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Who was Catherine of Valois and why did she marry Henry V?
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Henry V
English king Henry V, painting by an unknown artist; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Catherine of Valois (1401–1437) was a French princess and the daughter of King Charles VI of France and Isabella of Bavaria. She became the wife of King Henry V of England and was the mother of King Henry VI.1
Henry V sought to marry Catherine as part of his broader political and territorial ambitions. After ascending the English throne, he renewed marriage negotiations originally started by his father, Henry IV. Henry V demanded a substantial dowry and the restoration of the French territories of Normandy and Aquitaine to the English crown. When these demands were not met, it led to war; the marriage was eventually finalized on June 2, 1420, following the signing of the Treaty of Troyes.1