Lady Catherine Gordon
Encyclopedia
Lady Catherine Gordon was a Scottish noblewoman and the wife of Yorkist pretender, Perkin Warbeck
. After her imprisonment by King Henry VII of England
, she became a favoured lady-in-waiting
of Queen consort Elizabeth of York
.
She had a total of four husbands, but there are no records of any surviving children having been born to her.
, by his third wife, Lady Elizabeth Hay. Her mother was not Princess Annabella of Scotland, as many accounts have incorrected stated, as the Earl of Huntly divorced Princess Annabella in 1471 and Catherine's birth occurred in about 1474.
to marry Yorkist pretender
Perkin Warbeck, who, financed by Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy
and supported by many others including the Scots king and Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
, claimed to be Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York
, the younger son of King Edward IV of England
. (See main article: Perkin Warbeck
)
James IV gave Perkin Warbeck a 'spousing goune' of white damask for the wedding at Edinburgh. The celebrations included a tournament. Perkin wore armour covered with purple brocade.
Lady Catherine was allegedly captured by Henry VII at the fortress of St. Michael's Mount after his forces routed Warbeck's Cornish army at Exeter
in 1497.
Her husband was hanged at Tyburn
on 23 November 1499. Lady Catherine was kept a prisoner by King Henry who placed her in the household of his consort, Elizabeth of York where she became a favoured Lady-in-Waiting. Initially, Henry VII paid some of her expenses from his privy purse. In the purse accounts her name was recorded as 'Lady Kateryn Huntleye.' The King later gave her lavish clothing, particularly after Princess Margaret Tudor
was contracted to marry James IV, and though still in London, was called the Queen of Scots. These clothes included; in November 1501, clothes of cloth-of-gold furred with ermine, a purple velvet gown, and a black hood in the French style; in April 1502, black and crimson velvet for gown and black kersey for stockings; and in November 1502, black satin, and other black cloth, to be trimmed with mink (from her own stock) and miniver
, with a crimson bonnet.
In 1503, Catherine was an honoured guest at the wedding of Margaret Tudor to King James IV
.
After the accession of King Henry VIII
in 1509, Catherine received several land grants in Berkshire
.
of the King's Chamber. In 1517, she married her third husband, Matthew Craddock, who was Welsh
. Her fourth and last husband was Christopher Ashton (c.1497- 1557), a gentleman of the King's Bedchamber. She is not recorded as having any surviving children, however, she had two stepchildren by Ashton's previous marriage.
According to biographer David Loades, Catherine was head of Princess Mary's
Privy Chamber
until 1530.
When not at Court, Catherine resided at Fyfield
Manor in Berkshire
(now Oxfordshire
), except during her marriage to Craddock when she gained permission to live in Wales. She died in October 1537, sometime after 12 October, as that was the date of her last will, and was buried beneath a floor standing wall monument with brass figures (now lost) in Fyfield Church. However, she also had an effigial
chest monument in St Mary's Church in Swansea
which no longer exists.
Perkin Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck was a pretender to the English throne during the reign of King Henry VII of England. By claiming to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, the younger son of King Edward IV, one of the Princes in the Tower, Warbeck was a significant threat to the newly established Tudor Dynasty,...
. After her imprisonment by King Henry VII of England
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
, she became a favoured lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
of Queen consort Elizabeth of York
Elizabeth of York
Elizabeth of York was Queen consort of England as spouse of King Henry VII from 1486 until 1503, and mother of King Henry VIII of England....
.
She had a total of four husbands, but there are no records of any surviving children having been born to her.
Family
Lady Catherine was born in Scotland, the daughter of George Gordon, 2nd Earl of HuntlyGeorge Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly
George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly was Chancellor of Scotland from 1498–1501.Gordon fought on the King's side against the Douglases during The Douglas Rebellion and helped secure a defeat at the Battle of Brechin. The 2nd Earl completed the building work that his father begun in constructing Huntly...
, by his third wife, Lady Elizabeth Hay. Her mother was not Princess Annabella of Scotland, as many accounts have incorrected stated, as the Earl of Huntly divorced Princess Annabella in 1471 and Catherine's birth occurred in about 1474.
