by Anne O'Brien
It all began when I was invited by a local historical society to give a talk on her life, together with a guided tour to her tomb. Being an ‘incomer’ to the area, I was forced to admit that I knew nothing about her other than her parentage and that Katherine Swynford had been employed as her governess. A personal visit to her tomb was essential.
And there she was, the heroine of my new novel. I think I knew it as soon as I saw her effigy, clad regally in red with a purple cloak trimmed with ermine. Her hair is fair, her face oval and her nose long. Plantagenet features, I suppose. She wears a ducal coronet and her hands are raised in prayer, an angel supporting her pillow and a little dog holding the edge of her cloak in its mouth. She is quite lovely.
But to write about her as a heroine I needed to discover more. And how little there was, either in contemporary sources or modern historians. But one comment, written in 1994, intrigued me when it damned her with the only opinion given about her as ‘frankly wanton and highly sexed.’
Was there nothing more to say about her than this? And was this simply based on the fact that she had three husbands during her lifetime of fifty years? And that John Holland, her second husband, ‘was struck down passionately, so that day and night he sought her out’ while she was still not free to wed him? I expect that it had a bearing on the judgement, but surely there must be more to say about this daughter of Lancaster.
And then I came to appreciate the political setting in which Elizabeth lived in 1399 and 1400, the years of the overthrow of King Richard II by Henry Bolingbroke, who became Henry IV, followed by the Rising of the Earls in which John Holland, the Duke of Exeter, half-brother to King Richard, was implicated. Elizabeth was in the very centre of this maelstrom. First cousin to Richard, sister to Henry, wife of John Holland, how difficult were family loyalties for her within that setting? What would be her role in the dynamics of this vital Plantagenet family?
What a marvellously emotional story this would make, mapping the pressures of blood and loyalty and duty when a family was torn apart by ambition and poor government.
This was to be the story of Elizabeth of Lancaster, the king’s sister.
AND AFTER THE FINAL WORD IN THE KING’S SISTER …
Elizabeth married Sir John Cornewall in the late summer of 1400. A large portion of the Holland properties, including Dartington Hall, was restored to her. In 1404 a gratified Henry restored to Elizabeth her dower.
She lived until 1425, dying at Ampthill Castle, built by John Cornewall, at the age of fifty-one years. She made no more dramatic appearances on the historical stage. She was buried in St Mary’s Church in Burford, Shropshire, one of John Cornewall’s family properties, by her own choice, and where her tomb can still be visited today.
Henry remained King of England until his death in the Jerusalem Chamber at Westminster Abbey in March 1413. He was succeeded by his son, who became Henry V. Henry eventually remarried to Joan of Navarre in 1403. It was a happy marriage, but they had no children together.
Sir John Cornewall, created Baron Fanhope by Henry IV, died on 11th December 1443 at Ampthill Castle in Bedfordshire. He was buried at Blackfriars Preachers, Ludgate, in London. Sir John Cornewall and Elizabeth had two children together:
John Cornewall, born around 1403, died in December 1421. He was only seventeen when he was killed at the Siege of Meaux, standing next to his father, who tragically witnessed his son’s head being blown off by a gun-stone.
Constance married John FitzAlan, 14th Earl of Arundel and died in 1427 without children.
Sir John fathered two illegitimate sons, John and Thomas, whom he recognised in his will.
As for the surviving children of Elizabeth and John Holland:
Richard died at the age of eleven in late 1400.
Constance, Elizabeth and Alice all made advantageous marriages and had children.
John was eventually restored to his inheritance and became Duke of Exeter.
Edward made his name in soldiering.
FOLLOWING IN ELIZABETH’S FOOTSTEPS …
Tempted to travel? Feel an urge to follow in the footsteps of Elizabeth of Lancaster, even if it’s only through the internet or travel guides, from the comfort of your armchair? Here are some of the best locations associated with them.
