Post by Elly on May 31, 2005 12:20:12 GMT 10
Isobel, Countess of Buchan
Isobel ws born in 1286 to Duncan, Earl of Fife and his english wife, Joanna De Clare, her brother also Duncan was born 3 years later. She was betrothed to John Comyn, Earl of Buchan just after her birth. Soon after her brother`s birth, her father tragically died suddenly, Isobel was sent to be brought up with her husband` family, her mother returned to England with her baby brother, now the Earl of Fife, where he was made a ward of Edward the first and was brought up with his son Edward of Carnarvon, the future Edward the second with whomhe had a lifetime friendship with.
Very little is know of Isobel until March 1306, she was then being held virtually a prisoner in her husband`s estate in Gloucestshire for her outspoken loyalty to Robert the Bruce and Scotland, bringing the wrath of her husband and of course Edward down on her. On hearing that Bruce was heading to Scone to have himself crowned king, she escaped from her prison with most of her husband` horses and men. Edward declared her an outlaw and her husband asked for the death penalty for her.
On the 25th March 1306 Bruce was crowned King of Scots at Scone Abbey, wearing borrowed robes from the archbishop of Glasgow. He wa now king of a conquered and demoralised people. Tradition states that he should sit on the Stone of Destiny and have the crown placed on his head by the Earl of Fife. The stone stolen by Edward was of course now in England as was the Earl of fife.
The day after Bruce was crowned, Isobel arrived at Scone and insisted on her right to crown the new king. so on the 26th March,the young Isobel placed the crown on Bruce`s head. He is the only king to have been crowned twice.
Shortly after the crowning Bruce was badly defeated t the Battle of Ruthven, Isobel along with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Marjorie were captured and hauled in front of Edward. Elizabeth and Marjorie were taken to England enclosed in nunneries, for Isobel Edward designed a wooden cage and ordered her to be placed in it and hung from the battlements of Berwick castle facing the Scotland she loved and would never set foot in again. Even after Edward the First`s death his son still kept her hanging in her cage, seemingly her brother did not intervene on her behalf with his good friend.
After her husband`s death in 1313 probably due to her damaged physical health she was released into the custody of Sir Henry Beaumont the current Earl of Buchan, where she seems to disappear, it is thought she died from her ordeal, probably in an english nunnery.
After his success at Bannockburn Bruce gathered up his imprisoned family and friends, Isobel was not among
them. Bruce captured her brother Duncan and held him prisoner in Kildrummy castle , where he remained till he died in 1336. his direct line died with him.
For a woman who gave so much for her king and country very little is in the history books about her, I found it very hard trying to find out anything, apart from she did make the ultimate sacrifice for her country, and died probably around age 26.
Barbara Erskine the historian and novelist did write a sort of time travel novel around her life, `Kingdom of Shadows`.
Isobel ws born in 1286 to Duncan, Earl of Fife and his english wife, Joanna De Clare, her brother also Duncan was born 3 years later. She was betrothed to John Comyn, Earl of Buchan just after her birth. Soon after her brother`s birth, her father tragically died suddenly, Isobel was sent to be brought up with her husband` family, her mother returned to England with her baby brother, now the Earl of Fife, where he was made a ward of Edward the first and was brought up with his son Edward of Carnarvon, the future Edward the second with whomhe had a lifetime friendship with.
Very little is know of Isobel until March 1306, she was then being held virtually a prisoner in her husband`s estate in Gloucestshire for her outspoken loyalty to Robert the Bruce and Scotland, bringing the wrath of her husband and of course Edward down on her. On hearing that Bruce was heading to Scone to have himself crowned king, she escaped from her prison with most of her husband` horses and men. Edward declared her an outlaw and her husband asked for the death penalty for her.
On the 25th March 1306 Bruce was crowned King of Scots at Scone Abbey, wearing borrowed robes from the archbishop of Glasgow. He wa now king of a conquered and demoralised people. Tradition states that he should sit on the Stone of Destiny and have the crown placed on his head by the Earl of Fife. The stone stolen by Edward was of course now in England as was the Earl of fife.
The day after Bruce was crowned, Isobel arrived at Scone and insisted on her right to crown the new king. so on the 26th March,the young Isobel placed the crown on Bruce`s head. He is the only king to have been crowned twice.
Shortly after the crowning Bruce was badly defeated t the Battle of Ruthven, Isobel along with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Marjorie were captured and hauled in front of Edward. Elizabeth and Marjorie were taken to England enclosed in nunneries, for Isobel Edward designed a wooden cage and ordered her to be placed in it and hung from the battlements of Berwick castle facing the Scotland she loved and would never set foot in again. Even after Edward the First`s death his son still kept her hanging in her cage, seemingly her brother did not intervene on her behalf with his good friend.
After her husband`s death in 1313 probably due to her damaged physical health she was released into the custody of Sir Henry Beaumont the current Earl of Buchan, where she seems to disappear, it is thought she died from her ordeal, probably in an english nunnery.
After his success at Bannockburn Bruce gathered up his imprisoned family and friends, Isobel was not among
them. Bruce captured her brother Duncan and held him prisoner in Kildrummy castle , where he remained till he died in 1336. his direct line died with him.
For a woman who gave so much for her king and country very little is in the history books about her, I found it very hard trying to find out anything, apart from she did make the ultimate sacrifice for her country, and died probably around age 26.
Barbara Erskine the historian and novelist did write a sort of time travel novel around her life, `Kingdom of Shadows`.
