Isabella, Countess of Vertus

Isabella of France (Château de Bois de Vincennes, 1 October 1348 – Pavia, 11 September 1373) was a French princess and member of the House of Valois, as well as the wife of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, although she died before her husband's accession).

She was the youngest daughter of King John II of France by his first wife Bonne of Bohemia.^[1] Her full-siblings are: Blanche of France (died young), Charles V of France, Catherine of France (died young), Louis I of Naples, John, Duke of Berry, Philip II, Duke of Burgundy, Jeanne, Queen of Navarre, Marie, Duchess of Bar, Agnes of France (died young) and Marguerite of France (died young). She had three youngest half-siblings from her father's second marriage with Joan I, Countess of Auvergne: Blanche of France (died young), Catherine of France (died young) and an unnamed son (died young).

Her maternal grandparents were John of Luxembourg and Elizabeth of Bohemia. Her paternal grandparents were Philip VI of France and Joan the Lame.

Life

Her maternal uncle Count Amadeus VI of Savoy arranged her marriage with Gian Galeazzo Visconti. As her dowry, Isabella received the county of Sommières, exchanged later for the county of Vertus. On 8 October 1360, Isabella and Gian Galeazzo were married in Milan, and six months later, in April 1361, she was declared sovereign Countess of Vertus. The couple had four children:^[2]

• Gian Galeazzo (b. Pavia, 4 March 1366 – d. bef. 1376).
• Azzone (b. Pavia, 1368 – d. Pavia, 4 October 1381).
• Valentina (b. Pavia, 1371 – d. Château de Blois, Loir-et-Cher, 14 December 1408), married on 17 August 1389 to Louis, Duke of Orléans. Through her, Isabella would become the ancestor of two French kings, Louis XII of France and Francis I of France.
• Carlo (b. Pavia, 11 September 1373 – d. Pavia, 1374).

Isabella died in childbirth in 1373.^[1][3]

Family tree of Isabella of Vertus

References