York, the younger son of Edward IV and one of the Princes in the Tower. ‘Richard’ had recently emerged from hiding to claim the English throne, and after having spent some years on the Continent had been welcomed at the Scottish court in the autumn of 1495, probably simply to antagonise the English king, Henry VII, rather than in a genuine belief in his claim to be one of the lost princes. It would later be revealed that Richard was actually an impostor named Perkin Warbeck, from the Flemish city of Tournai. But that was by no means clear when he was residing at the Scottish court and several Continental royals, including the lost prince’s aunt Margaret of York, Duchess of Burgundy, had supported his claim to be Richard, Duke of York.

King James IV was probably hedging his bets as to Richard’s real identity when he offered Katherine Gordon in marriage. Katherine had just enough royal credentials to be a suitable bride for an English prince but was not too royal that King James would be embarrassed should Richard prove to be an impostor. And if Richard was successful in overthrowing Henry VII and claiming the English throne, James would have a friend as his neighbour in England. For James, it was worth the gamble and for Richard, it meant that he could count on Scottish support. The Scots king welcomed Richard to court with all honours due to an English prince. He treated Richard like an honoured royal guest, dressed him like a king, gave him a pension and took him on a progress through the kingdom. There is a letter purportedly written by Prince Richard to Lady Katherine in December 1495, just weeks before their wedding, which suggests he is highly enthusiastic about the match:

*King Edward V and the Duke of York in the Tower of London* by Paul Delaroche.

Most noble lady, it is not without reason that all turn their eyes to you; that all admire, love, and obey you. For they see your two-fold virtues by which you are so much distinguished above all other morals. Whilst, on the one hand, they admire your riches and immutable prosperity, which secure to you the nobility of your lineage and the loftiness of your rank, they are, on the other hand, struck by your rather divine than human beauty, and believe that you are not born in our days, but descended from Heaven.

All look at your face, so bright and serene that it gives splendour to the cloudy sky; all look at your eyes as brilliant as stars, which makes all pain to be forgotten, and turn despair into delight; all look at your neck, which outshines pearls; all look at your fine forehead, your purple light of youth, your fair hair; in one word, at the splendid perfection of your person; and looking at, they cannot choose but admire you; admiring, they cannot choose but love you; loving, they cannot choose but obey you.

I shall, perhaps, be the happiest of all your admirers, and the happiest man on earth, since I have reason to hope you will think me worthy of your love. If I represent to my mind all your perfections, I am not only compelled to love, to adore, and to worship you, but love makes me your slave. Whether waking or sleeping, I cannot find rest or happiness except in your affection. All my hopes rest in you, and in you alone.

Most noble lady, my soul, look mercifully down upon me your slave, who has ever been devoted to you from the first hour he saw you. Love is not an earthly thing, it is heaven born. Do not think it below yourself to obey love’s dictates. Not only kings, but also gods and goddesses have bent their necks beneath its yoke.

I beseech you, most noble lady, to accept for ever one who in all things will cheerfully do your will as long as his days shall last. Farewell, my soul and my consolation. You, the brightest ornament of Scotland, farewell, farewell.¹

*James IV, copy by Daniël Mijtens of a lost contemporary portrait*

The marriage between the man claiming to be Richard of York and Katherine Gordon was celebrated on 13 January 1496. Richard was given a white damask ‘spousing’ gown for the occasion. Other gifts included a purple damask-covered suit of armour, six servants, two trumpeters and a French armourer. Richard was also awarded an annual pension of £1, 344.² The ceremony was followed by a series of jousts in which the king of Scots himself participated, though there is no evidence that Prince Richard did; he probably watched the jousts in the company of his bride. Katherine was now referred to as duchess of York. The newlyweds then travelled with the king to the palace at Falkland in Fife to wait out the winter in anticipation of the campaigning season and Richard’s invasion of England to claim the throne.

James, too, was intent on invading England, despite pressure from both the Spanish and French monarchs. James insisted that the English had started the conflict by destroying his ships and cattle. In September 1496, James invaded Northumberland but returned to Scotland after only three days – no one in England had risen in support of Richard, Duke of York. As the year 1496 ended, Richard was no closer to invading England and was spending less time with King James, instead staying with his wife Katherine at Falkland Palace. In the meantime, King Henry VII’s spies had been at work on the Continent, discovering the true identity of Prince Richard.

