Tag: Constance of Castile

Guest Post: “Ines de Castro” by Catherine Mathis

On By hmalagisiIn guest post1 Comment

Today, I am pleased to welcome Catherine Mathis to my blog to discuss Ines de Castro, the main protagonist of her novel, “Ines,” the first book in her Queens of Portugal trilogy. I would like to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and Catherine Mathis for allowing me to participate in this blog tour. 

Inês resides more in our imaginations than in fact. She lived, had children, and died. 

Her family came from Galicia, in the northwest of Spain, where the famous city of Santiago de Compostela is located. Her father was a powerful noble, Pedro Fernãndez de Castro. Her mother, a noblewoman of Portuguese antecedents, was the mistress of her father. Her birth was illegitimate, which narrowed many of the choices available in her social class. She had kings in her lineage. Her parents also had a son, Alvaro. It is recorded that Alvaro became a good friend of the Pedro in this tale. 

Some accounts say she was raised in Portugal, and others in Castile. Inés could have been a young woman serving in the court of Portugal. But the legend says she came from Castile with Constanza, who married Portugal’s Infante Pedro. Coming with Constanza feels more probable because they were cousins and knew each other. If the legend is true that she and Pedro fell in love quickly, then the odds fall on the side to say their first knowledge of each other was a sudden arrival at court, not her growing up there. 

What comes down in the legend is her blonde hair and long neck, neither particular markers of great beauty in medieval Portugal. Yet, she is held out as a beauty. In those days, a high forehead was greatly prized, so women plucked their hair to make their foreheads taller. Did Inês? Probably – what young woman does not follow current fashion?  

There are no paintings or drawings for most people at this time. Pedro did leave us with an incredible gift, their sarcophagi. He was instrumental in their design. This is how Pedro remembers Inês. 

(Effigy of Inês. © Alcobaça Abbey, Portugal.) 

My underlying belief for Inês is that her beauty stems partly from appearance and partly from personality. I see her as easy to talk with, an attentive listener, and someone who gives you her full attention. She is loyal. She is determined. 

Most of all, Inês is true to herself. She is likely just 14- or 15-years old when she arrives on the scene. We know nothing of her years beforehand. I expect she could read and write as well as stitch and hunt, all skills of a medieval noblewoman. I believe that having suffered the shame of her birth, she desired the life of a legitimately married woman. She would eschew being mistress of any man, even the heir to the throne. Combine her marriage goal with her loyalty to her cousin Constanza, Pedro’s wife, and just sleeping with Pedro was out of the question. When you are marked young with an unfortunate circumstance, the power of motivation to alter the course of your life is strong. She will suffer for her choices, losing the trust of the king and being exiled. Repeatedly, the crown of Portugal throws obstacles in her way, and she perseveres. 

Then comes the day when Pedro plays his part. A widower, he holds out the promise of marriage. No one sees her as fit to be a queen. Of course, there is political intrigue involving her brothers. Life is never simple when you are in the orbit of the royal family. She loves children. She cares for her cousin’s children and her own with recorded affection. 

She is the glue of the story. In the novel, she is caught between two men, one whom she is unworthy to wed and one who repels her. When she rejects the king’s trusted adviser, Gonçalves, his hurt turns to jealous anger. “If I cannot have her, then no man can.” Who will the king trust, his son or his adviser? The choices she makes have dire consequences for our protagonist and antagonist.

Blurb:     

An heir to the throne, a gorgeous blonde lady-in-waiting, the king’s trusted advisor. When a father and son don’t understand each other, the son pays an outrageous price. 

Love, jealousy, loyalty, and revenge roil the court of 14th-century Portugal. 

In this engrossing launch to the Queens of Portugal trilogy, Catherine Mathis gives a fresh take on the tale of Pedro and Inês, Portugal’s real-life Romeo and Juliet. Pedro’s father would not have been king if not for his trusted advisor, Gonçalves. Once king, he wants no part in neighboring Castile’s royal convulsions, though his son, Pedro, befriends powerful Castilians. 

The all-consuming drive of the king is to ensure his line rules Portugal for centuries to come. He needs legitimate, strong heirs. The Infante Pedro loves a woman not deemed worthy to wear the crown as queen. Between father and son is Gonçalves, the king’s powerful, unquestioned counselor, who is a mentor to the son. Both Gonçalves and Pedro seek the attention of Inês. 

