Constance of Castile

Also known as: Constance of Castile, Duchess of Lancaster / ladie Constance / ladie Constance duchesse of Lancaster / quéene Constance · Family: Castile · Role: queen · First appears: Richard II 12

Constance of Castile was the eldest daughter of Peter I of Castile and the wife of John of Gaunt, who named himself king of Castile “in right of his wife Constance.” She was the mother of Katharine of Lancaster and half-sister of Isabella of Castile, Duchess of York, and Walter Disse served as her confessor.

In May 1386, Henry IV departed from Bristol on his expedition to Spain with his daughter Katharine of Lancaster, while Constance was Duchess of Lancaster. She died in 1394, while John of Gaunt was negotiating in France.

Relationship record

Life events

1386 · Henry IV departed on his long-prepared expedition to Spain with his wife and daughter.(Richard II 30 · 📍 Bristow)
- With: Henry IV Katharine of Lancaster
- “where making his generall assemblie, when all his men of warre were come togither, he bestowed them aboord, with all their horsses and purueiances, and causing sailes to be hoissed vp, set forward on his long wished iournie.”
1394 · Constance of Castile, Duchess of Lancaster, died while her husband was negotiating in France.(Richard II 58)
- “the ladie Constance duchesse of Lancaster daughter to Peter king of Spaine, deceassed the last yeare, whilest hir husband the duke of Lancaster was at the treatie in France:”

Richard II 12

married with John of Gaunt (Constance was identified as the duke of Lancaster's wife.) “in right of his wife quéene Constance, eldest daughter to the late lawfull king Peter”
parent: Peter I of Castile (Peter was Constance's father.) “quéene Constance, eldest daughter to the late lawfull king Peter”

Richard II 13

married with John of Gaunt “This was for the enuie which they bare to Iohn of Gant the duke of Lancaster, who in right of his wife Constance, that was daughter to king Peter of Castile, did name himselfe king of Castile.”
parent: Peter I of Castile (Peter of Castile is identified as Constance's father.) “This was for the enuie which they bare to Iohn of Gant the duke of Lancaster, who in right of his wife Constance, that was daughter to king Peter of Castile, did name himselfe king of Castile.”

Richard II 30

married with John of Gaunt “the duke of Lancaster with a great power of men of warre went into Spaine, and lead with him thither his wife the ladie Constance”
child: Katharine of Lancaster “and lead with him thither his wife the ladie Constance, & a daughter which he had by hir named Katharine”

Richard II 31

married with John of Gaunt “the duke of Lancaster and the duchesse his wife went into Portingale”
child: Katherine of Lancaster “the ladie Katharine daughter to the duke of Lancaster, and of the duchesse his wife the ladie Constance”

Richard II 58

married with John of Gaunt “for the ladie Constance duchesse of Lancaster daughter to Peter king of Spaine, deceassed the last yeare, whilest hir husband the duke of Lancaster was at the treatie in France”
parent: Peter I of Castile “for the ladie Constance duchesse of Lancaster daughter to Peter king of Spaine, deceassed the last yeare”
siblings with Isabella of Castile, Duchess of York “Isabell duchesse of Yorke departed this life, that was halfe sister to the duchesse of Lancaster, being borne of one mother.”

Richard II 63

married with John of Gaunt “and in the daies of his second wife the duchesse Constance, he kept the foresaid Katharine as his concubine”

Henry IV 29

with Walter Disse (Walter Disse was Constance's confessor.) “he was also confessor to the duke of Lancaster, and to his wife the duchesse Constance”

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Extracted from the original text of Holinshed's Chronicles — the reigns Shakespeare dramatized. Made with Rho MD.