King James IV’s priorities now changed. He was seeking peace with Henry VII, and a bride. In July 1497, James was negotiating with Henry to marry the English king’s eldest daughter, Margaret, though she was only eight years old at the time. Henry VII made one of the conditions of the peace that James ‘delyvere unto us Perkyn Werbek’.³ Although the Scots king was amenable to the suggestion, Warbeck was not available to be handed over to the English.

On 6 July, he and his wife set sail from Ayr after 19 months in Scotland. He left behind a brown horse, to be used to settle any debts that may still be outstanding. The ship, a French merchant vessel known as the Cukow, carried Warbeck, Katherine and 30 of Warbeck’s followers. Its hold was stocked with provisions including wine, bread, salt beef, mutton, cheese and fish. Although the king had not been present to bid them farewell, he had provided Katherine with some cloth to make a gown suitable for wearing aboard ship. What had spurred Warbeck to leave Scotland at this particular time is unclear. It may have been the burgeoning peace between James IV and Henry VII, or it may have been news of the Cornish uprising, which had erupted after King Henry had implemented a tax to raise funds for war against Scotland. It may be that Warbeck thought to join this rebellion.

*Henry VII painted by an unknown artist*

Katherine and her pretender-prince sailed first for Ireland, arriving in Cork on 25 July 1497. After spending a month in Ireland trying to raise troops to their cause, they sailed for Cornwall, making landfall at Whitesand Bay on 7 September with a small flotilla with just a hundred or so people on board. Warbeck’s first action after landing was to make his way to the parish of St Buryan, four miles inland, where he left Katherine to await news of his military campaign. He then headed further into Cornwall, recruiting along the way. It is estimated that by the time he reached Bodmin, Warbeck had an army of between three and five thousand men. After failing to take Exeter from the earl of Devon, Warbeck and his forces marched towards Taunton. The earl of Devon then set off in pursuit and cut off his line of retreat back into Cornwall.

Another royal army moved down from Oxfordshire into Somerset, reaching Glastonbury on 19 September, the same day Warbeck had reached Taunton – just twenty miles away. Warbeck was cornered and, losing his nerve, attempted to flee in the dead of night. With only sixty men, Warbeck sought sanctuary at Beaulieu Abbey in Hampshire on 22 September. Where most religious houses that offered sanctuary could only provide it for a limited period of forty days, Beaulieu was one of those with an exemption, which meant those seeking it could remain in sanctuary there for the remainder of their lives. By early October, Warbeck had been persuaded to surrender and under strong guard was taken to face the king, who was now at Taunton.

*16th-century copy by Jacques Le Boucq of the only known contemporary portrait of Warbeck, Library of Arras*

The king and his prisoner then proceeded to Exeter where Perkin Warbeck was reunited with his wife. Katherine had been retrieved from St Buryan’s by a force sent by King Henry. When she was found, she was dressed in robes of mourning, which may suggest that she had already been apprised of her husband’s failure, or that she had recently lost a child. We do not know. As the young woman was presented to Henry VII, she was ‘ashamed and tearful’.⁴ The chronicler Polydore Vergil described the meeting: ‘When the king saw the woman’s beauty he promptly judged her worthy to be among the captive hostages of a general rather than a common soldier.’⁵ The king perceived Katherine’s nobility and resolved to afford her a more honourable status than he had previously planned. This meant, inevitably, that she would be separated from Warbeck.

Warbeck had been promised his life, but in the same interview the king insisted that Perkin Warbeck publicly admit, in front of his wife, the extent of his deception; that he was not, in fact, the duke of York, and that he was an impostor from Tournai. It may well be that Katherine was not wholly surprised by the confession. She must have heard the stories and accusations, but to hear the confession from her husband’s lips must have been hard to take. She was not duchess of York, she was Mrs Perkin Warbeck. The revelation put their very marriage in doubt. He had married her under a false identity, as Richard, Duke of York. Katherine put herself into the hands of the king.

