Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/327

315 ADDENDA B. Irmgard, July 16, Oct. 20, 9th century, abbess, O.S.B., of Frayenvord, founded in the 8th century by Tassilo, duke of Bavaria, on an island in the Chiemsoe. She was descended from St. HiLDEOARD (1). Stadler. Bucelinus. Migne, Die, aea Ahhayes. B. Irmgard or Ermenoard, Oct. 3, 13th century. She was daugh^r of Conrad of Winterstettin, count of Thann. She married Conrad of Schmal- neckh, who went with the Emperor Frederick II. on his expedition to Apulia. Conrad was killed and Irm- gard took the veil in the Cistercian nunnery of Paindt, built in 1241 by her fiftUier, near the great abbey of Weingarten in Bavaria. There in 1244 she succeeded B. Anna (17) as abbess. GaJUa Christiana. AA,S8.^ Praeier. Bucelinus. St Isabel, 1451-1504, Queen of Spain, is represented in royal robes, with a queen's crown and Uie halo of a saint. She was the daughter of John II. of Castile, by his second wife, and was descended through both her parents from John of Gaunt. From her father's death in 1454 her half-brother Henry IV. was her king and guardian. He was so unpopular that a large and })owerfnl party in the country invited Isabel to supersede him. This she firmly declined to do. Soon afterwards she was declared heir to the kingdom. Henry was continually threatening to make some unsuitable alliance for her, to serve his own interests. Once when she was in great distress lest he should insist on marrying her to the Master of Calatrava, one of her ladies said to her, "Fear not. Infanta, I will not g^ you sacrificed ; I have vowed to plunrj/j this dagger in the heart of the Master, should he ever come into your presence as your fianc^." The old rou6 died opportunely, but Isabel found herself almost a prisoner and surrounded by increasing dangers. In this strait she was driven to make a choice for herself, and accordingly ac- cepted the most eligible of her many suitors. While hor cousin Ferdinand of Aragon was still in his cradle, his father. King John II., had solicited for him the himd of Isabel although she was not at that time heir to the Hngdom of Castile, and he had lately renewed the request with urgency. As King Henry was not acting fairly by her, she sent, without consulting him, to accept the offer of the Infante Don Fernando. There was neither time nor money to raise an invading army. Without delay Ferdinand set off with half a dozen trusty friends in the guise of merchants. He passed for their servant, and at every halting place he attended to the mules, and then waited on his pretended masters at supper until they arrived in Valladolid where the marriage was solemnized before the king of Castile could interfere. This was in 14G9. Isabel was eighteen, her husband seventeen. Both had English blood in their veins. They were slight and fair, with reddish hair and blue eyes ; they were of middle height, extremely active and very temperate. Isabel succeeded to the throne of Castile in 1474, Ferdinand to that of Aragon in 1479. The queen found many abuses to reform and many dangers and difficulties to overcome. Her habits of self-denial, her quick clear judgment, hor indefatigable activity and her absolute contempt of personal danger stood her in good stead on many a critical occasion.