Born – 1295
Died – 22nd August 1358
Father – King Philip IV of France (1268 – 1314)
Mother – Joan of Navarre (1273 – 1305)
Spouse – m. 1308 – King Edward II of England (1284 – 1327)
Children – King Edward III (1312 – 1377), John, Eleanor, Joan
Queen of England – 1308 – 1327
1295 (during)
A daughter, Isabella, was born to King Philip IV of France and Joan of Navarre in Paris.
1299 (8th September)
As part of a peace between England and France it was agreed that Isabella would marry Prince Edward of England when she came of age.
1307 (8th July)
Isabella’s betrothed became King Edward II of England following the death of his father, Edward I.
1308 (25th January)
Isabella of France married King Edward II of England at Boulogne Cathedral, France. She was dismayed when her new husband seemed to prefer the company of Piers Gaveston.
1308 (25th February)
Edward and Isabella were crowned at Westminster Abbey.
1308 (during February)
The English barons were becoming increasingly concerned about the power wielded by the favourite of the King, Piers Gaveston.
1308 (April)
The barons, supported by Isabella and her father, Philip IV of France and probably Margaret of France, second wife of Edward I, again complained about the power and influence wielded by Piers Gaveston. Edward reluctantly agreed to send Gaveston away and gave him the title Lieutenant of Ireland before sending him to Ireland.
1310 (January)
Parliament was scheduled to meet but a great number of nobles stayed away as a protest against the power given to Gaveston.
1311 (October)
Under immense pressure King Edward was forced to accept the Ordinances – a list of terms that limited the power of the monarch and ordered that Gaveston be exiled.
1311 (December)
By the end of 1311 Edward was facing opposition from many of the English barons.
1312 (January)
Edward ignored the feelings of his barons, revoked the Ordinances and recalled Gaveston to England.
1312 (Late January)
Edward’s actions served to further alienate the barons. The barons met secretly in London and drew up a plan to capture both Edward, Isabella and Gaveston.
1312 (Spring)
Edward, Isabella and Gaveston fled north but were followed by the Earls of Lancaster and Pembroke. In an attempt to outwit their pursuers Edward and Isabella went to York leaving Gaveston at Scarborough.
1312 (Late Spring)
Piers Gaveston surrendered to the Earl of Pembroke who took him south. However, on the way Gaveston was seized by the Earl of Warwick who took him to Warwick Castle.
1312 (18th June)
The Earl of Warwick conducted a show trial which found Gaveston guilty of treason.
1312 (19th June)
Piers Gaveston was executed.
1312 (after 19th June)
Edward was furious when he heard the news of Gaveston’s death and vowed to seek revenge. However, civil war was averted when the Earls of Pembroke and Surrey pledged their support to Edward.
1312 (13th November)
A son, Edward was born to Isabella of France and Edward II.
1313 (during)
With most of the nobles back on side, Edward was able to secure a grant of money from Parliament to reclaim land in Scotland taken by Robert Bruce.
1313 (June)
Isabella and Edward made a visit to France. During the night the tent they were sleeping in caught fire and Isabella had to be carried to safety. She escaped with only minor burns.
1314 (23rd-24th June)
Battle of Bannockburn
The Scots led by Robert Bruce secured a decisive victory over the English in this battle.
The Scots led by Robert Bruce secured a decisive victory over the English in this battle.
1314 (Autumn)
The harvest was very poor and food prices rose. People blamed the poor harvest on Edward’s defeat at Bannockburn.
1316 (13th August)
A second son, John was born to Isabella and Edward II at Eltham Palace.
1318 (During)
King Edward II had two new favourites, Hugh Despensor and his son also named Hugh. Edward gave lavish gifts and money to both men.
1318 (13th June)
A daughter, Eleanor, was born to Isabella and Edward II.
1318 (Autumn)
The barons once again turned against Edward due to the favouritism he showed to the Despensors. They called for the Ordinances to be re-introduced and the Despensors exiled.
1321 (February)
Civil War broke out between King Edward and the Despensors and the barons led by Roger Mortimer.
1321 (5th July)
A daughter, Joan, was born to Isabella and Edward II. She was known as Joan of the Tower because she was born in the Tower of London.
1321 (August)
Roger Mortimer’s forces were unable to take London.
1322 (16th March)
Battle of Broughbridge
King Edward defeated the Earl of Lancaster in this battle.
King Edward defeated the Earl of Lancaster in this battle.
1322 (22nd March)
Thomas Earl of Lancaster was executed.
1323 (during)
Edward II was summoned to France to pay homage to the new King Charles IV in respect of his lands in Gascony.
1324 (during)
Charles IV invaded Gascony. Edward had around 4,500 soldiers stationed there but knew that this would not be enough to fight Charles IV.
1324 (November)
It was agreed that Edward should send a force to France.
1325 (March)
Isabella, and her eldest son, Edward travelled to France to pay homage to Charles IV and so end the war.
