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Isabel de Clare is a name that strikes visions of the romance often associated with the medieval world and the age of chivalry. Isabel is one of Ireland’s most beloved historical figures and is associated with the values of strength, loyalty, honor and grace.
She is a figure that graces our history books alongside her husband William Marshal also referred to as The Marshal.
She is immortalized in history books, texts, romantic fiction and now forever remembered in the work of art that is the Ros Tapestry. She is a figure that engulfs the history of Wexford, her family and children holding an eternal presence upon these shores.
Her memory honored in the land that she loved with all her heart.
Isabel de Clare was one of the Medieval Worlds most powerful and influential women.
She was a strong, beautiful woman, whose family connections seemed to penetrate into all Royal courts of the Medieval World.
She took the Medieval World by storm, even partially scaring one of histories most ridiculed Kings, King John. Isabel has been described as “The good, the fair, and the wise courteous lady of high degree” She was a highly educated woman and was said to have been fluent in French and Irish as well as Latin.
Being a lady of high status these qualities were essential and would have given her high regard and respect among her peers and those who attended the notorious medieval Royal Courts that she frequented.
Isabel was one of the most eligible and sought after marriage matches of the medieval era, as well as being beautiful she was also extremely rich holding large areas of land, castles and money chests.
Marriage to Isabel would also have brought with it the title of Earl of Pembroke and some of the most stragically placed strongholds in the kingdom.
Isabel was the only daughter of one of the Norman worlds most powerful couple. Richard De Clare (Strongbow) and Aoife MacMurrough (Daughter of the deposed king of Leinster, Dermot MacMurrough) Strongbow became Dermot MacMurrough’s heir upon his death; Meaning Strongbow became the Lord of Leinster and owned the majority of the lands in what is now the providence of Leinster.
This was a vital part of the agreement Dermot made with Strongbow, it was one of the main reasons Strongbow agreed to bring his Norman forces to Ireland in order to help Dermot regain his lost kingdom.
Isabel was born to the couple in 1172 in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Upon the death of Strongbow in 1176 there was no adult heir to take control of his lands and titles, so all his lands feel under the protection of the crown, as did his heirs.
Aoife claimed her dower rights, which was a third of all his holdings in Wales, England and France, as well as her lands in Ireland.
When Aoife and Strongbow’s son Gilbert died, in 1185 in was a minor, thus making Isabel the heir to all that Strongbow and Aoife owed collectively. She became a ward of the Crown and fell under the protection and control of King Henry II.
For her own safety and to maintain his control over her marriage suitors, Henry II had her placed in The Tower of London under the protection of The Lord Justiciur of England, Ranulf de Glanville.
Not only was this for her protection but Henry II also sought to maintain control over whom Isabel would eventually marry. Isabel was the wealthiest heiress in the Kingdom at this point in history.
A life inside the walls of the Tower and the watchful eyes of Henry II most trusted men was to be her existence until a marriage of suitability could be arranged for her.
Henry II approved her marriage to his most trusted man William Marshal, the medieval worlds most infamous Knight and he is often referred to as “The Greatest Knight that ever lived”.
This marriage was then agreed to by Richard the Lionheart upon his inheritance of the Crown, the former crown of his father King Henry II. The Marshal traveled to The Tower of London a month later, to claim the hand of Isabel and they were married within days.
They were married in London and Isabel was now free from the resurgent’s of The Tower of London. They traveled to Surrey to honeymoon at Stoke Abernon, the property of one of William’s friends.
Upon her marriage to William Marshal, Isabel’s life would change forever and she would be thrown into the paths of some of the worlds most famous and infamous monarchs. She played host to the greatest powers the medieval world has ever seen.
William and Isabel had a happy marriage despite their large age difference, he was thought to be approximately 42 and she was approximately 18.
This marriage also produced 10 children, 5 sons and 5 daughters. William although powerful depended heavily upon the advice and council of his wife, who he loved but also deeply respected. Isabel would forever change the course of the life of The Marshal and was the driving force and support behind the man would become the most powerful man in England.