There is a horrific cost to winning the love of Inês. She will not release her grip on Pedro until he keeps the two sworn oaths he made to her. Can Pedro do the impossible to satisfy Inês? 

Inês is based on real people and events, exploring a cultural touchstone of Portuguese history. 

Praise for Inês: 

“Mathis masterfully weaves emotional depth into the narrative, creating a deeply engaging experience that leaves a lasting impression and invites readers on an unforgettable journey through the grandeur and intrigue of Portugal’s past.”
~ Mary Anne Yarde, The Coffee Pot Book Club 5* Review 

“This exciting start to the Queens of Portugal trilogy describes the legendary love story of Pedro and Inês, and I was amazed at the excellent storytelling and how the author brings the courts to life. There is a lot of drama and intrigue, and the characters’ emotions are beautifully captured in this engrossing tale.”
~ Readers’ Favorite 5* Review 

 

Buy Link: 

Universal Buy Link:   https://books2read.com/u/br8OBY  

Author Bio: 

Catherine Mathis was born in Berlin, the daughter of an American spy. As she grew up in Washington, D.C., her spy father turned into a drug enforcement agent. His career change wrecked any chance at high school popularity. She graduated from Sewanee | The University of the South with a degree in history focused on the medieval period. After a career in finance, she returned to her first love of medieval history to ‘Share Iberian Tales.’ Outside of writing, spare time joys are family, friends, reading, collecting folk/outsider art, and travel. 

Author Links: 

Website:  www.catherinemathis.com  

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007239702480  

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/cmathisauthor/  

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/Catherine-Mathis/author/B0F7FZHJ9T  

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6987876.Catherine_Mathis 

Book Review: “The Red Prince: The Life of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster” by Helen Carr

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

55710502When one studies the history of the English monarchy, we tend to consider those who ruled and those who advised the ruler as significant characters. We rarely study the family members of the monarch who did not win the right to rule the kingdom. Yet, they are often either extremely loyal or they desire the crown with such ferocity that they rebel against their own family. It seems like a rather cruel world, but that was the life of a medieval monarch. True loyalty for one’s family was a rare feat. One man showed the depth of his loyalty to his family, even when the people despised him. He was the son of King Edward III, the brother of the famous Black Prince, the uncle of King Richard II, and the father of Henry Bolingbroke who would become King Henry IV. Gaunt’s reputation and legacy have been marred by his wealth and the role that he played with the Peasants’ Revolt, but was he such a bad person? In Helen Carr’s brilliant debut biography, “The Red Prince: The Life of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster”, she looks to uncover the truth about the man behind the throne and why he never desired the crown for himself.

Carr has chosen to call John of Gaunt “The Red Prince”, which makes a lot of sense for someone who understands the significance of his legacy in history. His son by his first wife Blanche of Lancaster, King Henry IV, was the first Lancastrian King of England. Obviously, they were represented by the red rose in the rather poetic sounding Wars of the Roses in the 15th century and their half-siblings, the Beauforts (who were descended from the children of John’s third wife and former mistress Katherine Swynford) would continue the legacy in their own way. There would be no Lancastrian Kings of England or Wars of the Roses or Tudor dynasty without John of Gaunt.

I am getting a little ahead of myself. After all, during John of Gaunt’s lifetime, none of this happened. He was just the son of Edward III and the brother of the Black Prince when he earned the title of the first Duke of Lancaster. He earned his reputation as a loyal soldier fighting alongside his brother and father in the conflict with France that would be known in history as the Hundred Years’ War. His loyalty to his brother and father and his bravery as a knight was legendary. He gained vast amounts of wealth from his marriages to Blanche of Lancaster and Constance of Castile. He was a patron of the arts, especially to Geoffrey Chaucer, and championed those who wanted to challenge the way religion was understood during the 14th century.

He had everything he could ever want until his world came crashing down around him. The Black Prince died of illness and his father King Edward III would soon follow, leaving the throne to his nephew King Richard II. To say things got off to a rocky start would be an understatement as John of Gaunt and other government officials were accused of raising taxes so high that it triggered what we know as the Peasants’ Revolt. On top of all of the problems in England, John of Gaunt decided to become King of Castile with his wife Constance. John of Gaunt led a life full of adventure, risks, and above all, loyalty to his family.