Henry VII treated Katherine kindly, though he would not send her back home to Scotland. Instead, she was sent to London to serve in the household of Queen Elizabeth. The king purchased horses and saddles for her journey and presented Katherine with new clothes, including a satin gown and a black velvet bonnet. Katherine arrived at Sheen on 21 October and was presented to the queen, the woman she had believed to be her sister-in-law until Warbeck had made his confession. Katherine was given a position in the queen’s household and a pension, not as the wife of the pretender, but in her own right as a high-ranking Scottish noblewoman. When the king returned to London, bringing Warbeck with him, the two lived separately within the royal household. They were well treated but not permitted to sleep together. Katherine also resumed her maiden name.

In June 1498, in spite of the lenient treatment he had received from the king, Perkin Warbeck chose to abscond from Westminster Palace. He was recaptured within a couple of days, having only reached the Carthusian priory at Sheen, just seven miles from Westminster. Although he still escaped the executioner’s axe, the king was no longer minded to be so lenient and sent Warbeck, after a spell in the stocks, to close confinement within the Tower of London.

Katherine’s own situation does not appear to have been threatened by Warbeck’s recklessness and in June 1499 she accompanied the king and queen to Calais for a meeting with Archduke Philip and his wife Juana of Castile, the sister of their future daughter-in-law Catherine of Aragon. Later in the same year Perkin Warbeck, having tried to escape with fellow prisoner Edward, Earl of Warwick, was accused of conspiring against the king. And this time he was not going to get away with it. As it had been established that he was not noble, Warbeck was executed by hanging, not beheading, at Tyburn on 23 November 1499. Warwick was beheaded on Tower Hill five days later.

Katherine’s marital status had been ambiguous since the discovery of Warbeck’s deception, but she was now definitively free to remarry. We know not whether she was saddened or relieved at the execution of Warbeck. She may have felt nostalgic for the short time they had been together, or grateful that the man who betrayed her was no longer able to cast a shadow over her life and future; or both. We will never know. Katherine remained at court and as one of the queen’s ladies was present at the betrothal ceremony of James IV and Margaret Tudor, held at Richmond in January 1502. When the queen, Elizabeth of York, died in February 1503 Katherine was one of the chief mourners at her funeral, accompanying the procession from the Tower of London to Westminster Abbey behind the queen’s sisters. And at the Abbey, she laid her pall on the coffin, again, after the queen’s sisters. After the queen’s death, Katherine remained at court, keeping the king company: she played cards with him, acquired medicines for him when he was ill and painted cloths and religious scenes to be held before him as he lay dying.

*Fyfield Manor, Berkshire, Katherine’s home with her last husband*

After Warbeck’s fall, Katherine Gordon had been taken prisoner, but her noble status had allowed her to be accepted at court as one of the queen’s ladies. Katherine never remarried in the lifetime of either Elizabeth of York or Henry VII. She was no longer a prisoner, but still not entirely free. Shortly before Henry VII’s death, Katherine was granted land in Berkshire, on the condition that she would not leave England. Following Henry VII’s death, sometime between 1510 and 1512 Katherine married James Strangeways, a Gentleman Usher of the King’s Chamber, but he died in 1516, leaving all his property to Katherine. The following year, Katherine married Matthew Craddock, a Welsh knight from Glamorganshire, obtaining permission to live with him in Wales; her promise to never leave England making such a request necessary. From 1525 to 1530, Katherine was employed in the household of Henry VIII’s daughter Mary as Chief Lady of the Privy Chamber. Katherine was widowed once again in 1531, with Craddock making her executor of his will and leaving her income from some of his Welsh properties in addition to 500 marks. Sometime before 1536 Katherine married for a fourth and final time. Her husband, Christopher Ashton, was a Gentleman Usher of the Privy Chamber. Katherine spent the last years of her life on her lands in Berkshire, at Fyfield Manor.

*St Nicholas Church, Fyfield, where Katherine was buried*

Survived by her last husband, she died on 14 October 1537, forty years almost to the day after Perkin Warbeck had been captured at Beaulieu Abbey. In her will she refers to all of her husbands, save Warbeck. She leaves bequests to Margaret Kyme, the daughter of Elizabeth of York’s sister, Cecily, to her servant, Philippa Hulls and to Alice Smyth, whom Katherine refers to as her sister.⁶ Perhaps she was a sister of one of Katherine’s husbands. There is no mention of any children and although there has been speculation that Katherine and Warbeck had a child, there is no evidence of this beyond a report by the Venetian ambassador Adrian Trevisano from September 1497,in which he says Warbeck had arrived in Cornwall ‘leaving behind his wife and children’.⁷ This may well have been a misunderstanding as there is no further mention of children from Trevisano or any other sources. Katherine was buried in the chancel of the church of St Nicholas at Fyfield. A tomb there, missing its brasses, is still referred to as Lady Gordon’s Monument.

