Owen Tudor

Sir Owen Tudor, known in Welsh as Owain ap Maredudd ap Tudur, was a Welsh courtier and the second husband of Queen Catherine of Valois, the widow of King Henry V of England. His lineage traced back to a notable Welsh family from Penmynydd on the Isle of Anglesey, with ancestral ties to the princely house of Deheubarth. Tudor’s marriage to Catherine of Valois resulted in the birth of three sons, and he became the grandfather of Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor dynasty.

Despite a lack of detailed records about his early life, Owen Tudor was known to have connections with the English court and secured a position within it. His life was significantly affected by his marriage to Catherine of Valois, and after her death, he faced legal challenges and imprisonment. However, he was later pardoned by Henry VI, who granted him lands and a pension. Owen Tudor’s involvement in the Wars of the Roses led to his capture and execution, and he was buried in Greyfriars Church, Hereford.