Biography of Isabella of Castile Queen Consort Aragon 1283-1328

Paternal Family Tree: Ivrea

This duke, whose name I do not know, had never had children by the duchess¹, nor had he any hope of having any. He had a half-brother on his mother’s side, she having remarried, who was called the Count of Montfort², and who was then living and had married the sister of Count Louis of Flanders³. This duke had also had another brother, born of the same father and mother⁴, who had died, and there remained of him a young daughter. The duke, her uncle, had married her to Sir Charles of Blois, the eldest son of the Count of Blois by the sister of King Philip of France⁵ who then reigned. He had promised him the duchy of Brittany after his death, because he feared that the Count of Montfort, his half-brother, might claim the right to it by nearness of kinship after his decease, although he was not his full brother.

Cil duc, dont je ne sçay le nom, il n'avoit oncques eu enfans de la duchesse, ne aussy n'avoit nulle esperancæ d'en avoir, et avoit ung frere de par sa mere, qui avoit esté remariée, qu'on appelloit le conte de Montfort, qui lors vivoit et avoit à femme la seur du conte Loys de Flandres. Cil duc avoit eu ung aultre frere germain de pere et de mere qui trespassé estoit, et en estoit demourée une petite fille, laquelle le duc son oncle avoit mariée à messire Charles de Bloys, le maisné filz au conte de Bloys de la seur au roy Philippe de France qui adoncques estoit, et lui avoit promis la duchié de Bretaigne aprez son decès, pour tant qu'il se doubtoit que le conte de Montfort son frere n'y voulsist clamer droit par prochaineté aprez son decès, jasoit ce qu'il ne fust pas son frere germain.

Note 1. John III had married successively: 1st, in 1298, Isabella of Valois, daughter of Charles of Valois; she probably died in 1303 (see Jos. Petit, Charles de Valois, p. 240). 2nd, in 1310, Isabella of Castile, daughter of Sancho IV, King of Castile and León; she died on 24 July 1328. 3rd, on 21 March 1329, Joan of Savoy, daughter of Edward, Count of Savoy; she died on 29 June 1344. None of these wives bore him any children.

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In 1282 [her father] Sancho IV King Castile IV King Leon [aged 23] and [her mother] Maria Molina Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon were married. He the son of [her grandfather] Alfonso X King Castile X King Leon [aged 60] and [her grandmother] Violante Barcelona Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon.

In 1283 Isabella of Castile Queen Consort Aragon was born to [her father] Sancho IV King Castile IV King Leon [aged 24] and [her mother] Maria Molina Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 2nd April 1284 [her grandfather] Alfonso X King Castile X King Leon [aged 62] died. His son [her father] Sancho [aged 25] succeeded IV King Castile, IV King Leon. [her mother] Maria Molina Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon by marriage Queen Consort Castile, Queen Consort Leon.

On 18th June 1291 Alfonso III King Aragon [aged 25] died. His brother [her future husband] James [aged 24] succeeded II King Aragon.

On 1st December 1291 James "The Just" II King Aragon [aged 24] and Isabella of Castile Queen Consort Aragon [aged 8] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Aragon. She the daughter of Sancho IV King Castile IV King Leon [aged 33] and Maria Molina Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon. He the son of Peter III King Aragon and Constance Hohenstaufen Queen Consort Aragon [aged 42]. They were first cousin once removed. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 25th April 1295 [her father] Sancho IV King Castile IV King Leon [aged 36] died. His son [her brother] Ferdinand [aged 9] succeeded IV King Castile, IV King Leon.

On 29th October 1295 [her husband] James "The Just" II King Aragon [aged 28] and Blanche Capet Queen Consort Aragon were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Aragon. She the daughter of Charles II King Naples [aged 41] and Mary of Hungary Queen Consort Naples [aged 38]. He the son of Peter III King Aragon and [her mother-in-law] Constance Hohenstaufen Queen Consort Aragon [aged 46]. They were half second cousin once removed. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1297 [her future husband] John III Duke Brittany [aged 10] and Isabelle Valois Duchess Brittany [aged 5] were married. She by marriage Duchess Brittany 1221 Dreux. She the daughter of Charles Valois I Count Valois [aged 26] and Margaret Capet Countess Valois [aged 24]. They were third cousins. He a great grandson of King Henry III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans

Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.

