Blessed Isabella of France

Also known as

• Isabel of France

Memorial

• 22 February
• 31 August (Franciscans)

Profile

Born a princess, the daughter of King Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile; sister of Saint Louis IX; aunt of Saint Louis of Tolouse. Declined a marriage offer from the German emperor in order to found a Poor Clare convent at Longchamps near Paris, France where she lived as a nun, though without taking vows. Circa 1259, Pope Alexander IV approved a Rule Isabella had written for what became the Order of the Humble Handmaidens of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Born

• March 1225

Died

• 22 February 1270 at the abbey of Longchamp, France of natural causes
• buried at the abbey in Longchamp
• exhumed after nine days and found incorrupt
• exhumed in 4 June 1637

Beatified

• 1521 by Pope Leo X (cultus confirmation)

Patronage

• sick people

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Catholic Encyclopedia
• Catholic Online
• Medieval Religion Listserv, by John Dillon
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
• Wikipedia

MLA Citation

• “Blessed Isabella of France“. Saints.SQPN.com. 21 February 2013. Web. 19 June 2013. <>