Biography of Cardinal Henry Beaufort 1375-1447

Paternal Family Tree: Anjou aka Plantagenet

Maternal Family Tree: Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403

1359 Double Royal Wedding

1362 Edward III Creates two sons as Dukes

1396 Marriage of John of Gaunt and Katherine Roet

1397 Legitimation of the Beauforts

1399 Death of John of Gaunt

1429 English Coronation of Henry VI

1431 Execution of Joan of Arc

1431 French Coronation of Henry VI

In 1342 [his father] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 1) was created 1st Earl Richmond. It isn't clear whether his older brothers [his uncle] Edward "Black Prince" (age 11) and [his uncle] Lionel Plantagenet 1st Duke of Clarence (age 3) had been created Earls before this time.

Double Royal Wedding

On 19 May 1359 , or thereabouts, a double-royal wedding celebration took place at Reading Abbey [Map] whereby two children of [his grandfather] King Edward III of England (age 46) were married:

[his father] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 19) and Blanche Plantagenet Duchess Lancaster (age 14) were married. She by marriage Countess Richmond. She the daughter of Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster (age 49) and Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster (age 39). He the son of King Edward III of England (age 46) and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England (age 44). They were half second cousin once removed. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

John Hastings 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 11) and [his aunt] Margaret Plantagenet Countess of Pembroke (age 12) were married. At the time John Hastings 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 11) was a ward of King Edward III of England (age 55) who would enjoy the benefit of the substantial revenue of the Earldom of Pembroke until John came of age nine years later on 12 Sep 1368. She died two or so years later probably of plague. She the daughter of King Edward III of England (age 46) and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England (age 44). He the son of Laurence Hastings 1st Earl Pembroke and Agnes Mortimer Countess of Pembroke (age 42). They were half fourth cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King John "Lackland" of England.

Edward III Creates two sons as Dukes

On 13 Nov 1362, his fiftieth birthday, [his grandfather] King Edward III of England (age 50) created two sons as Dukes ...

[his uncle] Lionel Plantagenet 1st Duke of Clarence (age 23) was created 1st Duke Clarence. Elizabeth Burgh Duchess of Clarence (age 30) by marriage Duchess Clarence.

[his father] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 22) was created 1st Duke Lancaster. Blanche Plantagenet Duchess Lancaster (age 17) by marriage Duchess Lancaster.

In or before 1367 Hugh Swynford and [his mother] Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 16) were married.

On 21 Sep 1371 [his father] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 31) and Constance of Castile Duchess of Lancaster (age 17) were married at Roquefort, Landes. She by marriage Duchess Lancaster. His younger brother [his uncle] Edmund of Langley 1st Duke York (age 30) married Constance's sister in July 1372. An example of Marriage of Two Sets of Siblings. She the daughter of Peter "Cruel" I King Castile and Maria Padilla. He the son of King Edward III of England (age 58) and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England.

In 1375 Cardinal Henry Beaufort was born illegitimately to John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 34) and Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 24). He a grandson of King Edward III of England.

Marriage of John of Gaunt and Katherine Roet

On 13 Jan 1396 [his father] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 55) and [his mother] Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 45) were married at Lincoln Cathedral [Map]. She by marriage Duchess Lancaster. He the son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England.

Legitimation of the Beauforts

Calendars. 28. Be it remembered that on Tuesday, the fifteenth day of the parliament [4 February 1397], the chancellor (age 53), by order of the king (age 30), declared that our holy father the pope, in reverence of the most excellent person of the king (age 30) and his honourable uncle the [his father] duke of Guyenne and of Lancaster (age 56), and of his blood, has enabled and legitimized my lord [his illegitimate brother] John Beaufort (age 24), his brothers [Note. Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 22) and [his illegitimate brother] Thomas Beaufort 1st Duke Exeter (age 20)], and his [his illegitimate sister] sister (age 18). And therefore our lord the king, as sole ruler of his kingdom of England, for the honour of his blood, willed and enabled of his abundant royal power, and legitimized, of his own authority, the said John, his said brothers, and sister. And he also pronounced and published the ability and legitimation, according to the form of the charter of the king made thereon.

Calendars. 29. Which charter was read in full parliament, and delivered to the said [his father] duke, father of the said John, and his said brothers and sister; the tenor of which charter follows:

