Books like Mistress of the Monarchy by Alison Weir

In *Mistress of the Monarchy*, acclaimed historian Alison Weir brings to life Katherine de Roet, later Katherine Swynford, whose courtly beginnings as a child maid to John of Gaunt evolved into a scandalous affair and ultimately a groundbreaking marriage. Weir draws on rare documents to chart Katherine’s journey through the turbulent 14th‑century—amid the Hundred Years’ War, the Black Death, and the Peasants’ Revolt—highlighting her resilience, charm, and influence. Her children, the Beauforts, become the direct forebears of the English royal houses of York, Tudor, and Stuart, shaping the line of every British monarch since 1461 and even linking to several U.S. presidents. The biography offers a vivid portrait of a woman ahead of her time who defied convention and forged a legacy that altered the course of English history.

First publish date: 2009