[MR] Wikipedia: Death of Margaret of Valois

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

On this date in 1437 Catherine of Valois, dowager Queen of England, died in
London. Though her reign was brief, Catherine was a very important figure
in the History of England.

Catherine was the daughter of the French King Charles VI (aka "Charles the
Mad"). Her marriage to Henry V, as provided for in the 1420 Treaty of
Troyes, was intended to make Henry King of France upon Charles' death.
Henry died on of dysentery on 31 August 1422 while on campaign, leaving
Catherine a dowager queen, with an infant son, Henry VI. Charles himself
died on 21 October 1422. Thus the infant Henry VI became King of France, or
at least king of the English-controlled parts of France.

Sadly, like most noble women of the time, Catherine was a pawn of powerful
men, though she proved herself a willful opponent in the struggles to
control Henry VI during his early life. Catherine was kept under close
watch by the Lord Protector, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester. A marriage would
have created a new power block that would have sought control the youth
king. She still managed to have a long affair (or secret marriage) with
Owen Tudor which resulted in six children.

Henry VI suffered from years of madness, probably carried through Catherine
by defective genes inherited from her father. King Henry's weakness was on
of the triggers for the Wars of the Roses.

Catherine's son by Jasper Tudor, Edmund, married Margaret Beaufort. Edmund
and Margaret's son Henry eventually won the throne of England at Bosworth
and became Henry VII, king of England.

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge