Blanche of Lancaster
Encyclopedia
Blanche of Lancaster, Duchess of Lancaster (25 March 1345 – 12 September 1368) was an English noblewoman and heiress, daughter of England's wealthiest and most powerful peer, Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster
. She was the first wife of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
, and the mother of King Henry IV of England
.
. She and her elder sister Maud, Countess of Leicester
, were born at Bolingbroke Castle
in Lindsey
.
Blanche's paternal grandparents were Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster
, and Maud de Chaworth
. Her maternal grandparents were the 1st Earl of Buchan
and Alice Comyn
. Her sister Maud first married Ralph de Stafford and then William I, Duke of Bavaria
, however Maud did not bear children from either husband.
, Reading, Berkshire
, Blanche married her third cousin, John of Gaunt
, third son of King Edward III of England and his Queen consort
, Philippa of Hainault
. The whole royal family was present at the wedding, and the king gave Blanche expensive gifts of jewellery.
The title Duke of Lancaster
became extinct upon her father's death without male heirs in 1361. However, through his marriage to Blanche, John of Gaunt became Earl of Lancaster
, Earl of Derby
, Earl of Lincoln
and Earl of Leicester
(although Gaunt did not receive all of these titles until the death of Blanche's older sister, Maud, in 1362). The Duchy of Lancaster
(second creation) was later bestowed on Gaunt. The influence associated with the titles would lead him to become Lord High Steward of England.
Jean Froissart
described Blanche (following her death) as "jone et jolie" ("young and pretty"). Geoffrey Chaucer
described "White" (the central figure in his Book of the Duchess, believed to have been inspired by Blanche: see below) in such terms as "rody, fresh, and lyvely hewed", her neck as "whyt, smothe, streght, and flat", and her throat as "a round tour of yvoire": she was "bothe fair and bright", and Nature's "cheef patron [pattern] of beautee".
Gaunt and Blanche's marriage is widely believed to have been happy, although there is in fact little solid evidence for this. The assumption seems to be based on the fact that Gaunt chose to be buried with Blanche, despite his two subsequent marriages, and on the themes of love, devotion and grief expressed in Chaucer's poem (see below) - a rather circular argument, as it is partly on the basis of these themes that the couple's relationship is identified as the inspiration for the poem.
Blanche and Gaunt had seven children, three of whom survived infancy.
, Staffordshire
, on 12 September 1368 while her husband was overseas. She was 23 years of age at the time of her death,, however Froissart reported that she died aged about 22. Her funeral at St. Paul's Cathedral
in London
was preceded by a magnificent cortege attended by most of the upper nobility and clergy. John of Gaunt held annual commemorations of her death for the rest of his life and established a joint chantry
foundation on his own death.
It may have been for one of the anniversary commemorations of Blanche's death that Geoffrey Chaucer
, then a young squire and mostly unknown writer of court poetry, was commissioned to write what became The Book of the Duchess
in her honour. Though Chaucer’s intentions can never be defined with absolute certainty, many believe that at least one of the aims of the poem was to make John of Gaunt see that his grief for his late wife had become excessive, and to prompt him to try to overcome it.
In 1374, five years after her death, John of Gaunt commissioned a double tomb for himself and Blanche from the mason Henry Yevele
: the magnificent monument in the choir of St Paul's was completed by Yevele in 1380, with the assistance of Thomas Wrek, having cost a total of £592. Gaunt himself died in 1399, and was laid to rest beside Blanche. The two effigies were notable for having their right hands joined. An adjacent chantry chapel
was added between 1399 and 1403.
Blanche's daughter, Philippa, married John of Portugal which made Blanche the ancestress of the successive kings of Portugal. This line led to Isabella I of Castile
, and through Isabella, Blanche is an ancestress of various European monarchs. Blanche's son, Henry, became King of England after he overthrew his cousin, Richard II of England
, the eldest son of John's brother, Edward the Black Prince. Henry's reign marked the beginning of a cadet (younger) branch of the Plantaganet line, making Blanche's family, the House of Lancaster, the new ruling house in England
.
