by Judith Cooper
I have
always found John of Gaunt intriguing, forward- thinking, ambitious, loyal to
Richard 2nd yet deeply flawed, arrogant and impatient. Too rich, too
powerful, and too haughty. He lived in
one of the most dramatic moments in English history, during the Fourteenth
Century.
John of
Gaunt was born on March 1340 in Ghent. He was the third son of King Edward 3rd
and Philippa of Hainault of Portugal.
They had 12 children and so John never had much chance of inheriting the
throne. His brother was the Black
Prince, named because of the colour of his Armour. John of Gaunt became his great friend and mentor,
and a brother in Arms. Because of his rank in the Royal Family, John became one
of England’s foremost military commanders from 1370-1380’s. He fought all over
France and Castile in Northern Spain, for 8 years with the Black Prince in
Hundred Years War against France, He was very brave and an excellent Commander
He married
Blanche of Lancaster at Reading Abbey in May 1359, They had 6 children and he became
the richest nobleman in England after the King. Through
this marriage he owned huge estates and no fewer than 30 castles. His duchy was
an independent state, and almost with a snap of his fingers, he could raise
1,000 men at arms and 300 archers. He
loved hunting and is reputed to have killed the last wild boar in England near
Rothwell in Yorkshire.
He was tall,
well built and devoted to his wife Blanche. but she died in childbirth 1368. He gave her a
magnificent funeral and buried her in St Pauls Cathedral.
When the
Black Prince died of a long illness, (dysentery) John of Gaunt returned to
London and obtained the chief influence of his father Edward 111. He became
unpopular with a group of powerful ecclesiastical dignitaries who wanted to
hold state offices, and who were jealous of his enormous power.
Rather
strangely he formed a friendship with a religious reformer named John Wycliffe
who founded the Lollards, but it was not popular with the Royal Family. It was
not clear why John was motivated by this group which attacked the hierarchy of
the Church,
In spite of
this, he obtained his position in court and when King Edward died, his 10-year-old
grandson became King Richard II. John of
Gaunt was named his chief advisor. John was requested to conduct a series of diplomatic
missions and sign documents on behalf of the King. He was trusted to lead his
own expedition into France to try and remedy the dire situation in Aquitaine.
In 1376,
John departed to Spain where he married Constance of Castile. It was not a happy marriage, but he
wanted to pursue his clam to the Kingship of Castile and Leon through his
Spanish wife. After a few years it
turned out to be a military failure, and he renounced his claim, but married
his daughter Catherine to a young noble man who eventually became King Henry II
of Castile and Leon.
Meanwhile in
England war had broken out between the court of King Richard, and his uncle the
Duke of Gloucester, so John of Gaunt returned to England and resumed his role
of peacemaker
He was
possibly the most hated man in England. He was thought to be devious, and not
to be trusted by Parliament and the Kings Councillors. He was a major target in the Peasant’s
Revolt.
PEASANTS
REVOLT 1381, England witnessed a “summer of blood” It was a sudden dramatic rebellion which
started in Kent. The people rebelled against the law making and land-owning
classes, and the incompetent minority government of the 14 year old Richard 2nd.
They marched on London and murdered the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Treasurer
of England and numerous foreigners, and lawyers of the Royal Court. They burnt John
of Gaunt’s Savoy House by the Thames River, to the ground. Their leader, Wat Tyler was Killed, and the
King bravely road out to Greenwich Park (or could have been Blackheath Park,)
and calmed the situation down and the crowd went back to Kent. (1st person to wave a white handkerchief for surrender)
His wife
Constance died in 1394 and two years later he married his mistress, Katherine
Swynford. He had loved her for many years as she had looked after his first
wife’s Blanche children. He and Katherine Swynford had 4
children, and the King surprisingly legitimised all the children . They became
known as the Beauforts. They played an important
part in 15th century politics.
John of
Gaunt died in Leicester Castle on Feb 3rd 1399 at the age of 58. His
body was taken to St Pauls Cathedral on March 16th. Later he was transferred to
St Pauls Cathedral and laid beside his 1st wife Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster.
Shakespeare, John
Of Gaunt in Richard 11 Act 2 Scene1 “ This Royal throne of Kings, this sceptred isle”
(JC.
September 2021)
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