Catherine of Valois. Queen Catherine of England

Catherine of Valois (1401 - 1437), also known as Catherine of France, French princess, queen consort of Henry V of England. She was the youngest of 6 children of a total of 12offspring of the marriage existed between Charles VI of France and Isabella of Bavaria.

She married in the city of Troyes in 1420 with King Henry V of England, who asked as dowry the French crown for himself and his wife. The French king, in a fit of madness, bends to the will of his son-in law which would have the support of Queen Isabella.

In 1421 Catherine was crowned Queen at Westminster Abbey on 6 December of thatyear at Windsor Castle, she gives birth to the future Henry VI, immediately proclaimedheir to the thrones of England and France.

Months later, King Henry V died of dysentery leaving widow Catherine and was succeeded by his son Henry VI, under the tutelage of his uncles the Dukes of Bedfordand Exeter.

Catherine remained powerless to see how their country is ripped through by the ambition of the English and French, torn between her loyalty to the Valois and quality ofQueen. Is forced into exile from the court by her French affinities and separated from herbeloved son.

About 1425 begins a relationship with Owen Tudor. In 1428 Parliament launches a decree by which the queen can not remarry but, ignoring this decree, Owen and Catherine secretly married the following year.

From this relationship were born 6 children:

- Tacinda (1425 - 1469) Lady Grey de Winton.

- Thomas (1429 - 1501) monk.

- Edmund (1430 - 1456) Earl of Richmond.

-Jasper (1431 - 1495) Earl of Pembroke and Duke of Redford.

- A daughter.

- Margaret (1437).

The guardians of the child-king Edward VI, fed up with the irregular life of the Queen,had to take drastic measures: Catherine and Owen were separated and their children in prison. Catherine was confined in the Abbey of Bermondsey, in London, where he died on January 3, 1437, at 35 years old, according to some historians of disease and otherlabor-, being buried in Westminster Abbey days after his death.