Blanche's grandchildren by her daughter, Philippa:
Blanche's grandchildren by her son, Henry:
Blanche's youngest surviving daughter, Elizabeth, married twice and had children by both husbands. Blanche's grandchildren by Elizabeth:
With John Cornwall, she had two children:
Geoffrey Chaucer
was commissioned by Gaunt to write a poem after Blanche's death which was titled The Book of the Duchess
. The poem tells the story of the poet’s dream. Wandering a wood, the poet discovers a knight clothed in black, and inquires of the knight’s sorrow. The knight, meant to represent John of Gaunt, is mourning a terrible tragedy, which mirrors Gaunt's own extended mourning for Blanche.
Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster
Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster, 4th Earl of Leicester and Lancaster, KG , also Earl of Derby, was a member of the English nobility in the 14th century, and a prominent English diplomat, politician, and soldier...
. She was the first wife of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , KG was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
, and the mother of King Henry IV of England
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
.
Lineage
Blanche was born on 25 March 1345, although the year 1347 has also been suggested. She was the younger daughter of Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his wife Isabel de BeaumontIsabel de Beaumont
Isabel de Beaumont, Duchess of Lancaster, of the House of Brienne was an English noblewoman, being the youngest daughter and child of Henry de Beaumont, Earl of Buchan and Alice Comyn.- Family :...
. She and her elder sister Maud, Countess of Leicester
Maud, Countess of Leicester
Maud of Lancaster , also known as Matilda, Countess of Hainault, was a 14th century English noblewoman who married into the Bavarian royal family....
, were born at Bolingbroke Castle
Bolingbroke Castle
Bolingbroke Castle is a ruined castle in Bolingbroke Lincolnshire, England.-Construction:Most of the castle is built of Spilsby greenstone, as are several nearby churches. The local greenstone is a limestone that proved to be porous, prone to rapid deterioration when exposed to weather and a...
in Lindsey
Lindsey
Lindsey was a unit of local government until 1974 in Lincolnshire, England, covering the northern part of the county. The Isle of Axholme, which is on the west side of the River Trent, has normally formed part of it...
.
Blanche's paternal grandparents were Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster
Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster
Henry , 3rd Earl of Leicester and Lancaster was an English nobleman, one of the principals behind the deposition of Edward II of England.-Family and lineage:...
, and Maud de Chaworth
Maud Chaworth
Maud de Chaworth was an English noblewoman and wealthy heiress. She was the only child of Patrick de Chaworth. Sometime before 2 March 1297, she married Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, by whom she had seven children...
. Her maternal grandparents were the 1st Earl of Buchan
Henry de Beaumont
Henry de Beaumont, jure uxoris 4th Earl of Buchan and suo jure 1st Baron Beaumont was a key figure in the Anglo-Scots wars of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, known as the Wars of Scottish Independence.-Life:...
and Alice Comyn
Alice Comyn
Alice Comyn, Countess of Buchan, Lady Beaumont was a Norman-Scottish noblewoman, being a member of the powerful Comyn family that supported the Balliols, who were claimants to the disputed Scottish throne against their rivals, the Bruces. She was the niece of John Comyn, Earl of Buchan to whom...
. Her sister Maud first married Ralph de Stafford and then William I, Duke of Bavaria
William I, Duke of Bavaria
William I, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing , was the second son of the emperor Louis IV the Bavarian from his second wife Margaret of Holland and Hainaut...
, however Maud did not bear children from either husband.
Marriage
On 19 May 1359, at Reading AbbeyReading Abbey
Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors...
, Reading, Berkshire
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Blanche married her third cousin, John of Gaunt
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , KG was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
, third son of King Edward III of England and his Queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
, Philippa of Hainault
Philippa of Hainault
Philippa of Hainault, or, Philippe de Hainaut was the Queen consort of King Edward III of England. Edward, Duke of Guyenne, her future husband, promised in 1326 to marry her within the following two years...
. The whole royal family was present at the wedding, and the king gave Blanche expensive gifts of jewellery.
The title Duke of Lancaster
Duke of Lancaster
There were several Dukes of Lancaster in the 14th and early 15th Centuries. See also Duchy of Lancaster.There were three creations of the Dukedom of Lancaster....
became extinct upon her father's death without male heirs in 1361. However, through his marriage to Blanche, John of Gaunt became Earl of Lancaster
Earl of Lancaster
The title of Earl of Lancaster was created in the Peerage of England in 1267, merging in the crown in 1399. See also Duke of Lancaster.-Earls of Lancaster :...
, Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the end of the reign of Henry III and died in 1279...
, Earl of Lincoln
Earl of Lincoln
Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the Peerage of England.-Earls of Lincoln, First Creation :*William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Lincoln and 1st Earl of Arundel Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the Peerage of England.-Earls of Lincoln, First...
and Earl of Leicester
Earl of Leicester
The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:...
(although Gaunt did not receive all of these titles until the death of Blanche's older sister, Maud, in 1362). The Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
(second creation) was later bestowed on Gaunt. The influence associated with the titles would lead him to become Lord High Steward of England.
Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart , often referred to in English as John Froissart, was one of the most important chroniclers of medieval France. For centuries, Froissart's Chronicles have been recognized as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of the 14th century Kingdom of England and France...
described Blanche (following her death) as "jone et jolie" ("young and pretty"). Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
described "White" (the central figure in his Book of the Duchess, believed to have been inspired by Blanche: see below) in such terms as "rody, fresh, and lyvely hewed", her neck as "whyt, smothe, streght, and flat", and her throat as "a round tour of yvoire": she was "bothe fair and bright", and Nature's "cheef patron [pattern] of beautee".
Gaunt and Blanche's marriage is widely believed to have been happy, although there is in fact little solid evidence for this. The assumption seems to be based on the fact that Gaunt chose to be buried with Blanche, despite his two subsequent marriages, and on the themes of love, devotion and grief expressed in Chaucer's poem (see below) - a rather circular argument, as it is partly on the basis of these themes that the couple's relationship is identified as the inspiration for the poem.
Blanche and Gaunt had seven children, three of whom survived infancy.
The death and commemoration of Blanche
Blanche of Lancaster died at Tutbury CastleTutbury Castle
Tutbury Castle is a largely ruinous medieval castle at Tutbury, Staffordshire, England, in the ownership of the Duchy of Lancaster. It is a Grade I listed building...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, on 12 September 1368 while her husband was overseas. She was 23 years of age at the time of her death,, however Froissart reported that she died aged about 22. Her funeral at St. Paul's Cathedral
Old St Paul's Cathedral
Old St Paul's Cathedral is a name used to refer to the medieval cathedral of the City of London which until 1666 stood on the site of the present St Paul's Cathedral. Built between 1087 and 1314 and dedicated to St Paul, the cathedral was the fourth church on the site at Ludgate Hill...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
was preceded by a magnificent cortege attended by most of the upper nobility and clergy. John of Gaunt held annual commemorations of her death for the rest of his life and established a joint chantry
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
foundation on his own death.
It may have been for one of the anniversary commemorations of Blanche's death that Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
, then a young squire and mostly unknown writer of court poetry, was commissioned to write what became The Book of the Duchess
The Book of the Duchess
The Book of the Duchess, also known as The Deth of Blaunche, Encyclopædia Britannica, 1910. Accessed March 11, 2008. is the earliest of Chaucer’s major poems, preceded only by his short poem, "An ABC," and possibly by his translation of The Romaunt of the Rose...
in her honour. Though Chaucer’s intentions can never be defined with absolute certainty, many believe that at least one of the aims of the poem was to make John of Gaunt see that his grief for his late wife had become excessive, and to prompt him to try to overcome it.
In 1374, five years after her death, John of Gaunt commissioned a double tomb for himself and Blanche from the mason Henry Yevele
Henry Yevele
Henry Yevele was the most prolific and successful master mason active in late medieval England. The first document relating to him is dated 3 December 1353, when he purchased the freedom of London...
: the magnificent monument in the choir of St Paul's was completed by Yevele in 1380, with the assistance of Thomas Wrek, having cost a total of £592. Gaunt himself died in 1399, and was laid to rest beside Blanche. The two effigies were notable for having their right hands joined. An adjacent chantry chapel
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
was added between 1399 and 1403.
Issue
Blanche and John of Gaunt together had seven children:- PhilippaPhilippa of LancasterPhilippa of Lancaster, LG was a Queen consort of Portugal. Born into the royal family of England, her marriage with King John I secured the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance and produced several famous children who became known as the "Illustrious Generation" in Portugal...
(31 March 1360 – 19 July 1415). Queen consort of John I of PortugalJohn I of PortugalJohn I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
. - John (c.1362/1364). Died in early infancy.
