Catherine Swynford was the mistress of John of Gaunt, one of the sons of King Edward III of England. She may have been the governess of of John's daughters by his first wife. After the death of his first two wives, Blanche of Lancaster and Constance of Castile, John married Catherine in January of 1396. King Richard II, John's nephew passed an Act of Parliament making their children born before the marriage legitimate. But when Henry IV became King of England he added a clause to the Act that barred any of their descendants taking the English throne. This clause was later overturned. All of Catherine and John's children had the surname Beaufort from the castle in Anjou that bares that name. Biography
Biography
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Swynford, Catherine
| Born | circa 1350 | Born At | |
| Died | 10 May 1403 | Buried At |
| Born | circa 1350 / |
| Died | 10 May 1403 / |
Catherine Swynford was the mistress of John of Gaunt, one of the sons of King Edward III of England. She may have been the governess of of John's daughters by his first wife. After the death of his first two wives, Blanche of Lancaster and Constance of Castile, John married Catherine in January of 1396. King Richard II, John's nephew passed an Act of Parliament making their children born before the marriage legitimate. But when Henry IV became King of England he added a clause to the Act that barred any of their descendants taking the English throne. This clause was later overturned. All of Catherine and John's children had the surname Beaufort from the castle in Anjou that bares that name. 
Family Tree Details
Swynford, Catherine (b.1350? - d.1403)
+John (of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster) (b.1340 - d.1399)
= Beaufort, John (1st Earl of Somerset) ( - d.1410)
| +Holland, Margaret (b.1385 - d.1439)
| = Beaufort, Henry (Duke of Somerset) (b.1401 - d.1418)
| = Beaufort, John (1st Duke of Somerset) ( - d.1444)
| | +Beauchamp, Margaret (of Bletsoe) (b.1410? - d.1482)
| | = Beaufort, Lady Margaret (b.1441 - d.1509)
| = Beaufort, Edmund (2nd Duke of Somerset) (b.1406 - d.1455)
| | +Beauchamp, Eleanor ( - d.1467)
| | = Beaufort, Henry (3rd Duke of Somerset) (b.1436? - d.1464)
| | = Beaufort, Edmund (4th Duke of Somerset) (b.1438? - d.1471)
| | = Beaufort, John ( - d.1471)
| = Beaufort, Joan (b.1404? - d.1445)
| +James (I, King of Scotland 1406-1437) (b.1394 - d.1437)
| = Margaret (Stewart) ( - d.1445)
| = Isabella (Stewart) ( - d.1494)
| = Eleanor (Stewart) ( - d.1480)
| = James (II, King of Scotland 1437-1460) (b.1430 - d.1460)
| = Joan (Stewart) ( - d.1480)
= Beaufort, Henry (Cardinal-Bishop of Winchester) (b.1376? - d.1447)
= Beaufort, Thomas (Duke of Exeter) ( - d.1426)
= Beaufort, Joan (Countess of Westmorland) (b.1379 - d.1440)
+Neville, Ralph (Earl of Westmorland, Earl Marshal) (b.1364 - d.1425)
= Neville, Cecily (Duchess of York) (b.1415 - d.1495)
| +Richard (Duke of York) (b.1411 - d.1460)
| = Edward (IV, Earl of March and King of England 1461-1470, 1471-1483) (b.1442 - d.1483)
| = Edmund (Earl of Rutland) (b.1443 - d.1460)
| = George (Duke of Clarence) (b.1449 - d.1478)
| = Richard (III, King of England 1483-1485) (b.1452 - d.1485)
| = Elizabeth (of York, Duchess of Suffolk) ( - d.1503)
| = Margaret (of York, Duchess of Burgundy) (b.1446 - d.1503)
= Neville, Richard (Earl of Salisbury) ( - d.1460)
+Montacute, Alice (Daughter of Earl of Salisbury)
= Neville, Richard (Earl of Warwick, 'The Kingmaker') (b.1428 - d.1471)
= Neville, John (Earl of Northumberland, Lord Montague) ( - d.1471)
= Neville, George (Archbishop of York) ( - d.1476)
= Neville, Cecily (Duchess of Warwick) (b.1425 - d.1450)
= Neville, Katherine (b.1442? - d.1504?)
