The Granddaughters of Edward III

by Kathryn Warner

Edward III may be known for his restoration of English kingly authority after the disastrous and mysterious fall of his father, Edward II, and eventual demise of his mother, Queen Isabella. It was Edward III who arguably put England on the map as a military might. This show of power and strength was not simply through developments in government, success in warfare or the establishment of the Order of the Garter, which fused ideals of chivalry and national identity to form camaraderie between king and peerage. The expansion of England as a formidable European powerhouse was also achieved through the traditional lines of political marriages, particularly those of the king of England’s own granddaughters.

This is a joint biography of nine of those women who lived between 1355 and 1440, and their dramatic, turbulent lives. One was queen of Portugal and was the mother of the Illustrious Generation; one married into the family of her parents' deadly enemies and became queen of Castile; one became pregnant by the king of England's half-brother while married to someone else, and her third husband was imprisoned for marrying her without permission; one was widowed at about 24 when her husband was summarily beheaded by a mob, and some years later bore an illegitimate daughter to an earl; one saw her marriage annulled so that her husband could marry a Bohemian lady-in-waiting; one was born illegitimate, had sixteen children, and was the grandmother of two kings of England.

Genres: History, British Literature, Nonfiction, Biography, Royalty, Medieval History, Womens

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2023

About the author

I grew up in the north of England, and hold two degrees in medieval history and literature from the University of Manchester. I have run a blog about King Edward II (reigned 1307 to 1327) since 2005, have had work published about him in the prestigious academic journal the English Historical Review (founded 1886) and in the academic essay collection Fourteenth-Century England, and have appeared talking about him in the BBC documentary Quest for Bannockburn. I also appeared in a documentary about Edward II shown on the German-French TV channel Arte in late 2019, and have given a paper about him at the International Medieval Congress at the University of Leeds.

My first book, titled Edward II: The Unconventional King, was released in October 2014, and my biography of Edward II's queen Isabella of France (c. 1295-1358) was published in March 2016. My third book is an account of Edward's murder in 1327 or survival past that year, which came out in June 2017, and my fourth is a bio of Edward II's great-grandson Richard II, published October 2017. My fifth book, Blood Roses, came out in October 2018, and is an account of the royal houses of Lancaster and York from 1245 to 1399. My sixth was also published in October 2018 and is a biography of Edward II's malevolent favourite Hugh Despenser the Younger. My next two books came out in 2019: a travel guide to places in the UK associated with Edward II, called Following in the Footsteps of Edward II, and a biography of Edward III's queen Philippa of Hainault. A joint bio of Edward II's nieces Eleanor, Margaret and Elizabeth de Clare came out in February 2020, and a work of social history called Living in Medieval England: The Turbulent Year of 1326 was also published that year, A book about the Despenser family from 1261 to 1439 will come next, and a bio of Edward III's son/Henry IV's father John of Gaunt, second duke of Lancaster, is due out in 2021.

Projects I'm working on are: a joint bio of Edward II's five sisters; a joint bio of Edward III's granddaughters; a social history of London between 1300 and 1350; and a book about the medieval Beaumont family. And I'm sure there'll be plenty more after that!

Reviews

[Christy fictional_traits · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Granddaughters of Edward III' is a highly detailed, thoroughly researched, and meticulously referenced book. Kathryn Warner's work provides a great secondary source not only for those history lovers of this period but also those who appreciate the revealing dynastic, political landscape created through carefully crafted betrothals, marriages, and property inheritance. Spanning the United Kingdom, Iberia and France, Edward III's legacy as a powerful European authority is underlined. The complexity of the family tree means that some readers might find it useful to have some prior knowledge of England's royal history, although plenty of family trees and references are included. Very informative.

Thank you NetGalley and Pen & Sword for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Juliew. · Rating 3 out of 5]

If your into historical records and a history book type narrative I'd say go ahead and check this out.It is very,very well researched and interesting but the writing just wasn't for me.It's more of an information dump and I couldn't fathom all the names,dates and off topic side stories.Could be a wealth of gems for another author or historical researcher though.

