On This Day

John of Gaunt (19), English prince, son of Edward III, marries Blanche of Lancaster (17) at Reading Abbey

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (6 March 1340 – 3 February 1399), was an English prince, military leader and statesman.

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (6 March 1340 – 3 February 1399), was an English prince, military leader and statesman. He was the fourth son (third surviving) of King Edward III, and the father of King Henry IV. Because of Gaunt's royal origin, advantageous marriages and some generous land grants, he was one of the richest men of his era and an influential figure during the reigns of both his father and his nephew, Richard II. As Duke of Lancaster, he is the founder of the royal House of Lancaster, whose members would ascend the throne after his death. His birthplace, Ghent in Flanders, then known in English as Gaunt, was the origin of his name.

John's early career was spent in France and Spain fighting in the Hundred Years' War.

Historical Significance

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (6 March 1340 – 3 February 1399), was an English prince, military leader and statesman.

Key People

John of Gaunt

prince and regent

English prince and regent

Events Before

  1. Peace of Ath signed (in modern Belgium), settles Brabant succession

    Peace of Ath signed (in modern Belgium), settles Brabant succession

  2. Treaty of Zadar: The Venetian Republic loses influence over Dalmatia in exchange for ending hostilities with the King of

    Treaty of Zadar: The Venetian Republic loses influence over Dalmatia in exchange for ending hostilities with the King of Hungary and Croatia, Louis I

  3. Daint-Leu at Oise begins French boer uprising

    Daint-Leu at Oise begins French boer uprising

  4. French Jacquerie peasant leader Guillaume Cale captured at the Battle of Mello

    The Jacquerie was a popular revolt by peasants that took place in northern France in the early summer of 1358 during the Hundred Years' War.

  5. Republic of Dubrovnik is founded

    The Republic of Ragusa was an aristocratic maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik (Ragusa in Italian and Latin; Raguxa in Venetian) in South Dalmatia (today in southernmost Croatia) in...

Events After

  1. French attack English south coast, raiding Winchelsea

    Winchelsea () is a town in the county of East Sussex, England, located between the High Weald and the Romney Marsh, approximately two miles (three kilometres) southwest of Rye and seven miles (eleven...

  2. Treaty of Brétigny signed by English & French, ending the first phase of the Hundred Years' War

    The Hundred Years' War (French: Guerre de Cent Ans; 1337–1453 [116 years]) was a conflict between the kingdoms of England and France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages.

  3. Jews are expelled from Breslau, Silesia

    Jews are expelled from Breslau, Silesia

  4. Danish King Waldemar IV destroys Visby, Gotland

    Danish King Waldemar IV destroys Visby, Gotland

  5. The Treaty of Brétigny is ratified at Calais, marking the end of the first phase of the Hundred Years' War

    The Treaty of Brétigny is ratified at Calais, marking the end of the first phase of the Hundred Years' War

More from the 1350s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 19, 1359?
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (6 March 1340 – 3 February 1399), was an English prince, military leader and statesman. He was the fourth son (third surviving) of King Edward III, and the father of King Henry IV. Because of Gaunt's royal origin, advantageous marriages and some generous land grants, he was one of the richest men of his era and an influential figure during the reigns of both his father and his nephew, Richard II.
Why is John of Gaunt (19), English prince, son of Edward III, marries Blanche of Lan... significant?
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (6 March 1340 – 3 February 1399), was an English prince, military leader and statesman.
Who was involved in John of Gaunt (19), English prince, son of Edward III, marries Blanche of Lan...?
Key figures include John of Gaunt (prince and regent), Blanche of Lancaster.

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