Lady Katherine Gordon had survived the fallout from her first husband’s rebellions and conspiracies and made a life for herself at the English court. She appears to have been considered a dupe to Warbeck’s plotting, rather than a co-conspirator. Her position as the daughter of a Scottish earl and a distant relative of the king of Scots afforded her the chance to make a new life for herself as one of the queen of England’s ladies and she grabbed the opportunity in both hands. She went from being a royal captive to a trusted and loved member of the English court. Not all female prisoners would be so fortunate.

Notes:

1. ‘December 1494’ in CSPM pp. 72-79 quoted in Nathen Amin, Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders, p. 219; Nathen Amin, Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders, p. 220; 3. ibid; 4. Bernard André quoted in ibid, p. 269; Polydore Vergil quoted in ibid, p. 269; 6. Susan Abernethy, ‘The Life of Lady Katherine Gordon’; 7. Nathen Amin, Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders, p. 327

Images:

My Books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

OUT NOW! Heroines of the Tudor World

Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. These are the women who made a difference, who influenced countries, kings and the Reformation. In the era dominated by the Renaissance and Reformation, Heroines of the Tudor World examines the threats and challenges faced by the women of the era, and how they overcame them. From writers to regents, from nuns to queens, Heroines of the Tudor World shines the spotlight on the women helped to shape Early Modern Europe.

Heroines of the Tudor World is now available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Women of the Anarchy

Two cousins. On the one side is Empress Matilda, or Maud. The sole surviving legitimate child of Henry I, she is fighting for her birthright and that of her children. On the other side is her cousin, Queen Matilda, supporting her husband, King Stephen, and fighting to see her own son inherit the English crown. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how these women, unable to wield a sword, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It show how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other.

Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Available from all good bookshops Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon. Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org.

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon, Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell – and Tony Riches. We discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

Publication Day: Heroines of the Tudor World

15/06/202421/06/2024Sharon Bennett Connolly11 Comments

In 2017, when I published Heroines of the Medieval World, it was a dream come true – to actually write and publish a book! I never imagined, then, that I would still be writing books 7 years later, nor that I would get the opportunity to write a sequel!

But here it is!

Continue reading for a chance to win a signed copy of Heroines of the Tudor World in my Publication Day GIVEAWAY!

Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603.

These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love.

These are the women who made a difference, who influenced countries, kings and the Reformation. In the era dominated by the Renaissance and Reformation, Heroines of the Tudor World examines the threats and challenges faced by the women of the era, and how they overcame them. Some famous, some infamous, some less well known, including Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth Barton, Catherine de Medici, Bess of Hardwick and Elizabeth I.

From writers to regents, from nuns to queens, Heroines of the Tudor World shines the spotlight on the women helped to shape Early Modern Europe.

I am so excited to be able to announce that Heroines of the Tudor World is now available from – everywhere! Including Amberley Publishing, Bookshop.org and Amazon UK.

Publication Day GIVEAWAY!

For the chance to win a signed copy of Heroines of the Tudor World simply leave a comment below.

The draw fro the winner will be made at noon Friday 21 June 2024.

Competition Closed: and the winner is Andria van Buskirk!

Book Launch

Do join me for the Heroines of the Tudor World book launch, including a talk and book signing will be held at the gorgeous historic venue, The Lincoln County Assembly Rooms, Monday 24 June, 2024, at 7pm.

Tickets in-store or online from £7 – ticket with book deals available.

To reserve your ticket, call in at Lindum Books on Bailgate, Lincoln, or click here!

Reviews:

And the first reviews are in – and amazing!

