Phenomenal Feminist Friday

Isabella the She-Wolf of France

Rumor is that while the execution — one of the most brutal in English history — went on she ate plums.

Hugh Despencer suffered horribly in his final moments. And to Isabella Queen Regent he deserved every moment.

But the lessons Isabella learned to get her to those plums were hard and she learned young:

No one would save her but herself.

Early Marriage

She was married at age 12 to Kind Edward II of England. It is unlike that they had a sexual relationship in those early years, even then it seemed weird for a grown man o have sexual relations with a child.

She was described by Geoffrey of Paris as “the beauty of beauties….in the kingdom if not in all of Europe.” So, you can only imagine what it must have felt like for her to have Edward be so enamored with certain men of his household.

Rumors of Edward and Piers Gaveston (c. 1284–19 June 1312) had been going on for some time, but it only became blatantly obvious at the wedding feast.

As the groom Edward was expected to shower Isabella not only with attention but also gifts, he gave both of those to Piers in front of not only his barons, but also her family. It caused some tension and…