Isabella, Countess of Bedford facts for kids

Isabella of England (born 16 June 1332 – died around 5 October 1382) was a princess from England. She was the oldest daughter of King Edward III of England and Queen Philippa of Hainault.

Isabella married Enguerrand de Coucy, who was also known as the Earl of Bedford. They had two daughters together. In 1376, she was given the special title of a Lady of the Garter.

Isabella's Early Life and Family

Isabella was the second child and first daughter of King Edward III and Queen Philippa. She was named after her grandmother, Isabella of France. Many believed she was her father's favorite daughter.

She was born at Woodstock Palace in Oxfordshire on June 16, 1332. As a baby, Isabella was very spoiled. She had a fancy gilded cradle lined with soft taffeta and covered with a fur blanket.

Her clothes were made from expensive Italian silk. They were decorated with jewels and lined with fur.

Growing Up as a Princess

Isabella and her brothers and sisters had many servants. This included a personal chaplain, musicians, and a noble governor and governess. She also had three ladies-in-waiting.

There were also grooms, clerks, butlers, and cooks. When she was a child, Isabella lived with William and Elizabeth St Omer. Her older brother Edward and younger sister Joan were also there.

Marriage Plans and Choices

When Isabella was only three years old, her father tried to arrange a marriage for her. He wanted her to marry Pedro of Castile, who was the heir to the Castilian King. However, this marriage did not happen.

Later, her younger sister Joan was supposed to marry Pedro. But Joan sadly died before they could get married.

An Unusual Delay in Marriage

Isabella remained unmarried until she was 33 years old. This was quite unusual for princesses at that time. She had many proposals for marriage, but none of them worked out.

In 1351, when she was 19, five ships were ready to take her to Gascony. She was supposed to marry Bernard d'Albret. He was the second son of a powerful lord.

But at the very last moment, Isabella changed her mind. The marriage was called off. Her father, King Edward III, did not seem angry. He even gave her control of Burtsall Priory in Yorkshire in 1355. He also gave her a large yearly income of 1,000 marks.

Finding Love and Marriage

Eventually, Isabella was allowed to marry Enguerrand VII, Lord of Coucy. He was a rich French lord whom she had fallen in love with. Enguerrand was seven years younger than Isabella.

He was the son of Enguerrand VI, Lord of Coucy and Catherine of Austria.

Isabella's Marriage and Children

Isabella's future husband, Enguerrand, came to England in 1360. He was a hostage, meaning he was held to ensure the freedom of King John II of France. King John was a prisoner of the English.

Isabella and Enguerrand married on July 27, 1365, at Windsor Castle. Isabella was in her thirties by then. Her father, King Edward III, gave her a large dowry of £4,000. A dowry was money or property given by the bride's family to the groom.

She also received a large yearly income and many expensive jewels and lands. Enguerrand got back his family's lands in Yorkshire, Lancaster, Westmorland, and Cumberland. He was also set free without needing a ransom.

Life in France and England

In November 1365, Isabella and her husband went to France. Their first daughter, Marie, was born at Coucy in April 1366. They later visited England again.

During this visit, Enguerrand was made Earl of Bedford on May 11, 1366. This made Isabella the Countess of Bedford, as well as the Lady of Coucy.

After their second daughter, Philippa, was born in 1367, Edward also made Enguerrand and Isabella the Count and Countess of Soissons.

Enguerrand was a military leader for the King of France. So, he was often away from home. Isabella mostly lived with him at Coucy. But she often visited her family in England. In 1376, she became a Lady of the Garter.

Isabella's Daughters

Isabella had two daughters with Enguerrand de Coucy:

• Marie de Coucy (born April 1366 – died 1405). She became the Countess of Soissons in her own right. Marie married Henry of Bar, who was a nephew of Charles V of France. They had children. After her father died, she had a disagreement about his lands with her stepmother. Marie died suddenly, and her lands became part of the French royal estates.
• Philippa de Coucy (born 1367 – died 1411). She was born at Eltham and named after Isabella's mother. Philippa married Robert de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, in 1371. She lived in England after that. Philippa did not have any children.

Isabella's Final Years

Isabella was with her father, King Edward III, when he died on June 21, 1377. She had been called home from France urgently in April.

After her nephew, Richard II, became king in August 1377, Enguerrand gave up all his ties and possessions in England.

Isabella died in England, separated from her husband and her oldest daughter, Marie. Her death happened between June 17 and October 5, 1382. She was buried in Greyfriars Church, Newgate, London.

Seven years after Isabella's death, her husband married again. His second wife was Isabelle, the daughter of John I, Duke of Lorraine.