Tony Riches was the first to give his views:

Heroines of the Tudor World is “is perfect for ‘dipping in’ at a random page or section – where you can be sure of discovering something interesting. I also liked the way some Tudor women pop up in several categories, highlighting the complexity of their lives. As with her medieval heroines, some of the categories are thought provoking, such as the idea of heroic mistresses and scandalous heroines, but this makes for a lively and engaging read.” Read the whole 5* review over at The Writing Desk.

And Medieval Madame, on Instagram, also gave Heroines of the Tudor World 5 stars:

“Automatically, when we think of the Tudor woman we tend to think of King Henry VIII’s wives, ladies in waiting or mistresses like Lady Jane Parker and Mary Boleyn. Yet so many women played a vital role, and they are lesser known but those who are more widely known don’t get enough recognition. Women, the weaker, frailer, gentler sex who should have a purpose: ‘stay at home, do embroidery, bear children – hope to survive!’ Not forgetting obey your Husband!

This book centres around women who, either by chance or decision, step out of the mould society cast upon them, even if it meant death. Remember, the Tudor World was one of the most vicious times in English history.

In this 12 chapter book, Sharon Bennett Connolly looks at many women from different backgrounds, and placed into chapters that’s what made their names live on. Take for example chapter 11 we see, “Literary Heroines,” here you can read about Margaret Roper, daughter of Sir Thomas More. Religious reformist, published, Queen Katherine Parr. Then French royalty who could well handle a quill!

Other heroines include: Caterina Sforza, Elizabeth Barton, Katherine Willoughby, Mary Queen of Scots, Anne de Vere and so many more – the list is vast! That is what makes an interesting read. Whether by religion, royalty, nobility or scandal.

Sharon has achieved another piece of thought provoking literature by shining a light on this enjoyable and contemporary read. As a sequel to her “Heroines of the Medieval World,” this certainly does not disappoint, and I enjoyed it equally.

For an in-depth view on many resilient, defiant and warrior women, who could very well be the first step to what we know in modern times as feminism. This is it! This is an excellent read, most certainly in the top three reads of the year. Sharon has crafted her creative writing once more for our educational enjoyment.

[Gifted] To Be Released 15 June 2024″

All About History

All About History magazine gave Heroines of the Tudor World 4 stars, highlighting that the book ‘reminds readers that the lot of women in this era was not an easy one, but in these fascinating stories she reminds us too that there have always been women who dared to challenge the status quo. Whether standing up for country, crown, family or love, the women who spring to life in these pages are richly deserving of their place in history.’

The first review on Amazon was from Helen Musson. It was short but oh so very, very sweet:

Brilliant!

And what an incredible review of Heroines of the Tudor World from Heidi Malagisi at Adventures of a Tudor Nerd:

“Connolly gave her readers a thrilling look into the 16th century….my only complaint is that it was not a longer book…”If you have enjoyed Sharon Bennett Connolly’s previous books and you are a Tudor nerd, I highly suggest you read, ‘Heroines of the Tudor World.'”

Interviews, podcasts and YouTube

You can find me talking about my choice of Heroines of the Tudor World on some of the best Tudor podcasts:

On Tudors Dynasty I may have mentioned to Rebecca Larsen that I don’t think much of Henry VIII. And I had a fabulous time, chatting with Natalie Grueninger over at On the Tudor Trail.

And I am on Books & Brews, over on You Tube, talking about my favourite Heroines of the Past. You can even watch the outtakes!

To Buy Heroines of the Tudor World

You can order signed, dedicated copies of Women of the Anarchy through my online bookshop. Heroines of the Tudor World is now available from – everywhere! Including Amberley Publishing, Bookshop.org and Amazon UK.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how Empress Matilda and Matilda of Boulogne, unable to wield a sword, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It show how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other. Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK. King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. It is is available from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon. Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

*You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter and Instagram.

Article: 2024 © Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS

La Reine Margot

07/06/202411/06/2024Sharon Bennett Connolly4 Comments

*Marguerite de Valois by François Clouet*

As many of my readers will know, one of my favourite all-time writers is the brilliant Alexandre Dumas, the author of The Three Musketeers. Dumas also wrote of Marguerite de Valois, La Reine Margot, who appears in my latest book, Heroines of the Tudor World.

