Katherine of England facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Katherine |
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An image of Katherine in a 14th-century illuminated manuscript
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| Born | 25 November 1253 Westminster Palace, Westminster |
| Died | 3 May 1257 (aged 3) Windsor Castle |
| Burial | Westminster Abbey |
| House | Plantagenet |
| Father | Henry III of England |
| Mother | Eleanor of Provence |
Katherine of England was a young princess who lived a long time ago. She was born on November 25, 1253, and passed away on May 3, 1257. Katherine was the fifth child of King Henry III and his wife, Eleanor of Provence. She was only three years old when she died. Her parents loved her very much and were very sad when she passed away.
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Birth of Princess Katherine
Katherine was born early in the morning at Westminster Palace in London. This was a very important place! She was christened, which is like a special naming ceremony, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Boniface of Savoy. He was also her great-granduncle and her godfather.
Katherine got her name because she was born on the feast day of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. A few days after her christening, on January 5, 1254, the king held a huge party. He invited many important people, including nobles like Emma le Despencer.
The party had a lot of food! Imagine "fourteen wild boars, twenty-four swans, one hundred and thirty-five rabbits, two hundred and fifty partridges, fifty hares, two hundred and fifty wild ducks, sixteen hundred and fifty fowls, thirty-six female geese and sixty-one thousand eggs". That's a lot of food for a celebration!
Princess Katherine's Early Life
Soon after the big party, Katherine's mother, the queen, had to leave England. She went to join her husband, the king, in a place called Gascony. Little Katherine stayed behind at Windsor Castle.
A kind lady named Emma le Despencer was chosen to be Katherine's governess. A governess is like a special teacher and caregiver. Emma had two helpers, Agnes and Avisa, who were Katherine's wet nurses.
The next year, the king and queen came back home. The king was very thoughtful and ordered special "gold clothes" for Katherine. These clothes had the king's family symbol, called a coat of arms, sewn onto them.
Princess Katherine's Illness and Death
In the autumn of 1254, Katherine became very sick. She was sent to Emma le Despencer's house in Swallowfield to get better. She didn't have many friends her own age there.
To cheer her up, the king sent one of his men to catch a roe deer from Windsor Great Park. He wanted his daughter to have a special animal to play with. It seemed to help the princess, and she was brought back to Windsor around February 1256.
However, Katherine became sick again in late 1256. The king was away in France, but he wanted to know how she was doing. He ordered a special messenger to tell him about her condition. When he heard she was getting better, he ordered a "silver image" of a woman to be placed in Westminster Abbey. This was a special gift to thank God for her improvement.
Sadly, Katherine passed away on May 3, 1257. She was only three years old.
Burial and Remembrance
Katherine was buried in a special part of Westminster Abbey. Her tomb was placed near her uncle, William de Valence. The king had a beautiful monument built for her. It was made with colorful stones and mosaics. A silver image of his child was placed on top.
The king also paid a man called the Hermit of Charing. This man was paid fifty shillings a year to make sure a chaplain would pray every day for Katherine's soul. This was a common way for King Henry to remember his family members who had passed away.
After Katherine's death, both King Henry and Queen Eleanor were very sad. The queen even became sick with grief. They did not have any more children after Katherine.
