John of Gaunt - House of Plantagenet

     John of Gaunt - was born in March 1340 in Ghent, Flanders, Netherlands, at the Abbaye de Saint Bavon.² His first child was Blanche, born 1359 by Marie de St. Hilaire, lady-in-waiting to his mother. They were never married. John married Blanche of Lancaster - House of Plantagenet on 19 May 1359 in Reading, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, at Reading Abbey. The king gave Blanche expensive gifts of jewelry.³ Upon the death of his father-in-law, William V, Count of Hainault, in 1361, John received half of his lands & the title of Earl of Lancaster. His wife, Blanche, was co-heiress of her father's estate. Upon the death of Maud [born 4/04/1339] on 10 April 1362, John inherited the rest of the Lancaster property as Maud died without issue. On 13 November 1362, his father granted him the title Duke of Lancaster. With his extensive land holdings, John had become comparable to that of a monarch having an income between eight & ten thousand a year.¹ After the death of his wife, he had a love affair with Katherine Roet, the woman who had been caring for his children. They had 3 sons & 1 daughter. John Plantagenet hired Katherine as governess to her children. John's wife, Blanche, who was ailing at the time, had Katherine's daughter, Blanche, put in with her daughters. John's wife, Blanche, died on 12 September 1368 in Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire, England, leaving him a widower; At her death, she was described as young & pretty.³ John married 2nd Infanta Constance of Castile (?) in 1371. In March of 1390, he was created Duke of Aquataine. John's wife, Infanta, died on 24 March 1394 in Leicester Castle, Leicestershire, England, leaving him a widower. John married 3rd Katherine Roet on 13 January 1397 in Rochefort-Sur-Mer, Charente-Maritime, France. John departed this life on Sunday, 3 February 1399 in Leicester, Leicestershire, England, at Leicester Castle. He was buried at London, County Middlesex, England, in St. Paul Cathedral.¹