1325 (September)
Edward II crossed the English Channel in order to pay homage to King Charles IV of France
1326 (during)
Isabella did not return to England but instead remained in France with Roger Mortimer who had been exiled from England. The two had become lovers at some point.
1326 (Summer)
Those nobles who continued to oppose Edward gathered around Isabella and Mortimer in France.
1326 (27th August)
Isabella agreed to the betrothal of Prince Edward and Phillippa of Hainault in return for the support of the Count of Hainault.
1326 (24th September)
Isabella, Roger Mortimer and Prince Edward landed at Orwell on the east coast of England with a small invasion force.
1326 (late September)
Enemies of King Edward and the Despensers flocked to support Isabella, Mortimer and Prince Edward.
1326 (2nd October)
Isabella of France reached Oxford where she was warmly welcomed.
1326 (2nd October)
King Edward and the Despensers were forced to leave London because it was becoming increasingly unsafe. They headed west.
1326 (7th October)
Isabella of France and her army reached London.
1326 (9th October)
King Edward and the Despensers reached Gloucester.
1326 (16th October)
Isabella’s forces reached Gloucester. Edward fled to Wales while Hugh Despenser the elder moved to Bristol.
1326 (18th October)
Isabella’s forces lay siege to Bristol.
1326 (26th October)
Hugh Despenser the elder was captured and executed when Bristol fell to Isabella’s forces.
1326 (2nd November)
King Edward and Hugh Despenser the younger attempted to leave England for Ireland but bad weather drove them back to Wales.
1326 (16th November)
King Edward II and Hugh Despenser the younger were captured by the forces of Isabella, Mortimer and Prince Edward. Despenser was imprisoned while Edward was placed in the custody of Henry of Lancaster.
1326 (24th November)
Hugh Despenser the younger was executed.
1326 (late November)
Isabella took the Tower of London and took control of the government of the country. She arranged for a council of nobles and churchmen to meet and discuss the situation.
1327 (January)
The council of nobility and churchmen met to discuss what to do about the King. It was decided that Edward II should be forced to abdicate in favour of his son. Isabella and Mortimer would act as regents while the King was still a child.
1327 (21st January)
King Edward II became Edward of Caernarvon and his eldest son became King Edward III.
1327 (2nd February)
Edward’s son was crowned King Edward III at Westminster Abbey.
1327 (5th April)
Edward of Caernarvon was moved to Berkley Castle because it was feared that opponents of the new regime would try to effect his escape.
1327 (21st September)
Edward of Caernarvon died while in custody. Some historians believe that Edward escaped captivity and lived his life in obscurity and that it suited Isabella and Mortimer to spread the news that he had died.
1328 (24th January)
King Edward III married Philippa of Hainault at York Minster.
1328 (1st February)
Isabella’s brother, Charles IV of France, died without a male heir. Although the French did not recognised female succession, Isabella and Roger Mortimer tried to secure the French crown for Edward. The French, however, did not want an English King and chose Philip of Valois to reign as King Philip VI.
1328 (20th February)
Philippa of Hainault was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey.
1328 (May)
Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton
This treaty brought the war with Scotland to an end. Scotland became an independent country ruled by Robert Bruce. The treaty was sealed by the marriage of Isabella’s daughter, Joan, to David son of Robert the Bruce. However, the treaty made no provision for those English nobles who had lost land in Scotland (the disinherited).
This treaty brought the war with Scotland to an end. Scotland became an independent country ruled by Robert Bruce. The treaty was sealed by the marriage of Isabella’s daughter, Joan, to David son of Robert the Bruce. However, the treaty made no provision for those English nobles who had lost land in Scotland (the disinherited).
1328 (Autumn)
Henry of Lancaster, who had lost land due to the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton, raised an army against Isabella and Mortimer’s government.
1329 (January)
Isabella and Mortimer took the towns of Leicester and Bedford and forced Henry of Lancaster to surrender.
1330 (15th June)
A son, Edward was born to Prince Edward and Philippa of Hainault at Woodstock Palace, Oxfordshire.
1330 (20th October)
King Edward III decided that he was going to rule England on his own. He managed to overthrow Isabella and Roger Mortimer’s regency and become ruler in his own right. Roger Mortimer was sent to the Tower of London and all his lands were forfeited to the Crown. Isabella was sent to Windsor Castle where she was placed under house arrest.
1330 (during)
Isabella of France may have suffered a nervous breakdown.
1330 (November)
Roger Mortimer was found guilty of treason.
1330 (29th November)
Roger Mortimer was hanged at Tyburn.
1332 (during)
Edward allowed his mother, Isabella, to go to Castle Rising in Norfolk where she lived in comfort.
1332 (after)
Isabella continued to spend some time at court especially with her grandchildren. Her favourite being Edward, the Black Prince. However, she was no longer active in politics or the government of the country.
1358 (22nd August)
Isabella of France died at Hertford Castle.
Published Mar 04, 2018 @ 14:46 – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2018). Isabella of France 1295 – 1358. https://www.thetimelinegeek.com/isabella-of-france-1295-1358 Last accessed