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On 23rd January 1302 [her brother] Ferdinand IV King Castile IV King Leon [aged 16] and [her sister-in-law] Constance Burgundy Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon [aged 12] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile, Queen Consort Leon. She the daughter of Denis I King Portugal [aged 40] and Elisabeth Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal [aged 31]. He the son of Sancho IV King Castile IV King Leon and Maria Molina Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon. They were half first cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 12th September 1309 [her brother-in-law] Alfonso "Brave" IV King Portugal [aged 18] and [her sister] Beatrice Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal [aged 16] were married. She the daughter of [her father] Sancho IV King Castile IV King Leon and [her mother] Maria Molina Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon. He the son of Denis I King Portugal [aged 47] and [her sister-in-law] Elisabeth Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal [aged 38]. They were half first cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1310 John III Duke Brittany [aged 23] and Isabella of Castile Queen Consort Aragon [aged 27] were married. She by marriage Duchess Brittany 1221 Dreux. She the daughter of Sancho IV King Castile IV King Leon and Maria Molina Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great grandson of King Henry III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 7th September 1312 [her brother] Ferdinand IV King Castile IV King Leon [aged 26] died. His son [her nephew] Alfonso [aged 1] succeeded XI King Castile.

On 15th June 1315 [her husband] James "The Just" II King Aragon [aged 48] and Marie Lusignan Queen Consort Aragon were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Aragon. He the son of Peter III King Aragon and [her mother-in-law] Constance Hohenstaufen Queen Consort Aragon.

Before 1319 [her brother-in-law] Guy Capet Count Penthièvre [aged 31] and Jeanne Avaugour Countess Penthièvre were married. She by marriage Countess Penthièvre.

On 25th December 1322 [her husband] James "The Just" II King Aragon [aged 55] and Elisenda Montcada Queen Consort Aragon were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Aragon. He the son of Peter III King Aragon and [her mother-in-law] Constance Hohenstaufen Queen Consort Aragon.

On 7th January 1325 Denis I King Portugal [aged 63] died. His son [her brother-in-law] Alfonso [aged 33] succeeded IV King Portugal. [her sister] Beatrice Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal [aged 32] by marriage Queen Consort Portugal.

On 5th November 1327 [her husband] James "The Just" II King Aragon [aged 60] died. His son Alfonso [aged 28] succeeded IV King Aragon since his eldest son wished to take holy orders.

In 1328 Isabella of Castile Queen Consort Aragon [aged 45] died.

In 1329 [her former husband] John III Duke Brittany [aged 42] and Joan of Savoy Duchess Brittany [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Duchess Brittany 1221 Dreux. The difference in their ages was 23 years. She the daughter of Edward "Liberal" Savoy Count Savoy [aged 45] and Blanche Burgundy Countess Savoy [aged 41]. They were second cousins. He a great grandson of King Henry III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

William of Worcester's Chronicle of England

William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.

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On 30th April 1341 [her former husband] John III Duke Brittany [aged 55] died at Caen [Map]. Earl Richmond suspended. The succession of the Duchy of Brittany was disputed between Joan "Lame" Capet Countess Penthièvre [aged 22] and [her former brother-in-law] John Montfort IV Duke Brittany [aged 46] leading to the War of the Breton Succession. His niece Joan succeeded Duchess Brittany 1221 Dreux. Charles of Blois Duke Brittany [aged 22] by marriage Duke Brittany 1221 Dreux. His half brother John succeeded IV Duke Brittany 1221 Dreux. Joanna of Flanders Duchess Brittany [aged 46] by marriage Duchess Brittany 1221 Dreux.