- Elizabeth (21 February 1364 – 24 November 1426). Married firstly John Hastings, 3rd Earl of PembrokeJohn Hastings, 3rd Earl of PembrokeJohn Hastings, 3rd Earl of Pembroke was the son of John Hastings, 2nd Earl of Pembroke and Anne Manny, 2nd Baroness Manny...
, secondly to John Holland, 1st Duke of ExeterJohn Holland, 1st Duke of ExeterJohn Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter KG , also 1st Earl of Huntingdon, was an English nobleman, primarily remembered for helping cause the downfall of Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester and then for conspiring against Henry IV.He was the third son of Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of Kent and Joan...
, thirdly to John Cornwall, 1st Baron FanhopeJohn Cornwall, 1st Baron FanhopeSir John Cornewaille, 1st Baron Fanhope and Milbroke, KG, also known as Sir John Cornwall, and Sir John Cornouayl. An English nobleman, soldier and one of the most respected chivalric figures of his era.-Early life:...
. - Edward (1365 – 1365).
- John (4 May 1366). Died in early infancy.
- Henry IV of EnglandHenry IV of EnglandHenry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
(3 April 1367 – 20 March 1413). Married firstly Mary de BohunMary de BohunMary de Bohun was the first wife of King Henry IV of England and the mother of King Henry V. Mary was never queen, as she died before her husband came to the throne.-Early life:...
and secondly Joanna of Navarre. - Isabella (b.1368). Died young.
Blanche's daughter, Philippa, married John of Portugal which made Blanche the ancestress of the successive kings of Portugal. This line led to Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
, and through Isabella, Blanche is an ancestress of various European monarchs. Blanche's son, Henry, became King of England after he overthrew his cousin, Richard II of England
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
, the eldest son of John's brother, Edward the Black Prince. Henry's reign marked the beginning of a cadet (younger) branch of the Plantaganet line, making Blanche's family, the House of Lancaster, the new ruling house in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Blanche's grandchildren by her daughter, Philippa:
- Blanche (1388–1389), named after her grandmother;
- Afonso (1390–1400), named after several Kings of Portugal, including his great-grandfather Afonso IVAfonso IV of PortugalAfonso IV , called the Brave , was the seventh king of Portugal and the Algarve from 1325 until his death. He was the only legitimate son of King Denis of Portugal by his wife Elizabeth of Aragon.-Biography:...
; - Edward (1391–1438), named after his great-grandfather Edward III of EnglandEdward III of EnglandEdward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. He was a writer and an intellectual, who succeeded his father as King of Portugal in 1433; - Peter (1392–1449), named after his grandfather Peter I of PortugalPeter I of PortugalPeter I , called the Just , was the eighth King of Portugal and the Algarve from 1357 until his death. He was the third but only surviving son of Afonso IV of Portugal and his wife, princess Beatrice of Castile....
. He was the First Duke of Coimbra, a remarkable ruler and well-travelled man, who served as Regent during the minority of his nephew Afonso VAfonso V of PortugalAfonso V KG , called the African , was the twelfth King of Portugal and the Algarves. His sobriquet refers to his conquests in Northern Africa.-Early life:...
; - Henry the Navigator (1394–1460), first Duke of Viseu, who guided Portugal to the Great era of The DiscoveriesAge of DiscoveryThe Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration and the Great Navigations , was a period in history starting in the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century during which Europeans engaged in intensive exploration of the world, establishing direct contacts with...
, named after his great-grandfather Henry of Grosmont; - IsabellaInfanta Isabel, Duchess of BurgundyIsabella of Portugal was a Portuguese infanta of the House of Aviz, the only surviving daughter of King John I of Portugal and his wife Philippa of Lancaster. Her most notable siblings were Henry the Navigator, Peter, Duke of Coimbra, and King Edward of Portugal...
(1397–1472), who married Philip III of Burgundy and was one of the most powerful and admired women in Europe; - Blanche (1398), died in childhood;
- JohnInfante João of PortugalThe Infante João, 1st Lord of Reguengos de Monsaraz, Colares and Belas was a Portuguese infante of the House of Aviz, Constable of Portugal and master of the Portuguese Order of St. James .- Life :Infante John was the son of King John I of Portugal and his wife Philippa of Lancaster...
