Isabella I, Countess of Auvergne

## Isabella I

Queen of England

Isabella, Countess of Hainaut

Joan, Countess of La March

Katherine of England

Matilda of England

Mary, Countess of Ulster

**Isabella of Auvergne** (C. 1157 - 1191) was Countess of Auvergne in her own right, as well as Queen Consort of England, by her marriage to John I of England until her murder in 1191 (Aged 35.) Isabella was the eldest child of Katherine of Brunswick-Luneberg and Louis II, Count of Auvergne. Isabella's father died with no sons, to Isabella became the first woman in her own right, to claim the title "Countess of Auvergne." Isabella had been betrothed to Ferdinand II, Margrave of Tuscany, but the betrothal broke off, when Isabella was wed to John of England after he was widowed by Marie of Provence, Isabella had a very bad relationship with her husband, though very popular with the people, she was despised by her husband. She had plenty of children, though her eldest Henry was her heir. While playing cards with her 13 year old daughter Matilda "Maudiana" of England, she and her daughter were strangled to death on orders of John, her county passed to her 17 year old son Henry, the future Duke of Brittany, became the new Count, for the next 600 years, Count/Countess Auvergne, would be apart of the many titles given to the Duke of Brittany.

## Early Life

### Childhood

Isabella was born in 1157, as the eldest and only child of Louis II, Count of Auvergne and Katherine of Brunswick-Luneberg, Isabella, being heiress to a valuble and very rich territory in France, was a very worthy bride, her father arranged a marriage between the son of the Margrave of Tuscany, and the young Isabella, Isabella's father gave Isabella the standard mideval education for woman in the middle ages, Isabella learned sewing, knitting, household duties, Horse back riding, chess, dance, embroidary, music, fashion, and conversaition. At a young age, she was brought to the French court were she met Louis VIII of France and his Queen Joan I of Navarre, they both saw Isabella as a witty and wonderful little girl. Isabella with a promising future, became a lady-in-waiting at age 10, to the king of France's 14 year old daughter, Joan of France. Joan rarely noticed the young heiress as she had more important and richer ladies-in-waiting, but in her private manuelscript she drew Isabella holding a cross, and wrote, "How Pious of a Lady she is." After Joan left to be wed in Toulouse, Isabella accompanied her to her husband along with other woman.

### Auvergne Inheritance

In Toulouse, Isabella held Joan's dresses when she walked around her new Palace, they helped her prepare for crusade, they bathed her, brushed her hair, and accompanied Joan wherever she wen't. In 1168 when Isabella had already turned 11, her father was killed in Crusade, and Isabella was the new Countess of Auvergne in her own right, her mother came quickly to secure Isabella's succession, she was now considered to important to serve as a lady-in-waiting to another Countess, so she served as a lady-in-waiting to the Queen of France, who was at the time Joan, who was also Queen of Navarre in her own right. Because of Isabella's youth, she was to young to rule her vast territory, and her mother held the regency council, until Isabella was 18 or married. Isabella joined the line of woman who served the Queen of France, and she was able to have more duties then serving a French Countess. When she was 12, Joan I of Navarre was requested to take the young Countess to the Papal states, and meet Ferdinand II, Margrave of Tuscany who was 16 at the time, Joan honored agreed and traveled with Isabella to the Papal states, Ferdinand was in one of the Palaces owned by the church as a guest, and Isabella joined her betrothed there, they were fond of each other and were excited to marry each other, this would unite Tuscany and Auvergne together. But unfortunetly, someone more powerful, happened to be looking for a French Bride, and Isabella was a candiate.

## Marriage to John I of England

The most powerful person in Europe at the time was John I of England was the most powerful man in Europe, he controlled England and some of the Isles, and most of what is France, and some of what is Ireland, and Spain. John's wife and grand-niece Marie of Provence died of sickness, leaving John widowed, he was looking for a French bride. Isabella's mother looked at her own daughter, and saw a chance Isabella could win his hand, Katherine wasted no time breaking up the betrothal, which infuriated Isabella. Isabella was very keen on marrying Ferdinand of Tuscany, John was over 30 years older then 13 year old Isabella, and Ferdinand was only 3 years older then Isabella. Isabella fought her mother guards to stay with Ferdinand who held on to her, and refused to let go of her. Katherine sent her daughter to England were many brides for John were being discussed, John's advisor looked at Isabella, and reccomended her to John, John was a cruel and Selfish King, and found little interest in Isabella, nevertheless he married Isabella in a public ceremony, following her wedding she was crowned Queen Consort of England, Ireland, Duchess Consort of Normandy, Brittany, and Aquitaine, Countess Consort of Nantes, Anjou, Poiters, and Angoulême, her husband was declared Count of Auvergne, and he wasted no time ceasing Isabella's County. But nevertheless of an unfaithful husband, she still was a very popular Queen amoungst the people and the nobles.

