October 27th 1401, in the palace of Hotel Saint-Pol, Paris, Catherine de Valois was born. She was the tenth child of King Charles VI of France and his wife, Queen Isabelle (sometimes written as Isabeau) of Bavaria. Her oldest sister, Isabella, was the second wife of King Richard II of England. Sent to England at the tender age of six years old, the marriage was expected to be consummated when she was older, but Isabella was only ten when Richard was usurped by his cousin, Henry Bolinbroke, who became Henry IV.
Catherine, sometimes spelled Katherine, did not have an easy childhood. Often neglected by her mother, she had no one to trust. Her father, Charles, suffered mental illness. Earlier in his reign, he was regarded as "The Good", but after his first break down, "with the king now shut away and heavily guarded in Saint Pol, the political fallout became apparent. In the absence of a strong and determined leader disorder quickly grew within the French government. Queen Isabeau, a shamelessly unfaithful wife, known for her arrogance and ruthless ambition, viewed her husband's misfortune as a golden opportunity for self-advancement. Enlisting the aid of her brother, Louis, Duke of Bavaria, and her besotted brother-in-law Louis, Duke of Orleans, she managed through a series of calculated political manoeuvres, to seize control of the government of France from the rival forces of the King's cousin John, Duke of Burgundy".
The seize of the royal children by the Duke of Bavaria caused some trouble to Charles and his advisers. With the Duke, the children of the Duke of Burgundy were there as well and they were intercepted by Burgundy's forces when he found out about what happened to his children. Dauphin Louis, his brother, Michelle, who was betrothed to Burgundy's heir, were taken to the court in Burgundy whilst Marie and Catherine were sent to a nunnery in Poissy, where she spent much of her childhood.
In other words: France's political situation was about to break in Civil War. To their dismay, they had to deal with the threat Henry V of England was imposing them. With the failure in marrying Isabella de Valois, due to her constant refusal in marrying her late husband's enemy, Henry then, after his father's death decided to look furthermore into the House of Valois. And Catherine was the only one of her sisters who was not betrothed to anyone yet. In fact, with the economic situation affecting royal household, Marie, her sister, had to take the veil because her father could not afford her dowry to give his daughter a proper marriage. The proposal was, at first, not taken into consideration by Queen Isabeau due to the high demands by Henry. But, because of these demands were declined, Henry pushed and war eventually happened.
Victim of politic managements by her mother, Catherine had little word when negotiations began. But these were interrupted when the battle of Azincourt exploded, not aiding Catherine's situation. However, the marriage was sealed with the conditions that privileged Henry's side, as, for example, any child they'd come to have would be crowned king of France and England. Apparently, this was a deal set by Catherine herself, who was styled as 'Catherine the Fair', due to her beauty when they were introduced in person.
Finally, the marriage happened. "On 24th February, in a magnificent ceremony Queen Catherine was crowned at Westminster where an elaborated feast was held in her honour. Biographer, Agnes Strickland, notes that it was during her coronation feast that 'the only instance of active benevolence ever recorded of Catherine the Fair took place'. Seemingly indifferent to the plight of her own brother and defeated country, on arrival in England, the new Queen was soon showing her softer side. Catherine had befriended the young James, King of Scots, who having been captured by the English while still a boy, had spent most of his life as a prisoner at the royal court. By all accounts handsome, lively and affable, and a great favourite of the King's, James had recently fallen in love with Joanna Beaufort, a renowned beauty of the English court, but in his present situation marriage was impossible. Obviously taken with the plight of these young lovers Queen Catherine was determined that her new friend be restored to his kingdom, and pleaded with her husband on his behalf. To Catherine's joy Henry relented, arrangements were put in place for the King's return to Scotland and the young couple were betrothed before the festivals of Catherine's coronation had ended."
Not only this showed the very known social position a Queen as Catherine was expected to be, but as well as how she managed to work next to Henry V. It's impossible to know the nature of her feelings, but we can suppose she was one to take duties first if we consider her second marriage and its consequences were for love. Especially because she was treated as a "trophy wife" by Henry, who payed little court to his wife. As a warrior king, his concerns were most towards France and the battles he there would fight. But even so, the marriage would turn out to be, if not one full of love and passion, a respectful one.
When Henry was in France, fighting his battles, Catherine managed to see him by travelling to her homeland, carrying a big comitive with her. The main of this voyage was presenting their son, Henry (who was born in December 6th) to him. But though the days they spent together were peaceful, the people of Paris did not greet her well. Apparently, Catherine the Fair was regarded as arrogant by them through the banquet she displayed.
But Henry V fell ill and this illness would change the course of Catherine's life. With Henry crowned King of England and France, she was always present at the councils, but with time she was distrusted by her nationality. Catherine was a widow, Queen Dowager, mother to a king of two kingdoms... But she was a frenchwoman. Soon, her intimate circle was close to a very few friends, one of them who ended becoming the wife of Humphrey of Gloucester.
Her connections with Owen (sometimes spelled Owain) Tudor are uncertain about when it had began. At first, she was courted by Edmund Beaufort, late cousin of the king. But it came to an end with the disapproval of the council. Nevertheless...
"If Catherine had been in love with Edmund Beaufort, it soon became obvious to those around her that she had started an affair with a Welshman, Owen Tudor. Tudor had been in the employ of King Henry V and had then been in the service of the baby, King Henry VI. Catherine then appointd him Clerk of her Wardrobe. Those around her warned her of the folly of such an affair. She continued despite the warnings, removing herself from court life, she and Owen Tudor retreated to the countryside and in 1430's place and date unknown, they married."
They managed to live happily and had three healthy sons: Edmund, Jasper and Owen. She was pregnant with her fourth child, who would be named Margaret upon her birth, when their marriage was discovered. Outraged, the duke of Gloucester dissolved Catherine's household and had the couple separated, with the young boys placed at the care of Catherine de la Pole. Heartbroken and miserable, this situation contributed to Catherine's health deteriorate. Like the daughter she gave birth but did not manage to live for not even a day, the Queen Dowager of England did not survive either. At the age of thirty six of thirty eight, she came to die.
It is said that Henry VI suffered with her death and punished Gloucester for the pain he caused to his mother. So he "legitimated" his brothers, entitling Edmund as Earl of Richmond and Jasper as Earl of Pembroke. Owen, who wished to have a religious life, became a monk. To Edmund, Henry arranged one of the best marriages that placed Richmond as one of the most important men at the realm after the king himself, with the heiress of the House of Beaufort, Lady Margaret. With that union, future Henry VII would born and as the heir of his uncle, he'd conquer the crown through the Battle of Bosworth in August, 1485.
As for Catherine, she would not receive a proper burial until the year of 1778, where this inscription is found:
"Under this slab (once the altar of this chapel) for long cast down and broken up by fire, rest at last, after various vicissitudes, finally deposited here by command of Queen Victoria, the bones of Catherine de Valois, daughter of Charles VI, King of France, wife of Henry V, mother of Henry VI, grandmother of Henry VII, born 1400, crowned 1421, died 1438"
Sources:
http://www.intriguing-history.com/who-was-catherine-of-valois/
http://www.britannia.com/history/biographies/catherine_valois.html
http://www.westminster-abbey.org/archive/our-history/royals/burials/henry-v-and-catherine-de-valois
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