Page:The Queens of England.djvu/95

 ISABELLA OF ANGOULEME. 77 Within twelve months after the death of John, Isabella re- turned to her native country. She was now thirty-four years of age, and, although the mother of several children, still re- puted the most beautiful woman of her time. Whether or not she still retained any affection for her early lover, she, in a very short time, became the successful rival of her own daughter, Joanna, then but seven years of age; and in the year 1220, without leave or license of the king or his council, she re-mar- ried her former intended spouse, the affianced husband of her child, Lusignan, Count de la Marche. This marriage, contracted without his leave, so offended King Henry, her son, that he withheld her dower ; and, al- though but fourteen years old, as their quarrel proceeded, he wrote, with his own hand, a letter to the pope, requesting him to excommunicate both his mother and father-in-law. To this somewhat unscrupulous request from so young a king the pope demurred. The thunders of the Vatican were not to be lightly used, and they had indeed been of late frequently hurled both on France and England. On inquiring into the cause of the quarrel, his holiness conceived that matters might be readily accommodated by "very easy arguments of love"; and, after a long correspondence, a match was made up between the young king of Scots and "little Joan Makepeace," as she was after- ward called ; the Scottish king receiving back his two sisters, who had previously been pawned to King John for a consid- erable sum of money. Her early marriage and association with John, whose char- acter was a complication of vices as mean and odious as they were ruinous to himself, and destructive to his subjects, appear to have had their effect upon the disposition and temper of Isa- bella in after-life. She was now married to one whom she had long regretted and still loved ; but she found it impossible to forget her former grandeur as Queen of England. More especially was she incensed and annoyed on finding herself obliged to yield place and precedence to the heiress of Toulouse, wife of the Count of Poitou,.to whom her husband was obliged to do homage, but whose rank she considered inferior to her own. This overweening pride eventually proved her ruin. In her offended dignity she stirred up her husband to throw off his allegiance to the French king, and to involve himself in a most disastrous war. Defeat followed defeat, and, notwith- standing the unlucky count was aided by Henry of England, to