Ancestral Stories #9

Katherine de Roet

My 20 x Great Grandmother

Katherine’s Upbringing

My 20 x great grandmother Katherine de Roet was born c1349. The chronicler Jean Froissart noted that Katherine was raised in Hainaut, a province in Belgium. In 1351, her father, Paon de Roet, was in the service of Margaret II, Countess of Hainaut, and caught up in a family civil war. Katherine and Paon were also caught up in the Bubonic Plague, which was sweeping across Europe.

In 1351, Margaret II’s second son, William, captured Hainaut, so Margaret and her supporters, including Paon de Roet, fled to England in the hope of securing safety, and to enlist the support of Margaret’s brother-in-law King Edward III of England. Baby Katherine travelled to England with her father.

A peace deal between Margaret II and her son William was brokered. Margaret II, Paon de Roet, and other members of the royal retinue returned to Hainault. However, Katherine remained in England because her family was in the service of Edward the Black Prince, the eldest son and heir of King Edward III and Queen Philippa of Hainaut. Through this connection, Katherine spent her childhood at the royal courts.

My medieval ancestor Katherine de Roet’s father, Paon de Roet, died c1355. Her mother does not appear in the historical record and it’s probable that she also died around that date (the Bubonic Plague was rampant).

Katherine spent her childhood in the royal courts of King Edward III and his wife Queen Philippa of Hainaut. The older children of King Edward III and Queen Philippa were much older than Katherine, so she spent her time with their younger children, Mary and Margaret, and her nurse, Agnes Bonsergent.

The chronicler Jean Froissart noted that Katherine’s tutor in her youth was Blanche of Lancaster, a close relative of the King and the bride of his third surviving son, John of Gaunt. At the same time, Blanche herself, eight years older than Katherine, was brought up by Queen Philippa. Consequently, a close friendship developed between Katherine and Blanche of Lancaster.

My ancestor Katherine de Roet’s guardian was Queen Philippa of Hainault (pictured), a “noble and kind woman”, who at that time, 1355, was over forty years old, and the mother of twelve children. 

Queen Philippa enjoyed an interest in art and literature, and engaged in charity work. Chroniclers noted that she was “generous, kind, wise and humbly pious”, qualities that she imbued in Katherine.

Along with Dutch and Norman-French, Katherine also spoke English. She was literate, and developed into a skilled horsewoman. She learned the etiquette and diplomacy of the royal court. Not yet a teenager, she was wise beyond her years.

My ancestor Katherine de Roet received an excellent education at the royal English courts. She was literate, fluent in a number of languages, and a skilled horsewoman. 

Although by origin Katherine did not belong to the highest nobility, her upbringing at the royal courts placed her at the centre of the political and social spectrum. She learned the art of diplomacy, the benefits of piety, and house management skills, lessons she took on board.

The chronicler Jean Froissart reported that Katherine from her youth “knew court etiquette perfectly”. Furthermore, she became acquainted with the dashing John of Gaunt (pictured), keeping a dozen horses at his stables, and accompanying him on horse rides throughout his estates. An attraction developed between the couple. However, they were from different social backgrounds, and therefore forbidden to marry.

No known portrait of my medieval ancestor Katherine de Roet exists, although some scholars believe she features in this picture, an image of Geoffrey Chaucer reciting Troylus and Criseyde to the royal court.

From fragments, Katherine has been described as fair-haired and buxom, perfectly built with a narrow waist and wide hips. She had a long neck, a round face and a high forehead, and was “extraordinarily beautiful and feminine”.

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Hannah xxx

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