A Queen’s Education and Upbringing: Catherine of Lancaster’s Life as a Lancastrian Princess

Lesley Twomey*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    Abstract

    Catherine of Lancaster’s betrothal to the ten-year-old heir to the throne of Castile, the future Enrique III, was negotiated between Juan I, king of Castile, and Catherine’s parents, Constanza de Castilla and Gaunt, in 1388. By the time the marriage took place in 1393, Catherine was twenty years old. Catherine of Lancaster was educated in England. Several Mirrors of Princes and conduct books were available to her parents, including Walter of Milemete’s to guide how they prepared her from infancy to be queen of Castile. As reading matter, books like the legends of saints were owned by her guardian, Joan Burghersh, Lady de Mohun. Court games, like chess, were no doubt played and there is evidence for hunting among the female members of the Lancaster household. Devotion to the Virgin, including pilgrimage, could have been learned both from John of Gaunt and Joan Burghersh.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationCatherine of Lancaster and her Religious Court Poets
    Place of PublicationCham, Switzerland
    PublisherPalgrave Macmillan
    Chapter1
    Pages39-101
    Number of pages43
    Edition1
    ISBN (Electronic)9783031584800
    ISBN (Print)9783031584794, 9783031584824
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 19 Jul 2024

    Publication series

    NameQueenship and Power
    PublisherPalgrave Macmillan
    ISSN (Print)2730-938X
    ISSN (Electronic)2730-9398

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