Isabella of Scotland, Countess of Norfolk
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Isabella of Scotland, Duchess of Brittany
Isabella of Scotland (1195–after 1253) also known as Isobel or Isabel was a daughter of William the Lion, King of Scotland and his wife Ermengarde de Beaumont
. She was a member of the House of Dunkeld
and by marriage she was Countess of Norfolk.
, her younger brother was Alexander II of Scotland
and her younger sister was Marjorie, Countess of Pembroke. Isabella also had many illegitimate half-siblings from her father.
Her father had battled with Henry II of England
as well as his younger son John of England
. As a result in 1209, William was forced to send Isabella and Margaret as hostages; they were imprisoned at Corfe Castle
along with Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany
, who had been under house arrest to prevent her claim on England
and Brittany
. Isabella was only fourteen at the time of her imprisonment. In June 1213, John sent green robes, lambskin-trimmed cloaks, and summer slippers to the three noble ladies. The ladies were sometimes allowed to ride out under the strictest guard.
. All of the sisters married English nobility whilst Alexander was required to marry Princess Joan, daughter of King John. Roger was roughly fourteen years Isabella's junior. Henry III of England
granted her property when she married Roger in May 1225. Roger became a ward of his new brother-in-law King Alexander; he held the position until 1228.
Isabella was second-in-line to the Scottish throne (after her sister Margaret) until 1227 when Margaret's daughter and namesake was born. By 1241 she fourth in line upon the birth of her nephew Prince Alexander
.
Roger and Isabella were childless. In 1245, Roger repudiated her on grounds of consanguinity, but was compelled by an ecclesiastical sentence to take Isabella back in 1253. She is called "filiam regis Scotiæ" (but not named) by Matthew Paris
when he recorded her husband's resumption of their marriage.
It is unknown when Isabella died, she appeared to have been living in Gloucestershire
in October 1263; there is no mention of her after this. She was buried at the Church of the Black Friars, London. Roger died in 1270 and was succeeded by their nephew Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk
.
King William's legitimate line through his four children became extinct by 1290, leading to a Succession crisis
.
Isabella of Scotland (1195–after 1253) also known as Isobel or Isabel was a daughter of William the Lion, King of Scotland and his wife Ermengarde de Beaumont
Ermengarde de Beaumont
Ermengarde de Beaumont , was a Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Scotland.-Life:Ermengarde was born c. 1170 to Richard I, Viscount de Beaumont-le-Vicomte, de Fresnay et de Ste-Suzanne , and wife Lucie de l'Aigle , daughter of Richard II de l'Aigle...
. She was a member of the House of Dunkeld
House of Dunkeld
The so-called House of Dunkeld, in Scottish Gaelic Dùn Chailleann , is a historiographical and genealogical construct to illustrate the clear succession of Scottish kings from 1034 to 1040 and from 1058 to 1290.It is dynastically sort of a continuation to Cenél nGabráin of Dál Riata, "race of...
and by marriage she was Countess of Norfolk.
Early life
Isabella was born in 1195 and was the second of four children born to her father by his marriage. Her older sister was Margaret, Countess of KentMargaret of Scotland, Countess of Kent
Margaret of Scotland was the first child born to William I of Scotland and his Queen consort Ermengarde de Beaumont. She was an older sister of Alexander II of Scotland....
, her younger brother was Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
and her younger sister was Marjorie, Countess of Pembroke. Isabella also had many illegitimate half-siblings from her father.
Her father had battled with Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
as well as his younger son John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
. As a result in 1209, William was forced to send Isabella and Margaret as hostages; they were imprisoned at Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. It is the site of a ruined castle of the same name. The village and castle stand over a gap in the Purbeck Hills on the route between Wareham and Swanage. The village lies in the gap below the castle, and is some eight...
along with Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany
Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany
Eleanor the "Fair Maid of Brittany", 5th Countess of Richmond , also known as Damsel of Brittany or Pearl of Brittany for her peerless beauty, was the eldest daughter of Geoffrey Plantagenet and Constance, Duchess of Brittany...
, who had been under house arrest to prevent her claim on England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. Isabella was only fourteen at the time of her imprisonment. In June 1213, John sent green robes, lambskin-trimmed cloaks, and summer slippers to the three noble ladies. The ladies were sometimes allowed to ride out under the strictest guard.
Marriage
Upon Isabella's release, she was required to marry English noble Roger Bigod, 4th Earl of NorfolkRoger Bigod, 4th Earl of Norfolk
Roger Bigod was 4th Earl of Norfolk and Marshal of England.He was the son of Hugh Bigod, and Matilda, a daughter of William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke and Marshal of England. After the death of his father in 1225 Roger became the ward of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury...
. All of the sisters married English nobility whilst Alexander was required to marry Princess Joan, daughter of King John. Roger was roughly fourteen years Isabella's junior. Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
granted her property when she married Roger in May 1225. Roger became a ward of his new brother-in-law King Alexander; he held the position until 1228.
Isabella was second-in-line to the Scottish throne (after her sister Margaret) until 1227 when Margaret's daughter and namesake was born. By 1241 she fourth in line upon the birth of her nephew Prince Alexander
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
.
Roger and Isabella were childless. In 1245, Roger repudiated her on grounds of consanguinity, but was compelled by an ecclesiastical sentence to take Isabella back in 1253. She is called "filiam regis Scotiæ" (but not named) by Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris was a Benedictine monk, English chronicler, artist in illuminated manuscripts and cartographer, based at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire...
when he recorded her husband's resumption of their marriage.
It is unknown when Isabella died, she appeared to have been living in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
in October 1263; there is no mention of her after this. She was buried at the Church of the Black Friars, London. Roger died in 1270 and was succeeded by their nephew Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk
Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk
Roger Bigod was 5th Earl of Norfolk.He was the son of Hugh Bigod , and succeeded his uncle, Roger Bigod, 4th Earl of Norfolk as earl in 1270....
.
King William's legitimate line through his four children became extinct by 1290, leading to a Succession crisis
Competitors for the Crown of Scotland
With the death of Alexander III of Scotland in 1286 without a male heir, the throne of Scotland had become the possession of the three-year old Margaret, Maid of Norway, the granddaughter of the King...
.