At the age of thirty-two Isabella of Portugal, the daughter of John of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster and the granddaughter of John of Gaunt, was married to Philip the Good by proxy on the 24th July 1429 and married on the 7th of January 1430.
Born in 1397 Isabella as you have just read, married late in her life, her husband was one year older than her. In 1415 Isabella had received an offer of marriage from her cousin Henry V of England, but negotiations came to nothing and as we have seen Isabella remained unmarried.
In the second of the images is thought to be that of Isabella aged about fifty three but the inscription on the original frame states "Michelle de France" - Michelle was Phillips first wife. However, it is thought to be that of Isabella. Because it is unusual in style, a profile pose, the artist may have been trying to portray Isabella in a "better light" with a "convincing yet elegant style." It may well be that Isabella was like her mother in looks, Philippa was thought to be rather plain.
She looks rather lovely in the first image, don't you think?
Looks are not everything, Isabella is said to have been a generous and intelligent woman, able to hold her own in diplomatic conferences. She was influential in the marriage arrangements of her son Charles the Bold and the marriage of her great niece to James II of Scotland.
She looks rather lovely in the first image, don't you think?
Looks are not everything, Isabella is said to have been a generous and intelligent woman, able to hold her own in diplomatic conferences. She was influential in the marriage arrangements of her son Charles the Bold and the marriage of her great niece to James II of Scotland.
Isabella died in Dijon in 1471 after living a devout and quiet life.
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