Isabelle de France

A circumstantial but viable clue to the eventual death of Edward II….

Mar 6, 2024

anniversaries, archaeology, battles, buildings, genealogy, law, religion, Science, sources

Abdication, adam murimuth, Auramala Project, Battle of Sluys, Berkeley Castle, berkeley pill, Canada, Corfe Castle, david tandy, Edmund Earl of Kent, Edward II, Edward III, Edward IV, Edward V, elizabeth comyn, escape, evidence, executions, Fieschi Letter, fundy bay, Glenn Moran, Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucestershire, Hugh Despencer the Younger, Ian Mortimer, Isabelle de France, Joan of Kent, John Ashdown-Hill, John of Gaunt, Kathryn Warner, Lady Eleanor Talbot, mtDNA evidence, richard barber, Richard II, Richard of Shrewsbury, Richard Talbot, Roger Mortimer, Salisbury Cathedral, secret marriage, Severn Estuary, Thomas Lord Berkeley

In a way the mystery of Edward II is not unlike that of the Princes in the Tower (see here). In both cases supposed royal murders have turned out to be untrue and the victims have escaped to the Continent. Also in both cases the murder aspect has been unchallenged until relatively recently, with all the old…
Isabella of France

Feb 25, 2024

anniversaries, battles, Book Reviews, genealogy, law, Science

Capetians, Edward II, Edward III, executions, France, Hugh Despencer, Hugh Despencer the Younger, Hundred Years War, Isabelle de France, IVF, Kathryn Warner, Orwell, Phillip IV, questions of paternity, rebellions, Roger Mortimer, Salic Law, Sir William wallace

This is the second of Kathryn Warner’s books about Edward II, focussing on the life of his wife, who came across from France as the daughter, sister and aunt of the last five Capetian kings at the outset of the Hundred Years’ War, her niece being passed over as a Salic Law led to a…
Hugh Despenser the Younger

Feb 1, 2024

anniversaries, Book Reviews, genealogy, law, religion

Caerphilly Castle, Cardiff Castle, Edward II, Edward III, Eleanor de Clare, executions, extortion, Hereford, Hugh Despencer the Younger, Isabelle de France, joan comyn, Kathryn Warner, neath, revenge, Richard Talbot, secret marriage, Wales

So here we have one of Kathryn Warner‘s earlier books. It describes the life and career of Edward II’s third and final favourite – his marriage to Eleanor de Clare, his lawless activitities but also the degree to which they were exaggerated, leading to his “trial” and execution. We can recommend it highly as part…
Why …

Sep 21, 2023

anniversaries, law, sources

coups d’etat, Edward II, Edward III, euphemisms, executions, intimacy, Isabelle de France, Roger Mortimer, Tyburn

… is Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, is often described by modern novelists and “popular historians” as Queen Isabella’s lover, although there seems not to be any evidence for this? A possible explanation is that his forename is now a euphemism for carnal knowledge, although this seems only to have become the case recently.…
The most beautiful woman in medieval England….?

Sep 20, 2023

anniversaries, buildings, genealogy, law, religion

annulment, bigamy, Canterbury Cathedral, Edmund Earl of Kent, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III, Edward of Woodstock, executions, Henry IV, Isabelle de France, Joan of Kent, John of Gaunt, pre-contract, Richard II, Stamford Greyfriars, Thomas Holand, usurpation, William Earl of Salisbury

The title of this article refers to Joan, Princess of Wales, mother of Richard II. She became known as the “Fair Maid of Kent”, a sobriquet acquired posthumously. But, was she the most beautiful woman in England? According to the standards of her time yes, she certainly was, although the contemporary likenesses we have…
Elizabeth de Clare, the lady who took on a king and his favourites….

Sep 16, 2023

anniversaries, Book Reviews, buildings, genealogy

abduction, Clare, Despensers, East Anglian Daily Times, Edward II, forced marriage, Isabelle de France, Joan Bridges, John Sandys, Minories, Roger Mortimer, Romsey Abbey, Usk

“Elizabeth de Clare was born on this day, 16th September 1295, the granddaughter of King Edward I. The 11th Lady of Clare, she was the heiress to the lordships of Clare in England and Usk in Wales.” So starts this article about a very remarkable lady, also known as Elizabeth de Burgh, who took on…
Living amid medieval Mortimers….!

