Saint isabella of france biography
St. Isabel of France
ST. ISABEL OF FRANCE
Feast: September 1
Daughter of Louis VIII and of his wife, Blanche of Castille, born in March, 1225; died at Longchamp, 23 February, 1270. St. Louis IX, King of France (1226-70), was her brother. When still a child at court, Isabel, or Elizabeth, showed an extraordinary devotion to exercises of piety, modesty, and other virtues. By Bull of 26 May, 1254, Innocent IV allowed her to retain some Franciscan fathers as her special confessors. She was even more devoted to the Franciscan Order than her royal brother. She not only broke off her engagement with a count, but moreover refused the hand of Conrad, son of the German Emperor Frederick II, although pressed to accept him by everyone, even by Pope Innocent IV, who however did not hesitate subsequently (1254) to praise her fixed determination to remain a virgin. As Isabel wished to found a convent of the Order of St. Clare, Louis IX began in 1255 to acquire the necessary land in the Forest of Rouvray, not far from the Seine and in the neighbourhood of Paris. On 10 June, 1256, the first stone of the convent church was laid. The building appears to have been completed about the beginning of 1259, because Alexander IV gave his sanction on 2 February, 1259, to the new rule which Isabel had had compiled by the Franciscan Mansuetus on the basis of the Rule of the Order of St. Clare. These rules were drawn up solely for this convent, which was named the Monastery of the Humility of the Blessed Virgin (Monasterium Humilitatis B. Mariæ Virginis). The sisters were called in the rule the "Sorores Ordinis humilium ancillarum Beatissimf Marif Virginis". The fast was not so strict as in the Rule of St. Clare; the community was allowed to hold property, and the sisters were subject to the Minorites. The first sisters came from the convent of the Poor Clares at Reims. Isabel herself never entered the cloister, but from 1260 (or 1263) she followed the rules in her own home near by. I 13th-century French Roman Catholic saint 'Saint Isabelle' redirects here. For others of the same name, see Santa Isabel (disambiguation). Isabelle of France (March 1225 – 23 February 1270) was a French princess and daughter of Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile. She was a younger sister of King Louis IX of France (Saint Louis) and of Alfonso, Count of Poitiers, and an older sister of King Charles I of Sicily. In 1256, she founded the nunnery of Longchamp in part of the Forest of Rouvray (now called the Bois de Boulogne), west of Paris. Isabelle consecrated her virginity and her entire life to God alone. She is honored as a saint by the Franciscan Order. Her feast day is 26 February. Born in March 1225, Isabelle was daughter of Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile. Her father died when she was two years old, and it was her mother, Blanche, who oversaw her education. Isabelle could read both Latin and the vernacular, and enjoyed tales of chivalry as well as devotional texts. While pursuing the traditional feminine interests such as embroidery, she took special pleasure in working on priestly vestments. As a child, she requested spiritual direction and became even more devoted to the Lord under the guidance of the Franciscans. By virtue of the Treaty of Vendôme in March 1227, Isabelle was betrothed to Hugh, eldest son and heir of Hugh X of Lusignan, with the marriage contract being signed on June 1230; however, she refused to celebrate the formal wedding due to her fixed determination to remain a virgin, although she never became a nun. Later, she refused the hand of Conrad IV of Germany, son of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, although pressed to accept by everyone, even by Innocent IV. By the papal bull of 26 May 1254, Pope Innocent IV allowed her to retain some Franciscan friars as her special confessors. She was even more devoted to the Franciscan Order than was her roy Queen of England from 1308 to 1327 For other people named Isabella of France, see Isabella of France (disambiguation). "The She-Wolf of France" redirects here. For the book, see The Accursed Kings. Isabella of France (c. 1295 – 22 August 1358), sometimes described as the She-Wolf of France (French: Louve de France), was Queen of England as the wife of King Edward II, and de factoregent of England from 1327 until 1330. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving daughter of King Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre. Isabella was notable in her lifetime for her diplomatic skills, intelligence, and beauty. She overthrew her husband, becoming a "femme fatale" figure in plays and literature over the years, usually portrayed as a beautiful but cruel and manipulative figure. Isabella arrived in England at age 12 during a period of growing conflict between the king and the powerful baronial factions. Her new husband was notorious for the patronage he lavished on his favourite, Piers Gaveston, but the queen supported Edward during these early years, forming a working relationship with Piers and using her relationship with the French monarchy to bolster her own authority and power. After the death of Gaveston at the hands of the barons in 1312, however, Edward turned to a new favourite, Hugh Despenser the Younger, and attempted to take revenge on the barons, resulting in the Despenser War and a period of internal repression across England. Isabella could not tolerate Hugh Despenser, and by 1325, her marriage to Edward was at a breaking point. Travelling to France on a diplomatic mission, Isabella may have begun an affair with Roger Mortimer, and the two may possibly have agreed at this point to depose Edward and oust the Despenser family. The Queen returned to England with a small mercenary army in 1326, moving rapidly across England. The King's forces deserted him. Isabella deposed Edward, becoming regent on beha Saint of the Day – 22 February – Saint Isabella of France (1225-1270) Virgin, Apostle of the poor, the sick and needy, Founder Nun of a Convent based on the Poor Clares Order, known as the Sisters Minor and forming part of the Franciscan family. Sister of Saint Louis IX, Aunt of Saint Louis of Toulouse, Princess. Born in March 1225 in Paris and died on 23 February 1270 (aged 45) at the Convent in Longchamp, Pays de France. Patronages – of the ill and infirm, of the Royal Abbey of Longchamp. Also known as – Isabel, Isabelle. Additional Memorial 8 June (Franciscans), 8 November – as one of the Saints of the Diocese of Evry, 23, 24 and 26 February – on some calendars. In Pays de France, just outside the City of Paris, along the Seine, lived King Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile, the Queen of France. The Royal couple were a holy example of Christian love and they had alreadybeen blessed with several children when their daughter, Isabella, came into the world in March 1225. When Isabella was less than two years old, King Louis VIII died, leaving her older brother to reign as King. King St Louis IX was installed in 1226 and he reigned until 1270. His mother supervised the education of the young children, ensuring that Isabella not only learned the feminine arts butm also learned Latinm in order to study the Fathers of the Church. Isabella demonstrated great piety from a very early age and, it must be noted, she received much support in practising her faith from her mother, her brother the King and other members of the Royal Court. Isabella dedicated her sewing skills to providing clothing for the poor and preparing Vestments for liturgical celebrations. On one occasion, as she was embroidering a new hat, King Louis IX asked her to give the hat to him. She refused, explaining, “No, this is the first of its kind and I must make it for my Saviour Jesus Christ.” When she finished it, she gave it to a poor and sick person. Then, she made Saint Isabelle of France
Early life
Isabella of France