+John (of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster) (b.1340 - d.1399)
= Beaufort, John (1st Earl of Somerset) ( - d.1410)
| +Holland, Margaret (b.1385 - d.1439)
| = Beaufort, Henry (Duke of Somerset) (b.1401 - d.1418)
| = Beaufort, John (1st Duke of Somerset) ( - d.1444)
| | +Beauchamp, Margaret (of Bletsoe) (b.1410? - d.1482)
| | = Beaufort, Lady Margaret (b.1441 - d.1509)
| = Beaufort, Edmund (2nd Duke of Somerset) (b.1406 - d.1455)
| | +Beauchamp, Eleanor ( - d.1467)
| | = Beaufort, Henry (3rd Duke of Somerset) (b.1436? - d.1464)
| | = Beaufort, Edmund (4th Duke of Somerset) (b.1438? - d.1471)
| | = Beaufort, John ( - d.1471)
| = Beaufort, Joan (b.1404? - d.1445)
| +James (I, King of Scotland 1406-1437) (b.1394 - d.1437)
| = Margaret (Stewart) ( - d.1445)
| = Isabella (Stewart) ( - d.1494)
| = Eleanor (Stewart) ( - d.1480)
| = James (II, King of Scotland 1437-1460) (b.1430 - d.1460)
| = Joan (Stewart) ( - d.1480)
= Beaufort, Henry (Cardinal-Bishop of Winchester) (b.1376? - d.1447)
= Beaufort, Thomas (Duke of Exeter) ( - d.1426)
= Beaufort, Joan (Countess of Westmorland) (b.1379 - d.1440)
+Neville, Ralph (Earl of Westmorland, Earl Marshal) (b.1364 - d.1425)
= Neville, Cecily (Duchess of York) (b.1415 - d.1495)
| +Richard (Duke of York) (b.1411 - d.1460)
| = Edward (IV, Earl of March and King of England 1461-1470, 1471-1483) (b.1442 - d.1483)
| = Edmund (Earl of Rutland) (b.1443 - d.1460)
| = George (Duke of Clarence) (b.1449 - d.1478)
| = Richard (III, King of England 1483-1485) (b.1452 - d.1485)
| = Elizabeth (of York, Duchess of Suffolk) ( - d.1503)
| = Margaret (of York, Duchess of Burgundy) (b.1446 - d.1503)
= Neville, Richard (Earl of Salisbury) ( - d.1460)
+Montacute, Alice (Daughter of Earl of Salisbury)
= Neville, Richard (Earl of Warwick, 'The Kingmaker') (b.1428 - d.1471)
= Neville, John (Earl of Northumberland, Lord Montague) ( - d.1471)
= Neville, George (Archbishop of York) ( - d.1476)
= Neville, Cecily (Duchess of Warwick) (b.1425 - d.1450)
= Neville, Katherine (b.1442? - d.1504?)
Swynford, Catherine (b.1350? - d.1403)
+John (of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster) (b.1340 - d.1399)
= Beaufort, John (1st Earl of Somerset) ( - d.1410)
| +Holland, Margaret (b.1385 - d.1439)
| = Beaufort, Henry (Duke of Somerset) (b.1401 - d.1418)
| = Beaufort, John (1st Duke of Somerset) ( - d.1444)
| | +Beauchamp, Margaret (of Bletsoe) (b.1410? - d.1482)
| | = Beaufort, Lady Margaret (b.1441 - d.1509)
| = Beaufort, Edmund (2nd Duke of Somerset) (b.1406 - d.1455)
| | +Beauchamp, Eleanor ( - d.1467)
| | = Beaufort, Henry (3rd Duke of Somerset) (b.1436? - d.1464)
| | = Beaufort, Edmund (4th Duke of Somerset) (b.1438? - d.1471)
| | = Beaufort, John ( - d.1471)
| = Beaufort, Joan (b.1404? - d.1445)
| +James (I, King of Scotland 1406-1437) (b.1394 - d.1437)
| = Margaret (Stewart) ( - d.1445)
| = Isabella (Stewart) ( - d.1494)
| = Eleanor (Stewart) ( - d.1480)
| = James (II, King of Scotland 1437-1460) (b.1430 - d.1460)
| = Joan (Stewart) ( - d.1480)
= Beaufort, Henry (Cardinal-Bishop of Winchester) (b.1376? - d.1447)
= Beaufort, Thomas (Duke of Exeter) ( - d.1426)
= Beaufort, Joan (Countess of Westmorland) (b.1379 - d.1440)
+Neville, Ralph (Earl of Westmorland, Earl Marshal) (b.1364 - d.1425)
= Neville, Cecily (Duchess of York) (b.1415 - d.1495)
| +Richard (Duke of York) (b.1411 - d.1460)
| = Edward (IV, Earl of March and King of England 1461-1470, 1471-1483) (b.1442 - d.1483)
| = Edmund (Earl of Rutland) (b.1443 - d.1460)
| = George (Duke of Clarence) (b.1449 - d.1478)
| = Richard (III, King of England 1483-1485) (b.1452 - d.1485)
| = Elizabeth (of York, Duchess of Suffolk) ( - d.1503)
| = Margaret (of York, Duchess of Burgundy) (b.1446 - d.1503)
= Neville, Richard (Earl of Salisbury) ( - d.1460)
+Montacute, Alice (Daughter of Earl of Salisbury)
= Neville, Richard (Earl of Warwick, 'The Kingmaker') (b.1428 - d.1471)
= Neville, John (Earl of Northumberland, Lord Montague) ( - d.1471)
= Neville, George (Archbishop of York) ( - d.1476)
= Neville, Cecily (Duchess of Warwick) (b.1425 - d.1450)
= Neville, Katherine (b.1442? - d.1504?)
See Also
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Timeline
1396 (Age: 46yrs)
Catherine Swynford was the mistress of John of Gaunt. She may have been the governess of of John's daughters by his first wife. After the death of his first two wives, Blanche of Lancaster and Constance of Castile, John married Catherine. They were married at Lincoln Cathedral.
1397 (Age: 47yrs)
Feb 9
The children of John of Gaunt and Catherine Swynford born before their marriage were legitimated by an Act of Parliament put forward by King Richard II.
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