Mistress of the Monarchy

November 10, 2008
Veteran royal biographer Weir (Eleanor of Aquitaine
) resurrects the life and times of the remarkable woman who was mistress and eventually the wife of John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, third son of the charismatic and accomplished king of England, Edward III. Through John and Katherine Swynford (1350–1403) descended centuries of British sovereigns, including Queen Elizabeth II. Weir makes use of meager contemporary sources to build a convincing case for an intelligent, poised and talented woman who flouted convention and took control of her destiny in a male-dominated age. After the death of her first husband, one of John’s knights, Katherine embarked on an illicit and notorious liaison with John, married to the queen of Castile; the connection survived separations and calamities, and she bore him four children. Repentant in the wake of the Peasants Revolt, John broke off the liaison, but after his wife’s death, he risked censure to marry her, making her stepmother to the future Henry IV. Weir’s well-researched, engrossing and perceptive biography gives a gutsy beauty her due while vividly describing the age of chivalry and its many players, including Katherine’s renowned brother-in-law, Geoffrey Chaucer. 16 pages of color photos.

December 15, 2008
Few royal mistresses have emerged from the historical pages of obscurity, and even fewer have made the transition from royal mistress to royal wife. Katherine Swynford (13501403), whose relationship with John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (134099), spanned over 25 years, was the exception. In this meticulously researched and highly engaging biography, prolific historian and novelist Weir ("Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England") shows that Katherine was a cultivated, intelligent woman who was able to hold the love and esteem of one of the most powerful men in England and eventually marry him. Their marriage was of immense dynastic importance: all subsequent English monarchs were descended from them. Because Katherine left no written records or correspondence, Weir relies on informed judgment to fill in some of the historical gaps. Few books have been written about Katherine, apart from Jeannette Lucraft's academic study, "Katherine Swynford: The History of a Medieval Mistress" and of course Anya Seton's famous historical novel, "Katherine", which Weir admits inspired her to write this biography. Genealogical tables at the end of the book are a valuable point of interest. Recommended for both public and academic libraries. (Illustrations not seen.)Carrie Benbow, Toronto P.L., Ontario

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2009
With a practiced hand, royal biographer Weir (Eleanor of Aquitaine, 2001; Queen Isabella, 2006) carefully reconstructs a passionate historical love story. Retracing the life of Katherine Swynford, she paints a portrait of a woman who, although constrained by her station and by society, was nevertheless able to catch the eye and the heart of a prince, becoming first the mistress and eventually the third wife of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. Their relationship spanned nearly 30 years, outlasted several marriages, and thrived during the course of one of the most politically tumultuous periods in British history. The Hundred Years War, the infamous Peasants Revolt, and the regency of Richard II provide a colorful backdrop to this remarkable womans story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)