Philippa of Lancaster

Daughter of John of Gaunt, granddaughter of the great Edward III, Philippa of Lancaster left behind her much loved England to marry the Portuguese King João I. Mother of Henry, the Navigator, and of five other children, together known as the “Illustrious Generation”, this is the story of love and enmity, adventure and intrigue of the only English princess who became queen of Portugal. A woman of unwavering faith, known for her generosity and strong will, she was determined to change the Portuguese court, so different from the one she had grown up in. Philippa gave birth to her first child when she was 28 years old. That was the beginning of the Ínclita Geração, the “Illustrious Generation”, which would one day sail away in search of new worlds, forever changing the destiny of Portugal, and of the world. Friar John, her tutor, had foreseen her future in the stars. The first daughter of John of Gaunt and Blanche of Lancaster, granddaughter of the great Edward III, she left behind her beloved England to marry the Portuguese King João I. On February 11, 1387, the people of Porto filled the streets of the city to enthusiastically acclaim Filipa de Lencastre, Queen of Portugal. In this historical novel, based on a careful historical research, the bestseller author Isabel Stilwell tells us the story of one of Portugal’s most important queens.