Richard, by the grace of God, king of England and France and lord of Ireland, to our most beloved kinsmen the noble [his illegitimate brother] John, knight, Henry, cleric, [his illegitimate brother] Thomas, donzel, and our beloved noblewoman [his illegitimate sister] Joan Beaufort, lady-in-waiting, our most beloved cousins born of our uncle that noble man John duke of Lancaster, our lieges, greeting and the goodwill of our royal majesty. While inwardly considering how endlessly and with how many honours of parental and sincere affection of our aforementioned uncle and of his mature counsel we are on all sides blessed, we have judged it appropriate and worthy that in consideration of his merits, and in contemplation of the grace of persons, we should endow you, who are resplendent with probity and virtuous life and conduct, and are born of royal stock and divinely marked with many virtues and gifts, with the protection of grace and favour by special prerogative. Thus it is that, yielding to the prayers of our said uncle, your father, we grant to you who, so it is claimed, have suffered such defect of birth, that, notwithstanding this defect, which, together with its various consequences, we wish to be fully included in these presents, you may nevertheless receive all honours, dignities, preferments, estates, degrees, and public and private offices, both perpetual and temporal, and feudal and noble rights, by whatsoever name they are called, such as duchies, lordships, earldoms, baronies, or whatsoever other fiefs they be, whether they be dependent upon or held of us mediately or intermediately, which may be preferred, promoted, elected, taken up and allowed, and received, retained, performed and exercised prudently, freely and lawfully, as if you were born in wedlock, notwithstanding any statutes or customs of our kingdom of England decreed or observed to the contrary; and we dispense you [from this defect] by the tenor of these presents, by the plenitude of our royal power and with the assent of our parliament; and we restore you and each of you to legitimacy.

On 27 Feb 1398 Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 23) was appointed Bishop of Lincoln.

Death of John of Gaunt

On 03 Feb 1399 [his father] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 58) died at Leicester Castle [Map]. [his mother] Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 48) was by his side. He was buried in the Choir of St Paul's Cathedral [Map] with his first wife Blanche Plantagenet Duchess Lancaster. His son [his half-brother] Henry IV King England (age 31) succeeded 2nd Duke Lancaster, 7th Earl of Leicester.

King Richard II of England (age 32) witheld the future Henry IV's (age 31) inheritance from him giving Henry (age 31) reason to return to England to claim his lands and titles.

In 1402 [his illegitimate daughter] Joan aka Jane Beaufort was born illegitimately to Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 27) and Alice Fitzalan Baroness Cherleton. She a great granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

In 1403 Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 28) was appointed Lord Chancellor.

On 10 May 1403 [his mother] Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 52) died. She was buried in Lincoln Cathedral [Map].

On 19 Nov 1404 Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 29) was appointed Bishop of Winchester.

Chronicle of Gregory 1403-1419. 29 Oct 1415. And in that same yere, onne the morne aftyr Syn Symonnys day and Jude, that the mayre shulde ryde to Westemyster for to take hys othe, come tydyngys to London of the batayle a-bove sayde by the Byschoppe of Worseter20, that tyme beyng Chaunceler, for he come to London erly in the mornynge, and warnyd the mayre. And thenne thorowe London they lette rynge the bellys in every chyrche and song Te Deum; and at Powlys [Map], at ix of the clocke, the tydyngys were oppynly proclaymyd to alle the comeners of [th]e cytte and to alle othyr strangerys. And thenne the Quene (age 45)21, and alle hyr byschoppys and alle the lordys [th]at were in London that tyme, wentte to Westemyster on hyr fete a prosessyon to Synt Edwarde ys schryne, whythe alle the prestys, and clerkys, and fryers, and alle othyr relygyous men, devoutely syngynge ande saynge the letanye. And whenne they hadde offerde, the mayre com home rydynge merely whythe alle hys aldermen and comeners as they were i-wounte for to doo.

Note 20. Should be Winchester. Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester (age 40), afterwards Cardinal. The title is given correctly in Vit.

Note 21. Joan of Navarre (age 45), widow of Henry IV.

In 1424 Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 49) was appointed Lord Chancellor.

In 1426 Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 51) was appointed Cardinal.

English Coronation of Henry VI

On 06 Nov 1429 King Henry VI of England and II of France (age 7) was crowned VI King England by Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 54) at Westminster Abbey [Map]. Henry Beauchamp 1st Duke Warwick (age 4) carried the child King. John Mowbray 3rd Duke of Norfolk (age 14) attended. John Beaumont 1st Viscount Beaumont (age 20) was knighted.

Execution of Joan of Arc

On 30 May 1431 Joan of Arc (age 19) was burned at the stake witnessed by Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 56) at the Old Market Place, Rouen [Map].

French Coronation of Henry VI

On 16 Dec 1431 Henry VI (age 10) was crowned II King France: Lancaster at Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral [Map] by Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 56). A somewhat futile exercise; the last gasps of the Hundred Years War. The ceremony had been arranged by John Lancaster 1st Duke Bedford (age 42). His wife Anne Valois Duchess of Bedford (age 27) attended.

Walter Hungerford 1st Baron Hungerford (age 53) was appointed Carver.

Thomas Harrington (age 31), Richard Archer (age 44), Hugh Courtenay 12th Earl Devon and his son Thomas (age 17) attended.

