Isabella of France (1295 – 22 August 1358) was Queen consort of England from 1308 to 1327 as the wife of Edward II of England. Daughter of Philip IV of France, she became politically influential and played a key role in the deposition of her husband, securing the throne for their son, Edward III of England.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Isabella was born in 1295 to Philip IV of France, known as "Philip the Fair," and Joan I of Navarre, Queen regnant of Navarre and Countess of Champagne. As a daughter of the powerful House of Capet, Isabella was raised in a court renowned for its sophistication and political influence. Her early education likely included instruction in languages, etiquette, and diplomacy, preparing her for a life of royal duty. At a young age, she was betrothed to the future Edward II of England as part of a strategic alliance aimed at easing tensions between France and England following years of intermittent conflict. The marriage was also intended to secure territorial claims and reinforce dynastic ties.
Isabella arrived in England in 1308, shortly after Edward's coronation, and was crowned queen consort at Westminster Abbey. Though initially welcomed with grandeur, her early years in England were marked by political strife. Edward II's intense favouritism toward Piers Gaveston, a Gascon knight of modest birth, alienated many nobles and deeply frustrated Isabella, who found herself sidelined in court affairs. Gaveston’s influence over Edward strained the royal marriage and provoked widespread resentment among the English barons. After Gaveston’s execution in 1312, Isabella’s position improved temporarily, but tensions resurfaced with the rise of Hugh Despenser the Younger, whose dominance over Edward and ruthless consolidation of power further marginalised the queen and destabilised the realm.
Invasion of England[]
In 1325, Isabella returned to France under the pretext of negotiating with her brother, King Charles IV of France, over disputed territories in Gascony. However, once in France, she refused to return to England and instead formed a clandestine alliance with Roger Mortimer, a powerful Marcher lord who had escaped imprisonment in the Tower of London and fled to France. Their partnership, both political and romantic, became the foundation for a bold plan to overthrow Edward II and end the Despenser regime.
In September 1326, Isabella and Mortimer launched their invasion from Hainaut, landing in Suffolk with a modest force bolstered by continental allies and disaffected English nobles. Their campaign rapidly gained momentum as baronial opposition to Edward swelled. Edward II, abandoned by many of his supporters, fled to Wales with Hugh Despenser the Younger, but was soon captured. Despenser was executed in a gruesome public display, and Edmund FitzAlan, 2nd Earl of Arundel and a loyalist to Edward, was also put to death.
In January 1327, Parliament compelled Edward II to abdicate in favour of his 14-year-old son, Edward III of England. Isabella and Mortimer assumed control as de facto rulers, governing in the young king’s name. Their regency was marked by efforts to stabilise the kingdom, though Mortimer’s growing arrogance and autocratic style drew criticism. In 1330, Edward III, now of age, orchestrated a coup against Mortimer, who was arrested and executed for treason. Isabella was spared and allowed to retire from public life.
Later Life[]
She spent her final decades in relative seclusion, residing at Castle Rising in Norfolk. Though no longer politically active, Isabella maintained her dignity and status as queen mother. She died peacefully in 1358 at the age of 63 and was buried at the Franciscan church in London, remembered as one of the most formidable and controversial women of medieval Europe.
Gallery[]
| Queen consort of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Margaret of France |
1308–1327 | Succeeded by: Philippa of Hainault |