Katherine (novel)

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Anya Seton's Katherine is a historical novel based largely on facts. It tells the story of the historically-important love affair between the titular Katherine and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and son of King Edward III. The novel begins with Katherine's arrival at court after years of a convent education and ends shortly after her marriage to the Duke in 1396.

The novel is well written and carefully researched and diverges comparatively little from known history, though it does contain some necessary conjectures. It provides the reader with an excellent view of medieval England, life at court, and the lives of women in the 14th century. Katherine was included in the BBC's Big Read survey of 2003 and is currently number 95 on the survey's 100 best-loved novels. It is regarded as one of the best examples of the historical novel.

Katherine tells the true story of a woman who was born the daughter of a minor French herald, later knight, and who has no obvious prospects, except that her sister is a waiting-woman to the queen of King Edward III. By virtue of this court connection, she meets and marries Sir Hugh Swynford of Lincolnshire and gives birth to two children. After his death, Katherine DeRoet Swynford becomes the mistress of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and bears him four children out of wedlock. Lady Swynford was also appointed official governess to the Duke's three eldest children, including the future King Henry IV.

Although the novel offers a fascinating look at life in 14th-century England (including several glimpses of Geoffrey Chaucer, Katherine's brother-in-law), it is also considered one of the greatest love stories ever written. In a poll conducted in the 1990s by Ladies Home Journal the novel Katherine ranked in the top 10 all time best love stories.

Although Katherine deRoet is today a little-known figure, she is quite important to English history, since she is the direct ancestress of all members of the British royal family since Edward IV, who was her 4th great-grandson.