Isabella of England Isabella of England Isabella of England (1214 – 1 December 1241) was Holy Roman Empress, Queen of the Germans, and queen consort of Sicily. She was the fourth child and second daughter of John, King of England and Isabella of Angoulême. At a friendly meeting at Rieti, Pope Gregory IX suggested to Emperor Frederick II that he marry princess Isabella, a sister of King Henry III of England. At first Frederick II was concerned to lose his French allies; but when he realized that an English marriage might end the ongoing Anglo-French feud and constitute an important step towards the
John, King of England the king and were essential to his day-to-day rule. Being a member of these inner circles brought huge advantages, as it was easier to gain favours from the king, file lawsuits, marry a wealthy heiress or have one's debts remitted. By the time of Henry II, these posts were increasingly being filled by "new men" from outside the normal ranks of the barons. This intensified under John's rule, with many lesser nobles arriving from the continent to take up positions at court; many were mercenary leaders from Poitou. These men included soldiers who would become infamous in England for their