Marguerite was the youngest surviving daughter of King Henri II of France and his queen, Catherine de Medici. She was born at the Château of St Germaine-en-Laye on 14 May 1553. She was her parents’ seventh child; their third daughter. She was raised alongside her two older sisters, Elisabeth (born in 1545) and Claude (born in 1547). Her brothers closest in age to her were Charles (born in 1550), Henri (born in 1551) and her younger brother Hercules (born in 1555), who would change his name to François when he was confirmed. Her brother, Henri, only two years older than her, was Marguerite’s closest family friendship as a child, though this did not last into adulthood. Henri would eventually rule France as King Henri III, succeeding to the throne on the death of his older brother Charles IX. Marguerite’s oldest brother was Francis – the future Francis II – who was born in 1544 and would go on to marry Mary, Queen of Scots. Another brother, Louis, died in 1550 at the age of just eighteen months.

Marguerite experienced tragedy at an early age, when her father, Henri II, died in July 1559, ten days after a jousting accident in which a lance had pierced his eye. Marguerite was only six years old. The princess was well educated and studied literature, classics, history, and a number of ancient and contemporary languages. She was also taught the complexities and dangers of sixteenth century politics and saw her mother acting as regent for her brother, Charles IX, becoming the most powerful person in France and a woman of international importance.

As a teenager, Marguerite fell in love with Henry of Guise. He was a duke from a prominent family, but when they were found out, Henry was exiled from court and Marguerite was beaten so badly by her mother and brother, Charles IX, that her clothes were torn and ruined. The Guises might be a powerful family, and the most powerful Catholic faction at court, but their influence and popularity were a threat to the government of Catherine de Medici and the queen was not about to increase their prestige further by allowing the duke to marry her daughter.

Marguerite was a princess of France and not free to follow her heart.

*Catherine de Medici with her children in 1561:*
*Francis, Charles IX, Margaret and Henry III*

The family had other plans for her marriage. Queen Catherine arranged with Jeanne d’Albret, Queen of Navarre, that Marguerite would marry her son, the Huguenot prince, Henri of Navarre. Although he had grown up at the French court, Henri’s mother had insisted that he be raised a Protestant. Henri was from the Bourbon branch of the French royal family and was the closest male relative to the throne after Marguerite’s brothers, he was the ‘First Prince of the Blood.’ Should her brothers die without producing heirs of their own, Henri of Navarre, though a Protestant, would be next in line to the throne. In 1572, when Marguerite and Henri married, Henri’s succession would have been only a distant possibility, with the twenty-two-year-old king, Charles IX, recently married himself and hoping for an heir; and two younger brothers to follow him should he not provide a son of his own.

The marriage of Henri and Marguerite was intended to rebuild family ties and broker peace between the French Catholics and the Huguenots, the French Protestants. Since 1560, France had been riven by factions, with the powerful Guise family championing the prospect of eradicating Protestantism within France, backed by Spain and the papacy. The Bourbons, led by Henri of Navarre’s mother, Jeanne d’Albret, led the Huguenots, French Calvinists. As queen, Catherine de Medici tried for compromise, wanting France to be independent of foreign powers, such as Spain and the papacy. Tens of thousands of French had died in the religious wars, despite the signing of a number a peace treaties, which never held. The 1572 Peace of St Germain-en-Laye was to seal the treaty with a wedding.

Of Marguerite, her future daughter-in-law, Jeanne d’Albret wrote:

‘As for her beauty, I agree she has a good figure but she holds herself in too much. As for her face, she uses so much help, it does irritate me, because she will ruin herself. But in this court make-up is normal just like in Spain.’¹

*Henry of Navarre and Margaret of Valois*

Marguerite was a pawn in the midst of this political dispute. Born in December 1553, Henri was seven months younger than his bride. He and Marguerite were second cousins, both being the great-grandchildren of Charles, Count of Angoulême and his wife, Louise de Savoie. Marguerite descended from their son, Francis I, King of France, while Henri was descended from Francis’s sister, Marguerite d’Angoulême, Queen of Navarre. The young couple was betrothed in April 1572 and appeared to like each other at first, though it soon became evident that there was no chemistry between them, no physical attraction. It would be the first royal marriage between a Catholic and a Protestant. Henri’s mother, Jeanne d’Albret died before the wedding could take place, in June 1572, making Henri the new king of Navarre.

