Isabella of Urgell, Duchess of Coimbra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Isabella of Urgell |
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| Duchess of Coimbra Dame of Montemor |
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Tomb of Peter and Isabella in Batalha Monastery (far right)
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| Born | 12 March 1409 Balaguer, Catalonia, Aragon |
| Died | 17 September 1459 (aged 50) Coimbra, Portugal |
| Burial | Batalha Monastery |
| Spouse | Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra |
| Issue | Peter, Constable of Portugal John of Coimbra, Prince of Antioch Isabella, Queen of Portugal James of Coimbra Beatrice of Coimbra Philippa of Coimbra |
| House | Barcelona |
| Father | James II, Count of Urgell |
| Mother | Isabella of Aragon |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Isabella of Urgell (born March 12, 1409 – died September 17, 1459) was an important noblewoman from Catalonia, a region in Spain. She belonged to the Urgell family, which was part of the House of Aragon. Isabella became the Duchess of Coimbra when she married Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra.
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Isabella's Family Background
Isabella was born on March 12, 1409. She was the oldest daughter of James II of Urgell, who was the Count of Urgell. Her mother was Isabella of Aragon. Isabella had four brothers and sisters.
The County of Urgell was a territory ruled by her family. In 1413, this county was taken away. This happened after her father, James II, rebelled against the new King of Aragon, Ferdinand I. James II believed he should have been the king.
Marriage and Royal Connections
On September 13, 1428, Isabella married Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra. He was a prince of Portugal and a younger son of John I of Portugal. Their wedding took place in a town called Alcolea del Cinca.
Peter later became the regent of Portugal. This meant he ruled the country for his young nephew, Afonso V of Portugal, until Afonso was old enough. During this time, Peter arranged for his and Isabella's daughter, also named Isabella, to marry King Afonso V. This made their daughter the Queen of Portugal.
Isabella's Children
Isabella and Peter had six children:
- Peter, Constable of Portugal (born 1429 – died 1466). He became the Constable of Portugal, a very important military role, at age 14. He was later known as King Peter V of Aragon.
- John of Coimbra (born 1431 – died 1457). He became the Prince of Antioch. He married Queen Charlotte of Cyprus.
- Isabella of Coimbra (born 1432 – died 1455). She married her cousin, King Afonso V of Portugal. They had three children, including the future King John II of Portugal.
- James of Coimbra (born 1433 – died 1457). He became a Cardinal and was chosen to be the Archbishop of Lisbon.
- Beatrice of Coimbra (born 1435 – died 1462). She married Adolph of Cleves, Lord of Ravenstein.
- Philippa of Coimbra (born 1437 – died 1493). She became a nun at a convent in Odivelas.
Life After Her Husband's Death
Isabella's husband, Peter, was the regent of Portugal from 1439. He arranged for his daughter, Isabella of Coimbra, to marry King Afonso V in 1447. However, Peter made powerful enemies, especially the House of Braganza. They convinced the young king to remove Peter from power.
This disagreement led to a civil war in Portugal. Peter was killed in the Battle of Alfarrobeira in May 1449. After his death, his family faced difficult times. Isabella of Urgell and her daughter Philippa had to hide. Her other children were forced to leave Portugal and live in other countries.
However, Peter's daughter, Queen Isabella of Coimbra, bravely asked her husband, King Afonso V, to show kindness to her family. In 1450, the King partly agreed. He allowed Isabella of Urgell to live in Montemor-o-Velho and Tentúgal. Philippa was allowed to live in a convent.
The powerful Braganza family continued to bother Isabella. But Queen Isabella kept asking her husband for help. When their son, John (who would become King John II of Portugal), was born in 1455, Queen Isabella used this happy time to fully restore her family's honor.
Peter's body was allowed to be buried in the royal burial place at Batalha Monastery. Isabella of Urgell was also given money from the king to live comfortably for the rest of her life.
Isabella of Urgell died on September 17, 1459, in Coimbra, Portugal. Her body was moved to Batalha Monastery to be buried with her husband.
See also
In Spanish: Isabel de Urgel, duquesa de Coímbra para niños
