LIST OF PRINCIPAL FIGURES
Anne of Bohemia. Queen of England, married to Richard II, 1382–94
Nicholas Brembre. Wool merchant, collector of customs, and four-time mayor of London; ardent supporter of Richard II
Sir Peter Bukton. Knight of the royal household; familiarly addressed by Chaucer in one of his short poems
Geoffrey Chaucer. 1343(?)–1400. Courtier, civil servant, and poet
Philippa Chaucer. Lady of Queen Philippa’s household; wife of Chaucer and sister of Katherine Swynford
Thomas Chaucer. Chaucer’s son and possible literary executor; prominent supporter of John of Gaunt and the Lancastrian household
John Churchman. London entrepreneur and developer of the 1382 custom house; later creditor of Chaucer
Sir John Clanvowe. Courtier and occasional poet in the manner of Chaucer
Sir Lewis Clifford. Diplomat and advocate of Chaucer’s poetry
Edward III. King of England, 1327–77
Nicholas Exton. Fishmonger and mayor of London, 1386–88; Nicholas Brembre’s more moderate successor
Jean Froissart. French chronicle writer and poet; well-informed contemporary commentator on the English scene
John of Gaunt. Duke of Lancaster; first marriage to Duchess Blanche, second to Constanza of Castile, third to Katherine Swynford
Thomas, duke of Gloucester. Enemy of Richard II and head of the oppositional aristocratic party, 1385–89
John Gower. Fellow poet and friendly rival of Chaucer
Henry of Derby. See Henry IV
Henry IV. King of England, 1399–1414; also known as Henry of Derby, Henry Bolingbroke
Thomas Hoccleve. Clerk; early fifteenth-century poet and devotee of Chaucer
Richard Lyons. Corrupt London financier, slain by irate rebels in 1381
John Lydgate. Monk of Bury St. Edmunds and extremely prolific fifteenth-century poet; respectful imitator and follower of Chaucer
John Northampton. Draper; populist mayor of London, 1381–83, and adversary of Nicholas Brembre
Philippa of Hainault. Wife of Edward III and Queen of England, 1328–69
Adam Pinkhurst. London scribe; Chaucer’s frequent, and probably favorite, copyist
Richard II. King of England, 1377–99
Paon de Roet. Knight of Edward III’s household; father of Philippa Chaucer and Katherine Swynford
Sir Arnold Savage. Sheriff of Kent, possible Chaucer host and benefactor
Henry Scogan. Esquire of the king’s household, occasional poet, eventual tutor to sons of Henry IV
Ralph Strode. London legalist and bureaucrat with possible previous career as an Oxford philosopher; literary friend of Chaucer
Katherine Swynford. Chaucer’s sister-in-law; mistress and eventual third wife of John of Gaunt
Thomas Usk. Aspiring writer and ill-fated London factionalist
Thomas Walsingham. Monk of St. Albans and prolific writer of English chronicles