## First Child

In 1173, she gave birth to her first child, a son named Henry of England in Aquitaine, Isabella named her son her heir, and convinced John to make her son the heir to the Duchy of Brittany, and John agreed and added Brittany and the Lordship of Jordan (Which had been long conquered by Richard the Lionheart) in Henry's inheritance, Henry would be a key figure in the Holy wars of the 1200's. Isabella refused to let her husband raise her first child, and raised him in Normandy were she spent most of her tenure as Queen of England. Isabella had a hard relationship with her step-daughter Eleanor of England, who though Isabella was manipulating John for political power. But Isabella did not care about her step-children convientetly. She also 5 weeks later, re-took her county and took down the rules her husband stated in Auvergne, and kicked the local lords out of Auvergne.

## Second Child

In 1174, Isabella gave birth to another son named William, whom he was raised by Isabella's mother, William was one of John's least favorite children for liking John's other least favorite son who also was his heir. The year after, Isabella gave birth to a daughter also named Isabella, Isabella I, brought her daughter Isabella to be raised by Isabella's mother too. Isabella I gave birth again to twins, one of them died in infancy, and the other one Joan, survived, she left Joan in the care of her mother as well. Isabella gave birth again to twins, Matilda and Katherine, and a last time to Mary of England, she raised her 3 daughters, as her mother had to much of her kids to take care of, even though Katherine of Brunswick-Luneberg would have been content to get the oppertunity to raise them.

## 15th Crusade

While Isabella was writing to the New Queen of France, Ingeborg of Denmark, the second wife of Louis VIII of France, she was informed of the 15th Crusade, she came with her husband, while her 16 year old step-daughter was in charge of the kingdom. Isabella and John had a bad trip to the Holy lands, Isabella had to deal with her step-son constantly trying to poison her, and her husband constantly also trying to poison her, but on the ship, she met the person she last expected to see, it was her child-hood sweetheart Ferdinand II, Margrave of Tuscany, Ferdinand snuck on the boat just to be with Isabella, Ferdinand had taken a bow 7 years before to never marry, unless the bride is Isabella, and he remained unmarried, John was well aware of the affair, but did not bother to come between them as he had many of his own mistresses. Ferdinand wen't with Isabella on Crusade to the Holy lands and wrote down "It was the most best experiance a man like me could have." After the Crusade John allowed Isabella to let him stay in England, as he could care less about Isabella's love life.

## Life with Ferdinand

Isabella gave Ferdinand an allowance of 1,000 euro's a week, he was one of the most influencial men in Europe because of his connection to the wife of King John. Ferdinand was a faithful boyfriend, and never cheated on her. He wanted to make Isabella happy no matter what in meant, when Isabella cried because John dismissed her, Ferdinand once jumped of a bridge with his clothes on to cheer her up, she co-ruled in Auvergne with him and she even bore him a love child, also named Ferdinand which sparked short-lived scandal that lasted exactly 2 hours, before another scandal surrounding the Count of Bar, who was rumored to have murdered church-men, though Ferdinand had a child, it was illegitimate, but even though it was illegitimate, he still made his son his heir and gave him all the honors of the heir of Tuscany.

## Murder

In 1191, Isabella took her 13 year old daughter Matilda to Normandy after she had taken her son William and daughter Katherine before. Isabella left for Normandy where she stayed at one of her private palaces with her daughter, after a few hours they played cards, but John had a plot to murder them, he called for 7 of his most loyal knights to murder them, they marched across the British isles and reached Normandy there, they grabbed a rope, and strangled Isabella and Matilda to death, this death sparked great rage and John was poisoned by his own son and Isabella's boyfriend who never forgave John for the murder.