Perkin Warbeck
In January 1496, she was ordered by King James IV of ScotlandJames IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
to marry Yorkist pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
Perkin Warbeck, who, financed by Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy
Margaret of York
Margaret of York – also by marriage known as Margaret of Burgundy – was Duchess of Burgundy as the third wife of Charles the Bold and acted as a protector of the Duchy after his death. She was a daughter of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville, and the sister of...
and supported by many others including the Scots king and Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
, claimed to be Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York
Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York
Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York, 1st Duke of Norfolk, 1st Earl of Norfolk, Earl Marshal was the sixth child and second son of King Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville. He was born in Shrewsbury....
, the younger son of King Edward IV of England
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
. (See main article: Perkin Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck was a pretender to the English throne during the reign of King Henry VII of England. By claiming to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, the younger son of King Edward IV, one of the Princes in the Tower, Warbeck was a significant threat to the newly established Tudor Dynasty,...
)
James IV gave Perkin Warbeck a 'spousing goune' of white damask for the wedding at Edinburgh. The celebrations included a tournament. Perkin wore armour covered with purple brocade.
Lady Catherine was allegedly captured by Henry VII at the fortress of St. Michael's Mount after his forces routed Warbeck's Cornish army at Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
in 1497.
Her husband was hanged at Tyburn
Tyburn
Tyburn is a former village just outside the then boundaries of London that was best known as a place of public execution.Tyburn may also refer to:* Tyburn , river and historical water source in London...
on 23 November 1499. Lady Catherine was kept a prisoner by King Henry who placed her in the household of his consort, Elizabeth of York where she became a favoured Lady-in-Waiting. Initially, Henry VII paid some of her expenses from his privy purse. In the purse accounts her name was recorded as 'Lady Kateryn Huntleye.' The King later gave her lavish clothing, particularly after Princess Margaret Tudor
Margaret Tudor
Margaret Tudor was the elder of the two surviving daughters of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, and the elder sister of Henry VIII. In 1503, she married James IV, King of Scots. James died in 1513, and their son became King James V. She married secondly Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of...
was contracted to marry James IV, and though still in London, was called the Queen of Scots. These clothes included; in November 1501, clothes of cloth-of-gold furred with ermine, a purple velvet gown, and a black hood in the French style; in April 1502, black and crimson velvet for gown and black kersey for stockings; and in November 1502, black satin, and other black cloth, to be trimmed with mink (from her own stock) and miniver
Miniver
*Miniver is an unspotted white fur derived from the stoat, and with particular use in the robes of peers. For the use of the fur in heraldry, see Ermine and Tincture *For the fictional character, see Mrs. Miniver...
, with a crimson bonnet.
In 1503, Catherine was an honoured guest at the wedding of Margaret Tudor to King James IV
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
.
After the accession of King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
in 1509, Catherine received several land grants in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
Subsequent marriages
In 1510, she married James Strangeways, a gentleman usherGentleman Usher
Gentleman Usher is a title for some officers of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. See List of Gentlemen Ushers for a list of office-holders.-Historical:...
of the King's Chamber. In 1517, she married her third husband, Matthew Craddock, who was Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
. Her fourth and last husband was Christopher Ashton (c.1497- 1557), a gentleman of the King's Bedchamber. She is not recorded as having any surviving children, however, she had two stepchildren by Ashton's previous marriage.
According to biographer David Loades, Catherine was head of Princess Mary's
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
Privy Chamber
Privy chamber
A Privy chamber was the private apartment of a royal residence in England. The gentlemen of the Privy chamber were servants to the Crown who would wait and attend on the King and Queen at court during their various activities, functions and entertainments....
until 1530.
When not at Court, Catherine resided at Fyfield
Fyfield, Oxfordshire
Fyfield is a village in Fyfield and Tubney civil parish, about west of Abingdon. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire...
Manor in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
(now Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
), except during her marriage to Craddock when she gained permission to live in Wales. She died in October 1537, sometime after 12 October, as that was the date of her last will, and was buried beneath a floor standing wall monument with brass figures (now lost) in Fyfield Church. However, she also had an effigial
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
chest monument in St Mary's Church in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
which no longer exists.