Queen Isabella of England

I just finished Alison Weir's book and I found myself having different opinions of her during various stages of her life. My commentary on the book itself is in another thread.

1. I really liked her until she started her affair with Mortimer, then my opinion of her started to go downhill. It did get better towards the end.

2. I believe she could have accomplished getting rid of Edward II and the Dispenser without the help of Mortimer and things would have been better if she had. Mortimer was no better than the Dispensers especially the younger. Isabella wanted want was taken from her and rewards those who helped but her wants went far beyond what was taken from her. I believe it was due to Mortimer's influence and had she not associated herself with him then she might not have forced her Son to do what he did.

3. Yes, Edward and the Dispenser's need to go they were tearing apart the country but in the end Isabella and Mortimer were not much better.

4. Edward II was not much of a King, he was a very selfish person who loved is "favorites" and did anything to make them happy. So why was Isabella allowed to go to France the last time? They should have made her stay home, however that was not their last mistake... Send Prince Edward was a HUGE mistake and I can figure out why he would let his son and Heir out of his sight.

Where those, of modern times, might think her to be a self actualized person, she was, in fact, a conniving, self serving woman with very few scruples who eventually had here husband murdered in a most horrifying manner.  

My mother, Margaret de Clare, refused her access to our castle in Leeds and, when threatened, was forced to use archers against her.  My whole family was imprisoned in the tower for a year, and my father, Sir Bartholomew de Badlesmere was drawn and quartered, his head placed for all to see in Canterbury. I was only 11 at the time.

I am the Countess of Oxford, wife of John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford and am grateful I was not executed by the Queen. Her sister in-law, Elisabeth de Hereford, Countess of Devon, sister to the King, feared her visit to the point she miscarried and died.  She may have been poisoned because she was the closest sibling to Edward II!  

I warn you against seeing this woman in good light.  Her own son had her confined to the keep of the Duke D'Aubigny, Castle Rising in Norfolk until her death because of her ceaseless machinations and manipulation of the lords of the realm.


Maud of Oxford