Biography of Isabella Fitzrobert 3rd Countess Gloucester and Essex 1173-1217

In or before 1151 [her father] William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester and [her mother] Hawise Beaumont Countess Gloucester were married. She by marriage Countess Gloucester. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Robert Beaumont 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 46) and [her grandmother] Amice Gael Countess Leicester. He the son of [her grandfather] Robert Normandy 1st Earl Gloucester and [her grandmother] Mabel Fitzhamon Countess Gloucester. They were fourth cousins. He a grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

Around 1173 Isabella Fitzrobert 3rd Countess Gloucester and Essex was born to William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester and Hawise Beaumont Countess Gloucester. She a great granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

In 1183 [her father] William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester died. His daughter Isabella (age 10) succeeded 3rd Countess Gloucester.

Gesta Regis Henrici by Benedict of Peterborough. 29th August 1189. With these things accomplished, [her husband] John (age 22), the brother of the [her brother-in-law] Duke (age 31), married the aforementioned daughter [Isabella of Gloucester (age 16)] of the Earl of Gloucester, against the prohibition of Baldwin (age 64), Archbishop of Canterbury, because they were related in the third degree. He thus married her at Marlborough on the fourth day before the Kalends of September, on the feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist.

His ita peractis, Johannes frater ducis desponsavit preedictam filiam comitis Gloucestriæ contra prohibitionem Baldewini Cantuariensis archiepiscopi, eo quod parentes erant in tertio gradu. Desponsavit itaque illam apud Merlebergam, quarto kalendas Septembris, festo Decollationis Sancti Johannis Baptistæ.

On 29th August 1189 King John of England (age 22) and Isabella Fitzrobert 3rd Countess Gloucester and Essex (age 16) were married at Marlborough Castle [Map]. He by marriage Earl Gloucester. See Gesta Regis Henrici and Gesta Regis Henrici by Benedict of Peterborough. She the daughter of William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester and Hawise Beaumont Countess Gloucester. He the son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England (age 67). They were half second cousins. She a great granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

In 1191 [her illegitimate brother-in-law] Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet (age 39) was appointed Archbishop of York.

In 1194 Raymond Rouerge Marquess Provence (age 37) succeeded Marquess Provence. [her sister-in-law] Joan Plantagenet Queen Consort Sicily (age 28) by marriage Marchioness Provence.

In 1196 [her illegitimate brother-in-law] William "Longsword" Longespee Earl Salisbury (age 20) and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury (age 9) were married. He by marriage Earl Salisbury. She the daughter of William of Salisbury 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 46) and Eleanor Vitre Countess of Salisbury (age 38). He the illegitmate son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England and Ida Tosny Countess Norfolk (age 40). They were fifth cousin once removed.

In October 1196 Raymond Rouerge Marquess Provence (age 39) and [her sister-in-law] Joan Plantagenet Queen Consort Sicily (age 31) were married at Rouen, France [Map]. She by marriage Countess Toulose. She the daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England and [her mother-in-law] Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England (age 74). He the son of Raymond Rouerge V Count Toulose and Constance Capet Countess Boulogne and Toulose. They were third cousin once removed.

In 1197 [her sister-in-law] Alix Capet Countess Blois (age 46) died.

On 11th March 1198 [her sister-in-law] Marie Capet Countess Champagne (age 53) died.

On 4th September 1199 [her sister-in-law] Joan Plantagenet Queen Consort Sicily (age 33) died at Rouen, France [Map]. She was buried at Fontevraud Abbey [Map].

Around April 1200 King John of England (age 33) and Isabella Fitzrobert 3rd Countess Gloucester and Essex (age 27) marriage annulled due to consanuinity but more likely because John's new status as heir to the English throne mean't he had better prospects. He may have already decided to marry Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England (age 12) who he married on 24th August 1200.

On 24th August 1200 [her former husband] King John of England (age 33) and Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England (age 12) were married. She had been engaged to Hugh IX of Lusignan IV Count of La Marche (age 37) who subsequently appealed to King Philip II of France (age 35), their feudal overlord, who used the position to justify a war against John. The difference in their ages was 21 years. She the daughter of Aymer Angoulême I Count Angoulême (age 40) and Alice Courtenay Countess Angoulême. He the son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England and [her former mother-in-law] Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England (age 78). They were fourth cousin once removed.

In 1205 Llewellyn "The Great" Aberffraw (age 33) and [her illegitimate step-daughter] Joan Plantagenet (age 14) were married. She the illegitmate daughter of [her former husband] King John of England (age 38) and Adela Plantagenet.

On 12th December 1212 [her illegitimate brother-in-law] Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet (age 60) died at Normandy [Map]. He was buried at Notre Dame du Parc, Rouen.

Before 1214 [her future husband] Geoffrey Mandeville 2nd Earl Essex (age 22) and Matilda Clare Countess Essex were married. He the son of Geoffrey Fitzpeter 1st Earl Essex and Beatrice Saye.

On 20th January 1214 Geoffrey Mandeville 2nd Earl Essex (age 23) and Isabella Fitzrobert 3rd Countess Gloucester and Essex (age 41) were married. She by marriage Countess Essex, Countess Gloucester. She the daughter of William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester and Hawise Beaumont Countess Gloucester. He the son of Geoffrey Fitzpeter 1st Earl Essex and Beatrice Saye.

Before 11th May 1214 [her illegitimate step-son] Richard Fitzroy (age 24) and Rohese de Dover (age 28) were married. He the illegitmate son of [her former husband] King John of England (age 47) and Adela Plantagenet.

On 31st October 1214 [her former sister-in-law] Eleanor Plantagenet Queen Consort Castile (age 53) died at Burgos [Map]. She was buried at Abbey of Santa Maria la Real de Huelgas [Map].

In 1216 [her illegitimate step-son] Richard Fitzroy (age 26) was appointed Constable of Wallingford Castle.

On 23rd February 1216 [her husband] Geoffrey Mandeville 2nd Earl Essex (age 25) was killed in a tournament. His brother [her brother-in-law] William succeeded 3rd Earl Essex.

Before 1217 [her future husband] Hubert de Burgh Count Mortain 1st Earl Kent (age 46) and Beatrice Warenne were married.

In September 1217 Hubert de Burgh Count Mortain 1st Earl Kent (age 47) and Isabella Fitzrobert 3rd Countess Gloucester and Essex (age 44) were married. She the daughter of William Fitzrobert 2nd Earl Gloucester and Hawise Beaumont Countess Gloucester.

On 14th October 1217 Isabella Fitzrobert 3rd Countess Gloucester and Essex (age 44) died.

In 1236 [her former husband] Hubert de Burgh Count Mortain 1st Earl Kent (age 66) and Margaret Dunkeld Countess Kent (age 43) were married. She by marriage Countess Kent. The difference in their ages was 23 years. She the daughter of King William I of Scotland and Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland.

Before 5th May 1243 [her former husband] Hubert de Burgh Count Mortain 1st Earl Kent (age 73) died at Banstead, Surrey. He was buried at Blackfriars Church Holborn. Earl Kent extinct.