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

When we think about the legacy of Edward III, we often think about a warrior king who became king after his father, Edward II’s disastrous fall from grace. We know about his sons that he had with his beloved wife, Philippa of Hainault: Edward the Black Prince, Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence, John of Gaunt 1st Duke of Lancaster, Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, and Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester. Famously, we get the 15th-century conflict known as the Wars of the Roses through the descendants of Edward III. However, the male descendants only tell half the story of Edward III and Philippa of Hainault’s legacy in England and throughout Europe. In her latest book, “The Granddaughters of Edward III,” Kathryn Warner examines the lives of Edward III’s female descendants to better appreciate the strength of this group of branches of the Plantagenet family tree.

Thank you, Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley, for sending me a copy of this book. I am always looking for more books about the Plantagenets, and I know a bit about Edward III’s sons but not much about his granddaughters.

Warner has chosen to take a joint biography approach to this book by focusing on nine out of eleven of Edward III’s granddaughters. These eleven granddaughters were the daughters of Lionel Antwerp, John of Gaunt, Isabella Woodstock, Edmund of Langley, and Thomas of Woodstock. The eleven granddaughters of Edward III and Philippa of Hainault were: Philippa of Clarence, Philippa of Lancaster, Elizabeth of Lancaster, Marie de Coucy, Philippa de Coucy, Catalina of Lancaster, Constance of York, Joan Beaufort, Anne of Gloucester, Joan of Gloucester, and Isabel of Gloucester.

These women were not just great ladies in England, but in the case of Philippa of Lancaster and Catalina of Lancaster, they were Queens of Portugal and Castile, respectively. Philippa of Lancaster ushered in the Illustrious Generation in the history of the royal family of Portugal. Catalina married her mother’s mortal enemy to create a stronger connection between England and Castile. Back in England, the remaining granddaughters had to deal with rebellions against King Henry IV, resulting in husbands and sons being beheaded. One had married her former brother-in-law when her husband died, and another had an affair with the king’s half-brother, resulting in the birth of an illegitimate daughter. A granddaughter had her marriage annulled when her husband decided to marry a lady-in-waiting. One began her life as an illegitimate child and would end up being the grandmother to two Kings of England.

Warner has been able to take the stories of these eleven women who shared a grandfather and show how their tales transformed England, Castile, and Portugal forever. The amount of love and attention she dedicated to this book is admirable. I appreciate how Warner could give readers who only understood the English side of these tales a better understanding of the political situations in Castile and Portugal. If you want a book with brand new medieval heroines with a connection to the Plantagenet dynasty, I highly recommend you read “The Granddaughters of Edward III” by Kathryn Warner.

[Melisende · Rating 2 out of 5]

An accessible history of the family of King Edward III of England.

At a mere 144 pages of biographical content, this book will provide a basic introduction to not only the granddaughters of Edward III and his queen, Philippa of Hainault, but also of their children and other grandchildren.

Warner provides a basic Who's Who and family trees at the start, and ends with the descendants of the featured granddaughters, and approx 50 pages of notes.

If this is your particular era of study, Warner's book will provide a handy introductory resource for the lineage and general biographical study of Edward's offspring. For those wanting a bit more substance to those featured granddaughters, you will find it lacking here.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at the lives of nine of Edward III's grandchildren, including one who became queen of Portugal, & another who would become the grandmother of two later kings of England. It also discusses the strong links between England & Castile in the fourteenth century. Now, I read a book about the medieval queens of England last year so I had heard of some of the main players before, but it was a real test to try & get it all straight in your head, as to who was related to who, as you are reading this. Many of the prominent characters had multiple marriages & offspring & there were lots of similar names.

