Katheryn of Berain

Katheryn of Berain (Welsh, Catrin o Ferain) (1534–27 August 1591), sometimes called "Mam Cymru" ("mother of Wales") was a Welsh noblewoman noted for her four marriages and her extensive network of descendants and relations.

Family

Katheryn was the heiress to the Berain and Penymynydd estates in Denbighshire. She is sometimes referred to as Katheryn Tudor, her father being Tudor ap Robert Vychan and her mother Jane Velville. Her maternal grandfather Sir Roland de Velville (1474 - 25 June 1535) was thought to be an illegitimate son of King Henry VII of England by "a Breton lady".

Assuming Katheryn was a great-granddaughter of Henry VII, then King Henry VIII would be her half-great-granduncle, along with Arthur Tudor, Margaret Tudor and Mary Tudor, she would also be a direct descendent of King Edward IV and therefore of the Plantagenet dynasty. Her half first cousins twice removed would be King Edward VI, Queen Mary I, and Queen Elizabeth I and her second cousins would include (among others) Mary I of Scotland, Lady Jane Grey (Queen of England for nine days), James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, Charles Stuart, 1st Earl of Lennox, Lettice Knollys, William Knollys, 1st Earl of Banbury, George Carey, 2nd Baron Hunsdon, Robert Carey, 1st Earl of Monmouth, Catherine Carey, Lady Catherine Grey, Lady Mary Grey and Lady Margaret Clifford.

Marriages

Katheryn's first husband was Sir John Salusbury of the prestigious Salusbury Family of Wales, by whom she had two sons:

*Thomas Salisbury (c. 1564 - September 20, 1586). Executed as a traitor for his involvement in the Babington Plot.
*John Salusbury (d. 1612), married Ursula Stanley, illegimate daughter of Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby and Jane Halsall. Their only son was Sir Henry Salusbury.

Following his death, she married Sir Richard Clough, an extremely wealthy merchant, by whom she had two daughters:

*Anne Clough (born 1568). Married Roger Salusbury, a brother of John Salusbury and paternal uncle to her older half-brothers. Their only son was John Salisbury.
*Mary Clough (born 1569). Married William Wynn, A relative of Maurice Wynn.

The Cloughs lived for a time in Antwerp, where Katheryn's portrait was painted, probably by Adriaen van Cronenburgh, as the National Museum now suggest, or perhaps Lucas de Heere, a previous attribution.

Sir Richard died within three years of their marriage, and Katheryn then married Maurice Wynn of Gwydir, who is said to have proposed to her immediately after the funeral of her first husband, only to find that Sir Richard had got in before him. Katheryn had a further two children by Maurice Wynn:

*Edward Wynn. Married Blanche Vaughan.
*Jane Wynn. Married Simon Thelwall.

Her fourth and last husband was Edward Thelwall of Plas-y-Ward, who outlived her. Her many descendants included Hester Thrale and the 18th century explorer John Salusbury.

In view of the fact that three of Katheryn's four husbands predeceased her, a legend later grew up that she had poisoned them.

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guides/halloffame/historical/katheryn_berain.shtml Catrin of Berain]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/myths_legends/wales/w_ne/article_5.shtml Sir Richard Clough and Katheryn of Berain]
* [http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/art/online/?action=show_item&item=429 Adriaen van Cronenburgh's portrait of Katheryn] in the National Museum Cardiff
* [http://www.geocities.com/salisbury56/guelph03.htm A listing of descendants of the Salisbury family, including those descended from her]