(1400–1442), Duke of Aveiro, the grandfather of the two greatest Iberian monarchs in the 16th century, Manuel I of PortugalManuel I of PortugalManuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
and Isabella I of CastileIsabella I of CastileIsabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
; - FerdinandFernando, the Saint PrinceThe Blessed Infante Fernando , commonly known as the Saint Prince was an infante of Portugal of the House of Aviz and a saint of the Roman Catholic Church....
(1402–1443) "the Saint Prince," a warrior, who was captured during the Disaster of Tangier and died a prisoner of the MoorsMoorsThe description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
.
Blanche's grandchildren by her son, Henry:
- Edward b&d. April 1382; buried Monmouth Castle, MonmouthMonmouthMonmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
- Henry V of EnglandHenry V of EnglandHenry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
- Thomas, Duke of Clarence
- John, Duke of Bedford
- Humphrey, Duke of GloucesterHumphrey, Duke of GloucesterHumphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Pembroke, KG , also known as Humphrey Plantagenet, was "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of king Henry IV of England by his first wife, Mary de Bohun, brother to king Henry V of England, and uncle to the...
- Blanche of EnglandBlanche of EnglandBlanche of England, LG , also known as Blanche of Lancaster and Blanche Plantagenet, was an English princess of the House of Lancaster....
(1392–1409) married in 1402 Louis III, Elector PalatineLouis III, Elector PalatineLouis III, Count Palatine of the Rhine , was an Elector Palatine of the Rhine from the house of Wittelsbach in 1410–1436.... - Philippa of EnglandPhilippa of EnglandPhilippa of England , also known as Philippa of Lancaster and anachronistically as Philippa Plantagenet, was the Queen of Denmark, Sweden and Norway from 1406 to 1430. She was the consort to Eric of Pomerania, who ruled the three kingdoms...
(1394–1430) married in 1406 Eric of PomeraniaEric of PomeraniaEric of Pomerania KG was King Eric III of Norway Norwegian Eirik, King Eric VII of Denmark , and as Eric King of Sweden...
, king of DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Blanche's youngest surviving daughter, Elizabeth, married twice and had children by both husbands. Blanche's grandchildren by Elizabeth:
- Constance Holland (1387–1437) who married Thomas Mowbray, 4th Earl of Norfolk and Sir John GreySir John GreySir John Grey KG , English nobleman and soldier, was the eldest son of Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn and Margaret Roos. He was a 13th generation descendant of King Stephen of England....
- Richard Holland (c. 1389 - 3 September 1400)
- Alice Holland (c. 1392 - c. 1406) who married Richard de Vere, 11th Earl of OxfordRichard de Vere, 11th Earl of OxfordRichard de Vere, 11th Earl of Oxford KG was the son and heir of Aubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of Oxford. He took part in the trial of Richard, Earl of Cambridge and Lord Scrope at Southampton, and was one of the commanders at Agincourt in 1415.-Life:Richard de Vere was the elder son of Aubrey de Vere,...
- John Holland, 2nd Duke of ExeterJohn Holland, 2nd Duke of ExeterJohn Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter KG was an English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War.-Family:...
(1395–1447) - Sir Edward Holland (1399–1413)
With John Cornwall, she had two children:
- Constance Cornwall (c. 1401 - c. 1427) who married John Fitzalan, 14th Earl of ArundelJohn FitzAlan, 14th Earl of ArundelJohn FitzAlan, 14th Earl of Arundel, 4th Baron Maltravers KG was an English nobleman and military commander during the later phases of the Hundred Years' War...
- John Cornwall (b&d. 1404)
The Book of the Duchess
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
was commissioned by Gaunt to write a poem after Blanche's death which was titled The Book of the Duchess
The Book of the Duchess
The Book of the Duchess, also known as The Deth of Blaunche, Encyclopædia Britannica, 1910. Accessed March 11, 2008. is the earliest of Chaucer’s major poems, preceded only by his short poem, "An ABC," and possibly by his translation of The Romaunt of the Rose...
. The poem tells the story of the poet’s dream. Wandering a wood, the poet discovers a knight clothed in black, and inquires of the knight’s sorrow. The knight, meant to represent John of Gaunt, is mourning a terrible tragedy, which mirrors Gaunt's own extended mourning for Blanche.