Kenilworth Castle
The jewel in the crown for the Lancaster family. We think of Kenilworth in connection with Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, when much building was undertaken, but much of the pre-Tudor construction was planned by Elizabeth’s father, Duke John of Lancaster. This is where Elizabeth would have spent much of her young life. Kenilworth was the scene of her first marriage to John Hasting, Earl of Pembroke. Visit the magnificent Great Hall and dream …
www.english-heritage.org.uk
Windsor Castle
Elizabeth spent many days at the royal courts of her cousin Richard II and her brother Henry IV. Although the Court travelled frequently, Windsor was a favourite place for both kings, so Elizabeth would have been well acquainted with Windsor. The initial major reconstruction of the castle was done by her grandfather Edward III.
www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalResidences
Tower of London
This was very much a royal residence and Elizabeth would have spent time here.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London
Church of St Mary, Burford, Shropshire
Discover Elizabeth’s final resting place in her magnificent painted tomb in this tiny church near Tenbury Wells. It is the only physical evidence we have of her and is not to be missed.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mary’s_Church,_Burford
Pleshey Castle, Essex
The scene of John Holland’s execution in 1400 still exists, but is much ruined, with banks and ditches and very little stonework. Much of it is not open to the public.
www.pastscape.org
Unfortunately there is so little to see connected with Elizabeth’s life. Many of the castles and houses associated with her have been destroyed or replaced by eighteenth- and nineteenth-century building.
The Savoy Palace
Utterly destroyed in the Peasants Revolt. But the Savoy Hotel is built on the site and, viewed from the Thames, it gives a superb idea of the extent and dominance of this incredible building that was completely laid waste. One of the finest palaces in Europe, with a wealth of valuable items collected by the Duke of Lancaster, it remains a matter of great regret that it is lost to us along with all its treasures.
Dartington Hall
John Holland’s new home was derelict by the 1920s, when it was rebuilt as the present Dartington Hall.
Burford Manor
The present Burford manor was erected in the reign of George II. Some remains of an earlier manor, presumably that of Sir John Cornewall, have been discovered in the gardens and beneath the present manor after an archaeological investigation.
Pultney House
No trace remains.
The Church of Holy Trinity, Pleshey
The church was rebuilt in the eighteenth century and contains no trace of the burial there of John Holland.
Ampthill Castle
More famous now for its associations with Henry VIII and particularly Katherine of Aragon, who was living there when news reached her of her divorce, Ampthill Castle in Bedfordshire no longer exists. Katherine’s Cross marks the place where it once stood.
www.ampthillhistory.co.uk
QUESTIONS FOR YOUR READING GROUP
1. What do you think of Elizabeth of Lancaster? What appeals to you about her, and what doesn’t?
2. John Holland makes an unusual hero. A complex character, with a notorious and turbulent temper, he had more enemies than friends in his day. Is it possible for us to understand Elizabeth’s love for him?
3. ‘Frankly wanton and highly sexed.’ Does Elizabeth deserve this epithet by a modern historian?
4. Elizabeth’s first husband was a child of eight years, when she was adult at seventeen. Such diversity of age
was not un known. Can we understand her impatience with this situation, even though she might accept the need for a dynastic alliance?
5. What is the driving force behind John Holland? Can we believe that his wooing of Elizabeth and his love for her were genuine? Or was it purely ambition?
6. At the centre of this story is the heartbreak of Elizabeth’s loyalties in the aftermath of rebellion. How would you have reacted? Do we praise her or condemn her?
7. We meet some old friends. What role does Katherine Swynford play here? Would her own lifestyle have had any influence on Elizabeth’s view of morality and marriage?
8. How hard do you think it was for Elizabeth to accept her part in the outcome of the Epiphany Rising? Is it possible to come to terms with guilt of such major proportions and move on with your life?
9. Henry IV was faced with a difficult kingdom, suffering unrest in the wake of the overthrow of Richard, as well as financial weaknesses. Does this help us to understand his uncompromising stance with regard to John Holland and his sister?
10. Elizabeth accepts her role in her brother’s new kingdom, the lot of many medieval women. But did she have more independence than many?
11. Apart from Elizabeth and John, which character in The King’s Sister appeals most strongly to you?
CONTACTS
If you would like to keep in touch with my writing, the images and events that give me inspiration and my thoughts on all things medieval that catch my interest, do visit me:
Website: anneobrienbooks.com
Blog: anneobrienbooks.com/blog
Facebook: facebook.com/anneobrienbooks
Twitter: @anne_obrien
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ISBN: 978-1-474-00748-1
THE KING’S SISTER
© 2014 Anne O’Brien
Published in Great Britain 2014
by Harlequin MIRA, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited,
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