Carr does a magnificent job of bringing Gaunt’s life into focus. So much of his reputation has been tainted over time, but Carr did not shy away from the challenge. This is one of the best biographies that I have read this year so far. John of Gaunt deserved to have his story retold and Helen Carr was the perfect historian to tell his story for a newer generation. Carr’s writing style is engaging with meticulous attention to detail. This is a gorgeous debut biography and I cannot wait to see what Helen Carr will write next. If you want to read a biography about the founder of the Lancastrian dynasty, “The Red Prince: The Life of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster” by Helen Carr is a must-read.

Biography: Katherine Swynford

On By hmalagisiIn BiographiesLeave a comment

(Born November  25, 1350 – Died May 10, 1403). Daughter of Payne de Roet. Sister of Philippa Chaucer, the wife of Geoffrey Chaucer. Married to Hugh Swynford and John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster. Mother of the Beauforts as well as 3 children with Hugh Swynford.

Katherine was probably born on or around November 25, 1350 to Payne de Roet, a herald and later a knight. We don’t know much about her early life.  Katherine was appointed governess to watch over the children of John of Gaunt and Blanche of Lancaster in 1365. In 1367, she married Hugh Swynford, a knight, and they had 3 children; Blanche, Thomas and Margaret Swynford.

Hugh Swynford and Blanche of Lancaster would both die in 1371, the same year that rumors began that Katherine and John were having an affair. John quickly silenced those rumors by marrying Constance of Castile later the same year. In 1372 Katherine’s position in John’s household got better and by 1373, their first child John, was born. They would have 4 children; John, Henry, Thomas and Joan.They would adopt the last name Beaufort in honor of their father’s lost of his lordship of Anjou.

During the 1380’s, Katherine left court so John could repair his reputation after the Peasants’ Revolt. When Constance died in 1394, everything changed for the couple. They were married in 1396 and their children became legitimate, however they were banned from the line of succession for the throne of England. John would die on February 3, 1399, leaving Katherine a widow yet again. Katherine would die on May 10, 1403.

Her children with John of Gaunt, the Beauforts and their children, would change English history forever.

Biography: John of Gaunt

On By hmalagisiIn BiographiesLeave a comment

gaunt(Born March 6, 1340- Died March 15, 1399). Son of King Edward III and Philippa of Hainault.  He had three wives, Blanche of Lancaster, Constance of Castile, and Katherine Swynford. He was the 1st Duke of Lancaster, the Duke of Aquitaine, King of Castile, and one of the wealthiest men of his time. His children would become the House of Lancaster, the Beauforts, the monarchs of Portugal and Castile, and the Hapsburgs.

 

John of Gaunt was the third surviving son of Edward III. He wasn’t supposed to be as wealthy or influential as he became but he achieved prestige by marrying well. With his first marriage to Blanche of Lancaster, John of Gaunt was able to become the first Duke of Lancaster. Blanche of Lancaster would die in 1369 and John would marry Constance of Castile in 1371. She was next in line for the throne of Castile and for years John fought for her crown against the Spanish. The problem was that they were also fighting the French as the Hundred Years’ War was just starting.   After his brother Edward The Black Prince’s death in 1376, John took John Wycliffe under his protection as he now had more of a political influence.

When Edward III died, John of Gaunt’s nephew Richard II became king and John was his right hand man. There was a lot of mistrust with the nobility and the common folk which lead to the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, which was quickly and brutally taken care of. John went  back to Castile try to take the throne, but as soon as he left, England almost fell into civil war because of how poorly Richard II ruled. John gave up his claim to the Castilian throne to help bring England back to some stability.

 

He would also help sponsor  Geoffrey Chaucer, who was his brother in law since Chaucer married the sister of John’s third wife and long time mistress, Katherine Swynford. John and Katherine met while he was married to Constance and had 4 children out of wedlock. After they were married in 1396, their children were made legitimate and given the name “Beaufort”. There was one catch, they were not allowed to inherit the throne, although their half- brother Henry IV allowed them to have some royal status. John of Gaunt died  of natural causes on March 15, 1399 with Katherine Swynford by her side. He would later be buried by his first wife, Blanche of Lancaster.