Negotiations for a diplomatic union between France and England resulted in the marriage of seven-year-old Isabella of Valois to the English monarch in 1396. This strategic alliance intended to secure peace between the two warring nations, placing the young French princess at the center of complex royal politics long before she reached adulthood.
Early Life in Paris
Isabella of Valois arrived in Paris on 9 November 1389. She was the third child born to King Charles VI of France and Isabeau of Bavaria. Although her older siblings died young, she was followed by nine younger brothers and sisters. Her childhood ended abruptly when she was chosen as the bride for the English King to foster a truce.
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The wedding ceremony occurred on 31 October 1396 in Calais, followed by a formal marriage at the church of St. Nicholas on 4 November. Isabella was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey on 8 January 1397. During her time at Windsor Castle, she maintained a platonic relationship with her husband, who treated her with kindness and intellectual engagement. The marriage remained unconsummated due to her youth. When the King departed for Ireland in 1399, political instability shifted rapidly as Henry Bolingbroke launched a campaign to seize the throne.
Confinement and Return to France
Following the deposition of her husband in 1399, Isabella was held at various locations, including Sonning Bishop's Palace and Havering Palace. She eventually secured her release and returned to France in July 1401, though the English crown refused to return her dowry.
Final Years as Duchess of Orléans
In 1406, Isabella married her cousin, Charles, who became the Duke of Orléans in 1407. Her time as Duchess was brief; she died during childbirth on 13 September 1409 at age 19. Her daughter, Joan of Valois, survived. Isabella was originally interred at the Abbey of Saint Laumer in Blois before her remains were relocated to the Couvent des Célestins in Paris.
Fast facts
- Born: 9 November 1389, Paris
- Died: 13 September 1409, Blois
- Parents: King Charles VI of France and Isabeau of Bavaria
- First Husband: King of England
- Second Husband: Charles, Duke of Orléans
- Coronation: 8 January 1397, Westminster Abbey
- Burial Site: Couvent des Célestins, Paris
Questions readers ask
Was Isabella of Valois married to two different men?
Yes. She married the King of England in 1396 and later wed Charles, Duke of Orléans, in 1406.
Did Isabella of Valois have any children?
Yes. She gave birth to a daughter, Joan of Valois, in 1409.
Achievements
- Worked as consort
