John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster

b. 1340; d. 1399

Fourth son of Edward III, born at Ghent, Flanders. In 1359 he married Blanche, co-heiress to the Duchy of Lancaster, and was himself created Duke of Lancaster in 1362. Their son later became Henry IV of England. Blanche died in 1369, and three years later John married Constance, daughter of Pedro the Cruel of Castile, and assumed the title King of Castile in 1372. His efforts to establish his claim against his rival, Henry of Trastamare, proved unsuccessful, and in 1387 he renounced all claims in favour of his daughter, Catherine, on her marriage with the son of John of Castile.

He was an ambitious man and was popularly blamed for many of the evils of the day, and certainly added to the troubles of his nephew, Richard II, by his intrigues. He used Wyclif and the Lollards as pawns in his intrigues against the Crown and the court party; but it is doubtful if he had any real interest in Wyclif's theology. In 1394 his wife, Constance, died and he married his mistress, Catherine Swynford, his children by whom were legitimised in 1397. They were the Beauforts, from the eldest of whom Henry VII was descended.

After his death his eldest son, Henry Bolingbroke, overthrew Richard II to become Henry IV.

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