This included when he was appointed as Lord Regent and protector to the young King Henry III upon the death of his father King John, the tempestuous and often difficult ruler.
Isabel and The Marshal would go on to found some of Ireland’s most important and beautiful towns.
They founded a Norman powerbase at the City of Kilkenny, which still bares the hallmarks of the Norman empire in its walls and foundations. Isabel was instrumental and a driving force behind the foundation and development of the Norman town of New Ross.
Situated on the banks of the river Barrow in the Irish southeast. These medieval towns ancients roots were harnessed by the Normans.
Isabel fell in love with the town of Old Ross near the current towns location and the medieval worlds most influential power couple began creating one of the jewels in their collective crown.
New Ross was one of Ireland’s busiest port towns, Isabel is said to have personally overseen many of the architectural features that were constructed in the town of New Ross and was personally involved in the designing of St Mary Church.
New Ross was an affluent port and with the Marshal being granted a charter for their new town it insured that William and Isabel were running an extremely successful port that was to carry on thriving for many centuries.
Still a vibrant town with connections to some of histories most famous characters such as JFK. During a time when William had to return to the service of the king and Isabel stayed in Ireland.
She showed her forceful and powerful nature when she lead a defensive force against a upraising in the area. She proved herself a brilliant military strategist and a commanding presence.
Through their lives together they proved that their love and loyalty became renowned and that loyalty and honestly are values that commanded respect even from those who they may have trusted the least.
William and Isabel had constant issues with the temperamental King John, but in the end, when life was fading, King John depended on the loyalty of the Marshal and the kind heart of Isabel to insure the safety and prosperity of his son and heir.
Isabel had a strong relationship with Ireland and the places that were and are still associated with her.
Isabel’s reach was wide, and her presence can still be felt within the walls and structures that she pardoned and frequented. William died in1210, and it devastated Isabel, she adored William and their life together, it was a marriage that seemed to be for money and titles but was one of love, an epic love story that has echoed through the ages.
Isabel died a year after William. She is interned in the Nave of Tintern Abbey in Wales, the mother institute of Tintern Abbey of the vow, in County Wexford. Which was founded by the couple in 1208 It is said that Isabel’s heart always resided in Ireland, the home of her mother and the ancient bloodlines she was descendant from.
Legend says that Her heart still resides in Ireland. It is said that her heart is in the town she loved and founded, New Ross.
A cenotaph at St Mary’s Church in New Ross resides bearing her name, and the phrase Isabel Lagen. Lagen from Latin loosely translates to vessel.
There is an epic sense of drama attached to the story that a vessel containing her heart may have brought her heart back to an ancient land, the blood of some history’s most iconic characters flowing through her veins.
It is a romantic notion to think that the heart that beat for her county resides in the heart of the town she founded and loved. The legacy of Isabel and William Marshal and their bloodline was far-reaching and would make sure that all those who ruled on the English throne for hundreds of years would have the blood of the Marshal and Isabel flowing through their veins.
All the Scottish Kings since Robert I and the English Kings since Henry VI have carried the blood of The Marshal and Isabel.
All but one Anne of Cleeves the 4th queen consort of the King Henry VIII. Their line was carried on by their daughters, as all their sons died childless, legend has that this was due to a curse placed on William Marshal.
Upon the death of their sons, the title of The Marshal went to their son in law married to their eldest daughter, Huge de Bigod.
The love story of Isabel and The Marshal has been preserved in the wonderful medieval romance portrayed in the Marshal Trilogy novels by multi-award-winning author Elizabeth Chadwick. These novels are historic fiction and tell of the lives of the world’s greatest knight and his wife.
These novels include The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion and A place beyond courage.
Isabel and The Marshal have now been immortalized in the beautiful work of art The Ros Tapestry. Thus ensuring that their story has been preserved in the most beautiful vibrant colors reflecting the vibrancy of their epic lives and one of the worlds most inspiring and enchanting love stories.