I have awarded this book 3.5 stars (rounded up) for the sheer scale of the research & in awe of all the names & familial relationships the author had to organise. It can be a little dry in places due to the plethora of information but I found it to be an informative, interesting read on the whole.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Pen & Sword, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name]

Royal reads project

I’ll have a review by the end of the weekend
Ok no I didn’t I lied and now i dont know if I remember much

[Lauralee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of King Edward III of England’s granddaughters tells a tale of power and ambition. Through their political marriages, these granddaughters helped make England a strong and formidable country. This biography tells the story of King Edward III’s nine out of eleven granddaughters. These women led scandalous lives. This story shines light on forgotten royal women.

Before reading this book, I had never heard of these women before. Therefore, I was intrigued by them. One of my favorites of King Edward III’s granddaughters was Phillippa of Lancaster, who became Queen of Portugal. She gave birth to two famous sons. They were Henry the Navigator and Edward, who became known as the Philosopher King. Another of my favorites was her sister, Catalina. She became queen consort and regent of Castile. Philippa of Clarence was also another favorite of mine. This was because she was the ancestress of the House of York. Therefore, I found each of these royal women fascinating!

Overall, it was a very informative and comprehensive biography of King Edward III’s granddaughters. It also focuses on the impact each of these princesses made in European history. I found the biography to be disjointed and disorganized. It would have been better had it been narrowly focused on each woman. I think that it should have been broken up into two books. Instead, I found that I received a short summary of each woman and was not as in depth as I would like. Nevertheless, it opened my eyes to these royal women I knew nothing about! Still, this book is a must read for fans of English royalty! I recommend this book for fans of Katherine Swinford, Daughters of Chivalry, and Plantagenet Princesses!
(Note: I read an ARC copy of this book in courtesy of Netgalley.)

[Pam Shelton-Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a good focus on women who were granddaughters of a King and who, through their marriages, had an impact on the lines of several countries. It was well-researched with a lot of sources used to tell us about these lesser-known women. It was arranged chronologically which, at times, made it a challenge to keep some of the people straight, especially those not in England. I would have preferred a chapter etc focus on each of these ladies alone, but the style was easy enough to read.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

My overriding thought while reading this book was: I recommend an outline. There is a reason when I was a kid we learned to outline what we wanted to say before we wrote - it helps you organize your information so that what you want to say comes through. Even now when I write an article, I watch for places where it goes 'bump' instead of smoothly flowing from idea to idea.

Warner has SO MUCH information, and it's all interesting. But it's rather disorganized, which makes it hard to take in. She couldn't entirely decide between chronological and by subject, it appears. The chapter headings are just one item in a slew of others that appear in each chapter - sometimes the other things in there are related chronologically and sometimes they are not. She is right that the endless duplication of names causes confusion and mostly she does quite well at distinguishing the people from one another. However, she will often throw parenthetical information in when a person is mentioned, that leaves you slightly dizzy and forgetting where you were - it's like a place had to be found for every known bit of information even if sometimes it was only tangentially relevant. I am not sure how best to deal with little things like that, but having a good tight organization of the whole would have really helped - chronological chapters talking about what was going on with each woman in a particular decade is one possible approach.

The most interesting sections were about the two daughters of John of Gaunt who married into royalty and became queens of Portugal and Castile, maybe exactly because they were monarchs and more is known about them. I also was interested by her comment in passing concerning revised opinions of the French queen Isabeau of Bavaria, and I want to look further into that, she is absolutely correct that historical fiction has in part created modern ideas abouit that particular person.

If you don't already know a lot about this period, you might have a hard time reading this book and keeping the characters sorted. If nothing else, you will come away with a fuller understanding of how everyone in the royal families of France, Spain, and England were related to one another...

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read an advance copy of this book!

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edward III’s famously happy marriage to Philippa of Hainault produced 12 children, six of whom had children of their own. From the birth of Philippa of Clarence in 1355 until the death of Joan Beaufort in 1440, Kathryn Warner’s The Granddaughters of Edward III tells the story of the 11 women who held that distinction.