The wedding ceremony took place at the cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, atop a platform that had been erected on the western façade of the church and hung with cloth of gold, so that everyone could watch; Protestant Henri refused to be married within the Catholic cathedral and so the wedding would be conducted outside. At three o’clock in the afternoon, the king of Navarre and his entourage made a stately procession to the church. Henri was dressed in a doublet and cape of rich yellow satin, embroidered with diamonds and pearls. He was escorted by two of the bride’s brothers, the dukes of Anjou and Alençon.

The vast crowds were there to see Marguerite, described as ‘the greatest beauty in the world’ by a Neapolitan ambassador.She was led from the archbishop’s palace, close to the cathedral, by her brother, King Charles IX. The princess was wearing an ermine-trimmed gown of royal blue silk. Her fifteen-foot train was carried by three ladies-in-waiting. The ceremony was officiated by the Cardinal de Bourbon and when he asked Marguerite if she would take Henri as her husband, she refused to answer; her brother pushed her head so that she appeared to nod, and the cardinal took this to be her assent. The vows concluded, Marguerite and her party went inside the church to hear Mass, while Henri and his entourage waited outside.

*Henri III, King of Navarre, later to become King Henri IV of France*

There were three days of feasting to celebrate the marriage of Henri and Marguerite, the King and Queen of Navarre, before the peace was shattered by an assassination attempt on the Huguenot leader Gaspard de Coligny. Coligny was shot in the shoulder by the Sieur de Marevert. Firing from a house belonging to the duke de Guise, he had been aiming to kill. Coligny survived and was taken back to his lodgings, where the bullet was removed, the king sending his own physician to assist in Coligny’s treatment. Tensions were running high and Henri of Navarre and his attendants, staying at the Hôtel de Navarre, were nervous. On the morning of 24 August, Marguerite was woken by banging on her door, at which a blood-stained soldier staggered in, shouting ‘Navarre! Navarre!,’ pursued by two more men, armed with bows and arrows.

The St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre was proceeding through the streets of Paris. Maurevert’s attempted assassination of Coligny, probably at the orders of Henry of Guise, had caused the King and his mother to fear that they would be blamed. In order to prevent reprisals, they chose to strike first, sending their soldiers against the Huguenot leadership. Coligny was among those killed, his body thrown out of the window of his lodgings and burned by the crowd. As other Huguenots were cut down, the Catholic Parisians joined in the bloodbath, slaughtering their Huguenot neighbours. Marguerite and her husband both made it to safety at the Louvre Palace, where they were protected by royal troops. Henri’s friends and attendants were not so lucky and were butchered within earshot of the newlyweds.As the violence spread to more cities in the following days and weeks, over 5,000 were killed.

The leadership of the Huguenot faction had been dealt a serious blow. The older leaders were dead, murdered, and the younger leaders, Henri of Navarre and his cousin, Henri de Condé, were virtual prisoners, confined to the royal court and on 26 September 1572, Henri of Navarre renounced Protestantism. Four years later, he finally managed to flee the court, leaving his wife behind. Returning to the Protestant faith, he was now twenty-two and assumed the leadership of the Huguenots. Marguerite had remained at the French court following her husband’s flight. There’s was a rather liberal marriage, with neither one concerned if the other took lovers. Politically though, Marguerite worked in support of her husband, despite him being a Protestant and she being Catholic.

*The St Bartholomew’s Day massacre painted by François Dubois, a Huguenot painter*

In 1578, Marguerite and her mother made a journey south, with Catherine de Medici hoping to build some bridges with the king of Navarre by delivering his wife to him. For the next five years, until 1583, Marguerite and Henri lived as husband and wife at Nérac, 100km south-east of Bordeaux. Initially, the marriage appeared to be experiencing a revival, but then Henri had an affair with on of Marguerite’s ladies, known as La Fosseuse, before moving onto a more serious relationship with Corisande de’Andouins, Countess of Guiche. In 1582 Henri III, King of France, summoned Marguerite back to court, with the hope that her husband would follow. Marguerite came but Henri did not.

