Isabella II of Jerusalem facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Isabella II |
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The death of Queen Isabella-Yolande (From MS of William of Tyre's Historia and Old French Continuation, painted in Acre, 13C. Bib. Nat. Française)
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| Queen of Jerusalem | |
| Reign | 1212 – 4 May 1228 |
| Coronation | 1225 |
| Predecessor | John and Maria |
| Successor | Conrad II |
| Holy Roman Empress; Queen consort of Sicily and Germany |
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| Tenure | 1225 – 4 May 1228 |
| Born | c. 1212 |
| Died | 4 May 1228 (aged 15–16) Andria, Kingdom of Sicily |
| Burial | Andria Cathedral |
| Spouse | Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor |
| Issue | Conrad II of Jerusalem |
| House | House of Brienne |
| Father | John of Brienne |
| Mother | Maria of Montferrat |
Isabella II (born in 1212, died on May 4, 1228) was also known as Yolande of Brienne. She was a princess from France. Her mother was Maria, the Queen of Jerusalem, and her father was John of Brienne. Isabella became the Queen of Jerusalem in 1212 and ruled until she died in 1228.
Later, Isabella married Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. This made her the Holy Roman Empress. She also became the Queen of Sicily and Germany.
Becoming Queen at Birth
Isabella II was born in Andria, a city in the southern Italian Kingdom of Sicily. She was the only child of Maria of Montferrat, who was the Queen of Jerusalem, and her husband, John of Brienne. Maria's mother was Isabella I of Jerusalem. This meant Maria was the rightful heir to the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Sadly, Queen Maria died shortly after Isabella II was born in 1212. Because of this, Isabella II was named Queen of Jerusalem when she was just a few days old. Her father, John of Brienne, did not have a direct claim to the throne. So, he ruled the kingdom as a regent, which means he governed for his young daughter.
Marriage to Emperor Frederick II
In 1223, Isabella's future was decided. Her father, John of Brienne, met with Pope Honorius III and Frederick II. Frederick agreed to go on a Crusade to the Holy Land. But he said he would only go if he became the rightful King of Jerusalem. The only way for this to happen was if he married the young Queen Isabella II. Frederick was a widower at this time.
The Pope hoped this marriage would make Frederick committed to the Sixth Crusade. The engagement was confirmed. However, Frederick delayed his departure for a while. In August 1225, he and Isabella were married by proxy in the city of Acre. This means someone stood in for Frederick during the ceremony. A few days later, Isabella II was crowned as Queen of Jerusalem.
Isabella then traveled to Italy. Frederick II sent twenty ships to bring her to him. She married Frederick II in person at the cathedral in Brindisi on November 9, 1225. During the wedding, Frederick declared himself the King of Jerusalem. He immediately took away all power from Isabella's father, John of Brienne. John had been the regent of Jerusalem, but his rights were now transferred to Frederick.
Old stories from that time describe the fancy wedding parties. They also mention how upset Isabella's father, John of Brienne, was. He no longer had any royal authority.
Early Death
After the wedding, Isabella was kept mostly hidden by her husband in Palermo. In November 1226, when she was 14 years old, she gave birth to her first child, a daughter. Sadly, the baby died in August 1227.
Isabella died on May 4, 1228. This was shortly after she gave birth to her second child, a son named Conrad. He was born in Andria, Bari, on April 25, 1228. Isabella was buried in the Andria Cathedral.
See also
In Spanish: Yolanda de Jerusalén para niños