Many of the women whose lives were described in this book were quite impressive and lived fascinating lives, including John of Gaunt’s three daughters Elizabeth, Philippa and Catalina, the last two of whom became beloved queens of Portugal and Castile respectively as well as ancestresses of Henry VIII’s first wife, Katherine of Aragon. The relations between them were also interesting.

Although I enjoyed it on the whole, my main problem with this book was that there were SO many people - the granddaughters themselves and their (often multiple) husbands and children - that I felt like I needed a scorecard to keep track of. However, there is a list of major characters at the beginning. It might have been easier to deal with each separately than in one long chronological narrative, although that would also have necessitated repeating some information - or maybe to focus on a few of the best documented. It also didn’t help, although the author certainly had no control over this), that so many of the husbands had the same or similar names, first and last. Bourchiers, Nevilles, Staffords, Despensers, and Mortimers popped up with depressing regularity, and one of the granddaughters actually married two different men named Richard Beauchamp. It’s a wonder that anyone at all was allowed to marry without a papal dispensation, given how closely related they all were.

However, I definitely felt that it was worth it to persevere, and I found out a lot about not only the individual women but also about the power politics and machinations of the later Plantagenet court, as well as some of the others in Europe. 3.5 stars.

I received a copy of The Granddaughters of Edward III from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lindy High · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are kind of a nerd, like I am, and you like getting down into genealogical weeds, like I do, and you’re particularly interested in the English royal family of the late 14th-early 15th centuries, which I am, then this is a book for you. There’s no plot. It’s just a detailed description of the lives of the granddaughters of King Edward III, plus their marriages, plus their children, plus their in-laws, cousins, friends, and so on. The author, Kathryn Warner, has done an astonishing amount of research— and I ought to know, since in grad school I tried to do something similar, although focusing on only one family. Here Warner takes on the whole thing, which is to say she traces the lives and communities of all of Edward’s granddaughters: Phillipa, daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence; Phillipa and Elizabeth, daughters of John of Gaunt and his first wife, Blanche of Lancaster; Catalina, Gaunt’s daughter by his second wife, Constanza of Castile; Joan, Gaunt’s daughter by the third wife — and long-time mistress- Katherine Swynford; Marie and Phillipa, daughters of Edward III’s daughter Isabella and her French husband Enguerrand deCoucy; Constance, daughter of Edmund Duke of York and his wife Isabel of Castile; and Anne, Joan, and Isabel, daughters of Thomas Duke of Gloucester and his wife Eleanor deBohun. This book would have been much easier to read had families during the Middle Ages looked for unusual names for their daughters. Warner tries to add clarity by identifying the women in terms of their fathers’ titles (I.e., Phillipa of Clarence). That helps somewhat, although I found it handy to bookmark both the family trees at the beginning of the book and the “Who’s Who” section at the end.

[Julie Carlson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Anya Seton's classic "Katherine" when I was a young teen and immediately fell in love with the era. I went on to major in history with a focus on medieval England. So I knew many of the players in The Granddaughters of Edward III, which covers the mid/late 1300s and early 1400s. I like that Warner focuses on the women of the time; their marriages, their children, the gifts they received or gave, etc. Of course, I was partial to reading about the daughters of John of Gaunt, Edward III fourth child but one of the most powerful men of the era and the father of Henry IV. The research is detailed and meticulous. Having said that, I had to constantly look up which granddaughter was which, because of first name duplication. I think a different arrangement of the subject matter, such as one granddaughter per section, might have been less confusing. Someone who does not really know about this time period will need to suspend any modern-day sensibilities about child marriage, arranged marriage, marriage between close kin, etc. If you are looking for a nonfiction piece of work that reads like a novel, this is not that book, but if you love medieval history, then give it a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for the ARC. The Granddaughters of Edward III will release Feb. 28.

