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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2000-08 > 0965251630


From: Michael W Cook <>
Subject: Re: Roger de Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, & King Edward III
Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2000 22:27:10 +0100


in article , Derek Dubery at
wrote on 31/7/00 10:51 pm:

> <> writes
>> "Retired from public life" is an awfully polite way to say that she lived
>> out the remainder of her days under strict house arrest. Isabella was only
>> visited by King Edward III on occasion and others had to have written
>> consent from the king to visit.
>>
> I'm afraid you're rather off track there Mari-Sue.... Isabella lived out
> the rest of her life much like any other dowager Queen. She was endowed
> with revenues worth 3000 pounds a year in addition to further castles at
> Mold, Hawarden, Mere and Hertford. Castle Rising was hers too, and
> extensively re-developed at this time. She travelled frequently between
> her properties with her household just as any other great lady of the
> period would have done. She actually died at her castle at Hertford in
> 1358. Edward III and his Queen visited her at Castle Rising on at least
> 4 recorded occasions (1342, 1343, 1344 and 1349)- which I think is
> pretty good considering her previous behaviour! When she died Edward
> ordered that the streets of London be cleaned for her final journey to
> Grey Friars, Newgate, where she was buried.
>
> To summarise she was not under house arrest, strict or otherwise :)
> --
> Derek Dubery
>

Ah, you beat me to it Derek, good man.

She was in no way a prisoner at Rising, and led her life like any dowager
Queen. With £3000 a year through her revenues and lands, she moved with her
retinue and household of 180 people from one residence to another.

There is plenty of evidence of her frequent and prolonged stays at Rising
with visits from Edward III, her son and his Queen, Philippa in 1342/43/ 44
and 1349. She was to retain Castle Rising until her death in 1358 whereby it
became the property of Edward, Black Prince of Wales.

During this period extensive reworking of the Castle was done as the records
show.

Kind regards

Michael
- ---------------------------------------------
Michael W Cook



Castles Abbeys and Medieval Buildings

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~mwcook

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