Isabella de Fortibus

Isabella de Fortibus or Isabella de Forz (July 1237 – 10 November 1293) was the eldest daughter of Baldwin de Redvers, 6th Earl of Devon. At the age of 11 or 12 she became the second wife of William de Fortibus (or Forz) who owned land in Yorkshire and Cumberland and was the count of Aumale. When he died in 1260 part of his estates (her "dower lands") were granted to her. Two years later, in 1262 her brother Baldwin de Redvers, 7th Earl of Devon, died and left her his lands in Devon, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Harewood in Yorkshire. She was in her mid-twenties and was one of the richest heiresses in England. She subsequently called herself countess of Aumale and of Devon, and lady of the Isle (of Wight).

Despite the younger Simon de Montfort (second son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester) acquiring the rights to her remarriage in 1264, she did not marry him and hid for some time in Breamore Priory in Hampshire and later in Wales. In 1268 her marriage was granted to Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster, son of Henry III, but she did not marry him either. However her daughter Aveline did marry Edmund in 1269, but died four years later, aged 15. Isabella outlived all six of her children.

From 1262 she lived mainly on the Isle of Wight (which she owned), at Carisbrooke Castle. Many of her accounts have survived and have been subjected to much study. Her net income in the 1260s is known to have risen from £1,500 to £2,500. She was much involved in litigation and pursued dozens of civil and criminal cases through the royal courts, apparently owning her own copy of the statutes of the realm.

It is known that Edward I long wanted to acquire Isabella's estates. In 1278 her northern lands and the comté of Aumale and its associated lands were all quitclaimed to the crown by John of Eston who was found (against expectations) by a jury to be her late daughter Aveline's heir. In 1293 the king reopened negotiations to acquire Isabella's southern lands. While travelling from Canterbury, Isabella was taken ill and stopped near Lambeth. Edward's leading councillor rushed to her and wrote a charter to confirm the sale of the Isle of Wight to the king. It was read to the dying Isabella, who ordered her lady of the bedchamber to seal it. She died in the early morning of 10 November 1293 and was buried at Breamore Priory, Hampshire.

References

* Barbara English, ‘Forz , Isabella de, suo jure countess of Devon, and countess of Aumale (1237–1293)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008. [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/47209 Accessed 2008-03-12]