[Dieter Moitzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

For once, a historical book I requested on Net Galley turned out to be a mixed bag for me, and it took me a long time to go through it. I normally choose the topics I’m interested in very thoroughly, be they areas of history I have extended knowledge of or, on the contrary, those I’m a complete blank canvas, so to say. Knowing the Medieval line of succession on the English throne in its vague outlines, I found the proposed subject quite fascinating—it’s not often that a historian focuses on the women of that time, so I was happy to be granted access to this book.
It was very interesting, I have to admit at least that, and seemed to be very well researched. Yet I just couldn’t follow the author in all her meanderings, traipsings-off, goings to and fro; too many side stories, engaging yet sometimes seemingly unrelated anecdotes, and the constant wavering between chronological or logical order when she’s portraying this or that historical persona. As many people had roughly the same names (I lost count of the Philippas and Johns after a while), the whole reading experience ended up being a bit of a struggle; I had a very hard time remembering who was who, and when which event took place.
All in all, an enjoyable read, but a bit too much information for me.

[AcademicEditor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Granddaughters of Edward III" by Kathryn Warner, which provides a glimpse into the lives of the four women who are the focus of the book: Philippa, Elizabeth, Mary, and Isabella. Through her writing, the author brings these women to life, making them seem like real people rather than just names in a history book.

What I particularly appreciated about this book was how it shed light on the experiences of women during the medieval period. The granddaughters of Edward III lived in a world that was dominated by men, and yet they managed to carve out their own paths and leave their own mark on history. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in medieval history or women's history.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always wanting books about women in history, especially in the medieval time frame! This is no run-of-the-mill biography about Plantagenets, this book does a great job of telling the stories of lives that aren't really covered much in history. This book is well-researched, written extremely well and so, so interesting! The medieval history of these women is juicy! I would love this book be made into a documentary on these women, as well.

There is so much information about women and the families of Edward III's granddaughters that I did not know, pretty much the whole book! The Granddaughters of Edward III is a really good read and I'd recommend to women's history fans, European history fans, and medieval history fans.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this would be better in paperback than on Kindle. Although Kathryn Warner kindly provides a list of prominent people at the front of the book, I found so many characters and their relationships a bit confusing, and it was hard to get to grips with them all. It might be a better idea to use this as a reference book, and look up the people who especially interest you, although I liked the descriptions of medieval life, especially the descriptions of the gifts. As always, Kathryn has thoroughly researched this book, and shows expert knowledge.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Michelle "Champ" · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admit, that I thought this book would read like an old Jean Plaidy book and was excited to get my hands on it. What I got was a book that was very well-researched, and very detailed. There is a lot of information here. There are interesting lives to read about, but sometimes it read like the Bible to me with the offspring being listed. I think that anyone doing any research on Edward III or the royal family will enjoy this very much. If you are wanting a book that reads like non-fiction, this is not the book. I did like it and am glad that I read it.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me get a hold of this one early.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 3 out of 5]

People had no need for social media back in the 14-15th centuries, they had the royal families to entertain them.
Warner tackles the progeny of Edward III, focusing on his granddaughters, all eleven of them.
I love royal history and it’s fascinating to delve into their lives, especially as they acted on their own volition and defied authority.
I did get very very confused at times since there are so many names to sort out and keep track.
Thanks to Pen & Sword History and NetGalley for the advance copy.

[Caroline Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really should be titled ‘Grandchildren of Edward III’ as it does provide some focus on two of Edward’s grandsons, the famous Richard II and Henry IV. But it is nonetheless entertaining and informative, and in fact I enjoyed this book more for the peeks at Richard and Henry as much as the story of the lives of the Phillippas, Elizabeths, and Marys. It put the lives of these women in context with the larger family, almost a clan that the women lived in.

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edward III was a famously successful king in terms of monarchical reign and length, he was also the grandsire of royalty and nobility across Europe. In this book Warner considers the influence of this monarch in terms of the lives of his nine granddaughters. I found this incredibly fascinating and learnt a lot more about the lives of a number of powerful women. Surprising to me was the huge influence that these women had in Spain and Portugal through their founding of dynasties.

