The Duchess: Blanche of Lancaster, c 1345-1368

For most people, the only love of John of Gaunt's life was his long-term mistress and 3rd wife, Katherine Swynford.  However, he may have had a loving relationship with his first wife, Blanche of Lancaster, c 1345-1368.

Blanche was born at Bolinbroke Castle, Lincolnshire.  She, too, had lion's blood.  Her great-great grandfather was Henry III.  She was, thus, a Plantagenet through Henry's son, Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster.  Blanche was the younger of two sisters, and both were heirs to their father's estates, which included the Earldom of Lancaster, the Earldom of Leicester, the Earldom of Derby and the Earldom of Lincoln.  Maude of Lancaster also married well, but died childless, leaving Blanche the sole heir of their father.  In 1359, at Reading Abbey, Blanche married her third cousin John of Gaunt.  When Blanche's father died in 1361, the Lancaster inheritance was recreated as a Duchy.  In 1362, with Maude's death, John, through Blanche, inherited the other earldoms to add to his own considerable wealth.  He later became Lord High Steward of England.  He and Blanche had three surviving children, Henry of Bolingbroke, the future Henry IV, Philippa, Queen of Portugal and Elizabeth, Duchess of Exeter.  Four other children died as invents.

Blanche was a beautiful woman.  Chronicler Jean Froissart described her as young and pretty.  Geoffrey Chaucer, who began his court career in John of Gaunt's patronage, wrote his first major work, the Book of the Duchess, at her encouragement and with the central character being inspired by her.  Like many women of that era who endured multiple pregnancies, Blanche's health began failing.  It was about that time that Gaunt began his relationship with Katherine Swynford, though they wouldn't marry until years later.  Blanche died at Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire in 1368, while Gaunt was overseas on military service.  John of Gaunt arranged a beautiful tomb for her in Old St. Paul's Cathedral.  Each year, he arranged for special commemorative masses to be said for her soul.  When John of Gaunt himself died, he chose to be buried beside Blanche at St. Paul's, where he'd commissioned a chantry chapel for perpetual prayers for their souls.  When the tomb was completed, it was scene that his right hand clasped her right hand on the double effigy, rather than the two simply lying side by side.  Had love's dart struck twice for John of Gaunt?