1410/1411 – 1473
House: de la Pole, de Stafford
Titles: Abbess of Barking Abbey
Katherine de la Pole was born around 1410 as the eldest daughter of Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, and Katherine de Stafford. She assumed the role of abbess of Barking Abbey in January 1433, where she was responsible for the well-being of Edmund and Jasper Tudor, Catherine of Valois’ sons with Owen Tudor, from 1437 to 1440. Katherine played a pivotal role in encouraging King Henry VI to take an interest in his half-brothers, ultimately leading to their ennoblement and setting the stage for Henry Tudor’s ascent to the English throne.
In 1453, Katherine was deceived by a priest named Robert Colynson, who took five pounds promising to pray for the nuns in Rome but failed to do so. Later, in 1462, she faced extortion from John Rigby of Cranbrook Manor over the abbey’s water supply, prompting her to seek an independent source. Katherine de la Pole passed away in 1473 at Barking Abbey.
Death: Katherine de la Pole died in 1473 at Barking Abbey, where she is presumed to have been buried.
Children: 0
Parents: Her parents were Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, and Katherine de Stafford.