Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
QUEEN of England at 6, WIDOWED at 10 and DEAD at 19. This is the haunting true story of Isabella of Valois, a forgotten royal whose childhood was traded for diplomacy, and whose short life was defined by grief, duty, and dynastic ambition.
Born on 9 November 1389, Isabella was the daughter of Charles VI of France, known as the Mad King because he believed he was made of glass, and Isabeau of Bavaria. At just six years old, she was married to King Richard II of England on 31 October 1396 in an effort to secure peace during the Hundred Years’ War. She became England’s youngest-ever Queen consort and lived at Windsor Castle and Portchester Castle.
The marriage was not consummated and Richard treated Isabella gently, more like a daughter than a wife. Tragedy struck for this child Queen in 1400 however, with the death of Richard II under suspicious circumstances (he was most likely murdered by starvation) after he had been deposed by his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, who became Henry IV. Isabella was just 10 years old when she went from royal child bride to royal widow.
There was talk of marrying her to the future King Henry V of England, son of Henry IV, but instead she returned to France in 1401 and wed her cousin, Charles, Duke of Orléans, in 1406, when she was 16 and he only 11. It was her second child marriage. She became Duchess of Orléans, but died tragically in childbirth at age 19, leaving behind a daughter, Joan of Valois. She was buried in Blois, in the Abbey of Saint Laumer of Blois, then moved in 1624 to Couvert des Celestins. Her grave was desecrated during the French Revolution.
Isabella was also the sister of Catherine of Valois, who would go on to marry Henry V and become Queen of England, a twist of fate Isabella never lived to witness. She was immortalised in William Shakespeare’s play about her husband, but Shakespeare was no historian and his Isabella bears little resemblance to the real girl.
📽️ Watch this English royal history documentary from History Calling to uncover the forgotten life of Isabella of Valois, a child queen caught in the crossfire of power, politics, and tragedy.
#IsabellaOfValois #RichardII #MedievalQueens #RoyalChildBride
BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG
Website (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): historycallingofficial.com
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WARS OF THE ROSES PLAYLIST
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLSjVq5Qtb0EVv2DJZOZT5ZyQwSJ4o7oZ
THE DEATH, BURIAL AND DESECRATION OF KATHERINE OF VALOIS’ CORPSE
youtu.be/gfaxEThnAYs
LEARN MORE:
Later Plantagenets and the Wars of the Roses Consorts (2023). Available at
amzn.to/3IHHQC4
Want to watch/hear/read more about history (and a whole host of other topics)? Then you might benefit from a free Audible or Prime video trial. They are available from the following links:
AUDIBLE
amzn.to/44MvlMi
AUDIBLE PLUS & AUDIBLE PREMIUM PLUS
amzn.to/42rh3PF
PRIME VIDEO
amzn.to/3LW7ykg
NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Open Street Map copyright information
openstreetmap.org/copyright
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
QUEEN of England at 6, WIDOWED at 10 and DEAD at 19. This is the haunting true story of Isabella of Valois, a forgotten royal whose childhood was traded for diplomacy, and whose short life was defined by grief, duty, and dynastic ambition.
Born on 9 November 1389, Isabella was the daughter of Charles VI of France, known as the Mad King because he believed he was made of glass, and Isabeau of Bavaria. At just six years old, she was married to King Richard II of England on 31 October 1396 in an effort to secure peace during the Hundred Years’ War. She became England’s youngest-ever Queen consort and lived at Windsor Castle and Portchester Castle.
The marriage was not consummated and Richard treated Isabella gently, more like a daughter than a wife. Tragedy struck for this child Queen in 1400 however, with the death of Richard II under suspicious circumstances (he was most likely murdered by starvation) after he had been deposed by his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, who became Henry IV. Isabella was just 10 years old when she went from royal child bride to royal widow.
There was talk of marrying her to the future King Henry V of England, son of Henry IV, but instead she returned to France in 1401 and wed her cousin, Charles, Duke of Orléans, in 1406, when she was 16 and he only 11. It was her second child marriage. She became Duchess of Orléans, but died tragically in childbirth at age 19, leaving behind a daughter, Joan of Valois. She was buried in Blois, in the Abbey of Saint Laumer of Blois, then moved in 1624 to Couvert des Celestins. Her grave was desecrated during the French Revolution.
Isabella was also the sister of Catherine of Valois, who would go on to marry Henry V and become Queen of England, a twist of fate Isabella never lived to witness. She was immortalised in William Shakespeare’s play about her husband, but Shakespeare was no historian and his Isabella bears little resemblance to the real girl.
📽️ Watch this English royal history documentary from History Calling to uncover the forgotten life of Isabella of Valois, a child queen caught in the crossfire of power, politics, and tragedy.
#IsabellaOfValois #RichardII #MedievalQueens #RoyalChildBride
BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG
Website (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): historycallingofficial.com
Patreon: patreon.com/historycalling
Amazon storefront: amazon.com/shop/historycalling
Instagram: instagram.com/historycalling
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
TUDOR CONSORT NECKLACE
youtu.be/Yrs5FvcDlvs
WARS OF THE ROSES PLAYLIST
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLSjVq5Qtb0EVv2DJZOZT5ZyQwSJ4o7oZ
THE DEATH, BURIAL AND DESECRATION OF KATHERINE OF VALOIS’ CORPSE
youtu.be/gfaxEThnAYs
LEARN MORE:
Later Plantagenets and the Wars of the Roses Consorts (2023). Available at
amzn.to/3IHHQC4
Want to watch/hear/read more about history (and a whole host of other topics)? Then you might benefit from a free Audible or Prime video trial. They are available from the following links:
AUDIBLE
amzn.to/44MvlMi
AUDIBLE PLUS & AUDIBLE PREMIUM PLUS
amzn.to/42rh3PF
PRIME VIDEO
amzn.to/3LW7ykg
NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Open Street Map copyright information
openstreetmap.org/copyright
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