While back at the French court, Marguerite had an affair with Jacques de Harlay, Sieur de Champvallon, and there were rumours that she was pregnant by him. Marguerite was ordered to leave court by her brother and left Paris on 8 August. As she travelled south, her party was stopped by a troop of royal archers, who insulted Marguerite and arrested two of her ladies. They were questioned about Marguerite’s baby, if there was one. All trace of the child, whether she was pregnant or not, had disappeared. On 13 April, Marguerite was reunited with her husband at Port St Marie, just north of Nérac. Just two months later, they heard of the death of Marguerite’s youngest brother, Francis, Duke of Anjou, who was a close ally of Henri of Navarre.

Francis’s death was a pivotal moment for the king of Navarre. He had been the heir of his brother Henri III and now, the heir was Henri of Navarre himself, at least until Henri III were to have a son of his own. The Holy Catholic League, however, funded by the king of Spain and the papacy, recognised the ageing and childless Cardinal de Bourbon as the heir to the throne. On 31 March 1585, the cardinal issued a proclamation promising to restore France to Catholicism and declaring that ‘subjects are not required to recognise or sustain the domination of a prince who has parted from the Catholic faith…’ On 9 September 1585 Pope Sixtus V excommunicated both Henri of Navarre and his cousin Condé – even though they were Protestants – and deprived them of their hereditary rights. He even declared that Henri had no right to the kingdom of Navarre. Henry of Guise was manoeuvring to promote his own candidacy for the throne of France by excluding Henri of Navarre.

*Marguerite de Valois painted by Nicholas Hilliard*

After the death of his brother Francis, Henri III was forced to make war on Navarre by Henry of Guise, thus starting the War of the Three Henries. It was at this point that Marguerite took her life and future into her own hands. Having realised that she could not be content living with Henri, she left his court and moved to Agen, claiming she wanted to devote herself to the celebration of Easter. She joined the Holy Catholic League and with 2,000 soldiers she took Agen and held it in the name of the League. But after a bout of plague was seen as the punishment of God for Marguerite rebelling against her husband and brother, and the destruction of the garrison gunpowder left the city indefensible, she was forced to abandon Agen and moved further inland to another of her fortresses at Carlat.

As she left for Carlat, Marguerite was arrested by her brother’s forces under the command of the Marquis de Canillac, who escorted her to the great fortress at Usson. Marguerite charmed Canillac and within a year she was no longer a prisoner, but the sovereign lady of the territory, in the heart of the Auvergne. Marguerite spent the next 19 years living in Usson, as the Wars of Religion ground to their conclusion with a succession of deaths. The duke of Guise died in 1588, killed on the king’s orders. Catherine de Medici died in January 1589, just a few months before her 70th birthday. And in August 1589, King Henri III was assassinated by a Catholic enthusiast.

This left Henri of Navarre as the victor, though the war continued for 4 more years, as the Catholic League refused to accept a Protestant king. In 1593 Henri’s conversion to Catholicism, supposedly with the words ‘Paris is worth a Mass,’ Henri of Navarre became King Henri IV of France, his coronation taking place in Chartres Cathedral in February 1594. The Edict of Nantes finally ended the Wars of Religion in 1598, establishing Catholicism as the state religion in France, but allowing Huguenots to worship freely in many parts of France (excluding Paris). Though she was no longer living with Henri, Marguerite, the last surviving child of Henri II and Catherine de Medici, was now Queen of France and Navarre, and she and Henri were back on good terms. She established her court at Usson, writing her memoirs and poetry and building a library.

In 1593 Marguerite made an agreement with Henri whereby he would give her 50,000 francs a year and pay her debts of 200,000 écus in return for her applying for the annulment of their marriage; she cited her barrenness, consanguinity and that she was forced to marry against her will as grounds for the annulment. Though the annulment was not granted by the pope until 1599, it did eventually leave Henri free to marry again, to Marie de Medici, and produce the all-important heir – the future King Louis XIII. Although she had been a pawn to the political manoeuvrings of her mother on her marriage to Henri of Navarre, Marguerite had, to all intents and purposes, managed to forge her own path in her later years. Her agreement to the annulment of her marriage meant the continuation of the line of Henri IV and secured the future of France. Marguerite returned to Paris in 1605 and lived there until her death in 1615.

Footnotes:

1. Dominic Pierce, ‘The Unique Career of Marguerite de Valois, Queen of Navarre’, tudortimes.co.uk