Aug 16, 2023

anniversaries, battles, buildings, genealogy

Agincourt. Richard Duke of York, Anne Mortimer, Edward II, Edward III, Edward IV, Green Green Grass of Home, Hereford Times, Isabelle de France, John Challis, King’s Langley, Lionel of Antwerp, Mortimers, Only Fools and Horses, Richard Earl of Cambridge, Richard III, Roger Mortimer, Wigmore Abbey

According to this link: “The Herefordshire home of the late John Challis – famous for playing Boycie in [the] iconic sitcom Only Fools and Horses – has been put up for sale.” Much as I love Boycie (I’m delighted when Only Fools and Horses and Green Green Grass of Home are repeated on TV), it’s…
Rebellion in the Middle Ages

Dec 19, 2022

anniversaries, battles, Book Reviews, buildings, law, religion

Archbishop of Canterbury, Arthur of Brittany, Azincourt, Bannockburn, Barons’ War, Battle of Evesham, Battle of Hastings, Battle of Lewes, Battle of Shrewsbury, Black Death, Blackheath, Boroughbridge, Canterbury Cathedral, Crusades, Edmund Duke of Somerset, Edward I, Edward II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, executions, First Battle of St. Albans, France, Geoffrey of Brittany, Henry Cardinal Beaufort, Henry II, Henry III, Henry IV, Henry the Young King, Henry V, Henry VI, Hereward the Wake, House of Lancaster, Hugh Despencer, Hugh Despencer the Younger, Humphrey of Gloucester, insanity, Isabelle de France, Isle of Ely, Jack Cade, John, John Ashdown-Hill, John Earl of Shrewsbury, Lord Protector of the Realm, Lords Ordainers, Magna Carta, Matilda, Matt Lewis, murder, Parliament, Peasants’ Revolt, Peterborough Abbey, Piers Gaveston, rebellions, Richard Duke of York, Richard I, Richard II, Robert of Gloucester, Roger Mortimer, Royal Marriage Secrets, Scarborough Castle, secret marriage, Southampton plot, St. Thomas Becket, Stephen, The Anarchy, Thomas of Lancaster, Tower of London, usurpation, Wakefield, Wars of the Roses, William Duke of Suffolk, William I, William Marshall

This is the latest of Matthew Lewis’ books and covers a longer period than any of the others, from Hereward the Wake’s emergence after Hastings to the beginning of the Wars of the Roses, almost as long a period as this book. Lewis is already an expert on “The Anarchy” (chapter 2) and the Roses…
Long live the King

Sep 21, 2021

anniversaries, archaeology, Book Reviews, buildings, genealogy, Science, sources

“Perkin”, Archbishop William Melton, Auramala Project, Avignon, Barrie Williams, Berkeley Castle, Corfe Castle, de la Pole family, Earl of Mar, Edmund Earl of Kent, Edward II, Edward III, Edward the Martyr, executions, Ferdinand and Isabella, Fieschi Letter, Flanders, France, Germany, Gloucester Cathedral, Ian Mortimer, Ireland, Isabelle de France, Italy, James IV, Joanna, John XXII, Kathryn Warner, Koblenz, Leicester, Lombardy, Lord Richard de la Pole, Manuel Duke of Beja, Manuele Fieschi, Maximilian I, Melton Letter, Montpellier archives, mtDNA evidence, parallels, Pavia, Poles, popes, Portuguese archives, Richard III, Roger Mortimer, royal deaths, royal mysteries, Sant Alberto di Butrio, Titulus Regius, William le Galeys

This interesting tome has finally appeared in paperback. The opening Parts read like an abridged biography of the story familiar to us through Warner’s The Unconventional King, but to be read with an open mind as to whether Edward II survived his “official death” today in 1327 or not. The reader will re-learn the events…
How did Edward III’s claim to the throne of France come about….?

Feb 1, 2021

anniversaries, genealogy, heraldry, law

adultery, Capetians, Charles IV, dynastic succession, Edward III, France, Hundred Years War, Isabelle de France, Salic Law, Valois

Should you be interested in the background to Edward III’s claim to the throne of France, here’s a link to a fascinating article about the adulterous goings-on at the French court! And here’s me thinking the French wouldn’t dream of doing such things! 😄