Excerpta Historica Page 152. [1433.] Nothing more has been discovered of Sir Thomas Swynford (age 66), excepting that the [his illegitimate brother] Duke of Exeter, his half-brother, bequeathed him, by the appellation of "my brother," a silver-gilt cup, and that he died in the 11 Hen. VI. 1432-31, having alienated his lands in Lincolnshire, as the inquisition on his death finds that he held nothing in that county. He appears to have had issue two sons, Thomas (age 27) and William (age 25). Of William, all that is known is, that his half-uncle, Cardinal Beaufort (age 58), by a codicil to his will, dated in 1447, in which he called him "William Swynford my nephew," left him 400l. with a certain quantity of silver vessels.

Note 1. Esch. 11 H.VI. No. 4.

Chronicle of Gregory 1447. 1447. Ande uppon Ester nexte folowynge, Harry Byschoppe of Wynchester and Cardynalle (age 72), and lythe enteryde at Wynchester. And a-non aftyr the dethe of the Duke of Glouceter (age 56) there were a reste many of the sayde dukys1 to the nombyr of xxxviij squyers, be-syde alle othyr servantys that nevyr ymagenyd no falsenys of the that they were put a-pon of.

Note 1. The word "servants" appears to be omitted.

On 11 Apr 1447 Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 72) died at Wolvesey Castle [Map]. He was buried in his Chantry Chapel at Winchester Cathedral [Map].

Edward Stradling and [his illegitimate daughter] Joan aka Jane Beaufort were married. She the daughter of Cardinal Henry Beaufort and Alice Fitzalan Baroness Cherleton. She a great granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

Chronicle of Gregory 1435. Ande that yere was the Counselle of Aras of alle Crystyn nacyons for to trete of pes by twyne thes ij realmys, Ingelonde and Fraunce, there beynge iij cardynallys; the Cardynalle of Wynchester for the realme of Ingelonde, and hys name was Syr Harry Bewforde, the Kyng of Ingelonde ys onkylle; the Cardynalle of Syn Crosse, and the Cardynalle of Ciprys. And there was the Duke of Burgayne and many moo othyr lordys of that party. Ande of Ingelonde the Erle of Huntyngdone, whythe many othyr spyrytualle and temporalle of oure partye. But was not to noo profyte, for the Fraynysche parte was not alle trewe in hyr comyng.

Cardinal Henry Beaufort 1375-1447 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

King Henry III of England 1207-1272

King Edward "Longshanks" I of England 1239-1307

King Edward III of England 1312-1377

John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster 1340-1399

Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403

Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England 1314-1369

Royal Ancestors of Cardinal Henry Beaufort 1375-1447

Kings Wessex: Great x 10 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings England: Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 8 Grand Son of Malcolm III King Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 6 Grand Son of Louis VII King Franks

Kings France: Great x 2 Grand Son of Philip "The Fair" IV King France

Royal Descendants of Cardinal Henry Beaufort 1375-1447

Diana Spencer Princess Wales x 2

Ancestors of Cardinal Henry Beaufort 1375-1447

Great x 4 Grandfather: King John "Lackland" of England Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: King Henry III of England Son of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: King Edward "Longshanks" I of England Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: King Edward II of England Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Alfonso IX King Leon

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ferdinand III King Castile III King Leon Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Berengaria Ivrea I Queen Castile Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Simon Dammartin

Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Dammartin Queen Consort Castile and Leon

Great x 4 Grandmother: Marie Montgomery Countess Ponthieu

GrandFather: King Edward III of England Son of King Edward II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Louis IX of France Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Philip "Bold" III King France 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Philip "The Fair" IV King France 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: James I King Aragon

Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabella Barcelona Queen Consort France

Great x 4 Grandmother: Violant Árpád Queen Consort Aragon

Great x 1 Grandmother: Isabella of France Queen Consort England 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Theobald IV King Navarre 3 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry I King Navarre 4 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Blois I Queen Navarre 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Capet Count of Artois Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Blanche Capet Queen Navarre 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Matilda Reginar Countess Saint Pol 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Father: John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Bouchard Avesnes

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Hainault I Count Hainault 4 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret II Countess Flanders 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: John Hainault II Count Hainault II Count Holland 5 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Floris Gerulfing IV Count Holland

Great x 3 Grandmother: Adelaide Gerulfing Countess Hainault 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Mathilde Reginar Countess Holland and Palatine 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Hainault I Count Hainault III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland 6 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainault and Holland 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry of Bar II Count of Bar 3 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret of Bar Countess Luxemburg and Namur 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Philippa Capet Countess of Bar

GrandMother: Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Louis IX of France Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Philip "Bold" III King France 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Charles Valois I Count Valois 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: James I King Aragon

Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabella Barcelona Queen Consort France

Great x 4 Grandmother: Violant Árpád Queen Consort Aragon

Great x 1 Grandmother: Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainault 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Charles Capet of Sicily Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Charles II King Naples 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Capet Countess Valois 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Stephen V of Hungary

Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary of Hungary Queen Consort Naples

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Cuman

Cardinal Henry Beaufort Grand Son of King Edward III of England