reviewed live on show by Corinna Christopher 16th May 2013
A wonderful way to absorb history since I did not know too much about
this lady. The time is 1415 and
Katherine de Valois , a French princess is about to become a dynastic pawn in
relations between England and France. Brought up by a cold and unloving Mother and a
father who is loosing his mind she has until her mid teens led a miserable
life.
Blessed with good looks and innocence she is married off to Henry He however, is not a loving husband and is
more interested in fighting France on foreign shores. In the first year
Katherine manages to produce a son but is soon widowed when Henry dies in
France victim of a soldier’s disease.
There follows much political intrigue since the Mother of the future
king is an important figure. Desperate
for love and affection she embarks on a passionate affair with Edmund
Beaufort. With the royal dukes circling
her person this liaison is doomed to fail.
supervising domestic matters. A
handsome dark Welshman who worships the young Queen. Against all the odds they fall in love and in
spite of much opposition marry. The
young king meanwhile is being brought up away from his Mother.
Katherine and Owen produced
several children and their eldest son Edmund married Margaret Beaufort
whose son Henry Tudor was the first
monarch of the Tudor dynasty
Katherine was a sad figure and little was written about her other than
the facts of her brief life. She died at
the age of 35 at Bermondsey Abbey where she lived in her last years. In her own
words she suffered from “ a grievous malady in which I have been
long…..troubled and vexed” It was
thought the same illness of her father.
She was buried in Westminster Abbey.
lots of interesting notes at the back. A very enjoyable history lesson with lots of passion and drama.
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