Katherine Swynford
Baz Aveyard
- Regions:
- East Midlands, East Midlands, East Riding, East Riding
- Notice Period:
- Emergency (maybe less than one week's notice)
- Type:
- Historian
- Fee:
- Free
- Category:
- History
- Updated:
- 13th May 2026
- Tagged:
- Medieval
Baz Aveyard’s talk on Katherine Swynford explores the life and legacy of one of the most influential — and misunderstood — women of medieval England. Moving beyond the familiar romantic narrative of Katherine and John of Gaunt, the talk examines Katherine as a politically significant, intelligent, and resilient medieval woman whose descendants would shape the future of the English crown.
Drawing on chronicles, primary sources, monuments, and the history of Lincoln itself, Baz traces Katherine’s journey from her early years and long relationship with John of Gaunt to their marriage at Lincoln Cathedral in 1396 and the legitimisation of the Beaufort children. The talk also explores how the Beaufort family became central to the dynastic struggles of the fifteenth century and the eventual rise of the Tudors.
Particular attention is given to separating myth from reality, challenging later portrayals of Katherine as merely a romantic heroine or “scarlet woman.” Instead, the talk places her firmly within the political, social, and cultural world of fourteenth-century England.
Engaging, accessible, and firmly grounded in historical research, the presentation combines national history with local Lincolnshire connections, bringing Katherine Swynford and her world vividly to life for modern audiences.
Views: 63 | Enquiries: 1About Baz Aveyard
Barry Aveyard is an independent historian, researcher and speaker specialising in late medieval England, with particular interests in Katherine Swynford, the Beaufort family and the dynastic politics of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Based in Lincoln, Barry combines rigorous historical research with an engaging and accessible presentation style that has made him a popular speaker with U3A groups, local history societies and heritage audiences across England.
A former nurse academic and qualified teacher, Barry previously authored several nursing textbooks before turning his attention fully to historical research and writing. He is currently the author of two forthcoming books with Pen & Sword Books: Joan Beaufort, Katherine Swynford’s Daughter: Matriarch of the North and Eleanor Neville: Widow of the Wars of the Roses. Together, these works explore the lives of two remarkable but often overlooked women whose families stood at the centre of the political upheavals that shaped fifteenth-century England.
Barry’s work focuses particularly on challenging myths and oversimplified narratives surrounding medieval women. His research explores figures such as Katherine Swynford, Joan Beaufort, Eleanor Neville and the Neville family, not simply as subjects of romance and legend, but as politically significant individuals who helped shape the course of English history. His talks draw upon primary sources, chronicles, monuments and surviving landscapes to bring the medieval world vividly to life.
Alongside his speaking engagements, Barry writes the historical blog Katherine Swynford: A Life Well Lived, where he shares ongoing research, reflections and explorations of medieval Lincolnshire and the wider Plantagenet world.
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