[Edith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars Five stars for research and thoroughness, 2 for literary quality. Given the paucity of material about many aspects of their lives, I suppose it makes sense to combine the biographies of the nine granddaughters of Edward III, but it turns out to have been an overly ambitious project. Too many bald facts in too few pages. I will definitely keep this book as a reference, but it is no pleasure to read. A disappointment.

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched with some new information that I wasn't aware of made this interesting. Not drawn out or dry - a must read for any monarchy fan! Thank you to the author, publishers and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my opinion.

[N.W. Moors · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Warner is a noted historian. I much enjoyed her biography of Edward II. This work is a bit more academic but very enjoyable to read. It's thoroughly documented with lots of footnotes, but never boring. The granddaughters of Edward III were, in all, remarkable women.

[Allie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet and informative! Can get bogged down with the names and details at times. So many people had the same name that it can take a minute to understand who is who and their connection. Otherwise, it’s a great book!

[Clare Rhianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative and interesting read based on characters of history I otherwise would not of been aware of.

Always refreshing to read a study dedicated to a woman or women in their own right, not as a foot note to their husband / father /other male relatives story.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read it. I think. It was not easy to keep up with all the like names!

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dit boek zou er enorm van opknappen, als er elke keer dat een nieuw onderwerp (= andere kleindochter) wordt behandeld, er een lege regel zou worden tussengevoegd. Nu gaat het maar achter elkaar door en dan blijkt het ineens weer over iemand anders te gaan.

Dit boek heeft regelmatig lange, onduidelijke zinnen, die je minstens 5 keer moet lezen voor je, bijvoorbeeld, door hebt dat het niet de overleden echtgenoot is die hertrouwt.

Tenslotte lijken de titels van de hoofdstukken nogal willekeurig gekozen en geen indicatie te geven van de inhoud van de hoofdstukken.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kathryn Warner brings the granddaughters of Edward III, King of England, and Philippa of Hainault, Queen of England, to life in this particular book. Many of these granddaughters share their grandmother’s name, and all of these remarkable medieval women shape European culture and politics with their dynastic marriages across Europe. Warner introduces the reader to Philippa of Clarence, Philippa of Lancaster, Elizabeth of Lancaster, Catalina of Lancaster, Joan Beaufort, Constance of York, Anne of Gloucester, Joan of Gloucester, Isabel of Gloucester, Marie de Coucy, and Philippa de Coucy. These women are the ancestresses of the Tudor, Lancaster, and York dynasties of England, monarchs of the Iberian peninsula (Castile, Aragon, Leon, and Portugal), and matriarchs of ruling families in France and the Low Countries. Warner successfully distinguishes the many Philippas from each other and demonstrates the ties between the granddaughters and their descendants, reflecting how important these English noblewomen were to the medieval period. Warner’s familiarity with her subjects and her clarity of naming and dating allows the reader to easily track these eleven women in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and her prose draws the reader into the book and the lives of these fascinating royal granddaughters.

Thanks to NetGalley, Pen & Sword, and Pen & Sword History for the advance copy.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

We can read in the annotation that this book is a joint biography of the granddaughters of Edward III and his wife Philippa. We'll get a lot more. Thanks to the author's style, I consider this book the best book I've ever read.

She did have to deal with an overload of names. 11 granddaughters, more than 11 corresponding husbands, plus the children and their partners. The fact that the author always repeats who is who and their previous fates makes it impossible to get lost in the book.

The book is also a fitting prequel to the War of the Roses and the later Tudor power struggles. The ties to the royal family of most families were forged during this time.

The various biographies are also set in the (legal) context of the time. Beyond that, I appreciate the brief mentions of the Portuguese rulers. Their fates are juicier than the marital escapades of Henry VIII.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen and Swords History for a free digital review copy. This is my honest review.