On this day, 28 January 814, in what is now Aachen, Germany, Charlemagne died. He was my twice-over 37th great-grandfather through his sons Pepin “Carloman” of Italy and Louis “The Pious” of Aquitaine. He was also my spouse’s many-times great-grandfather through his maternal mother’s line.
Recently, I posted a piece on my spouse’s gateway ancestor to Charlemagne, Edward Fowlke. Since I will be also posting pieces about my gateway ancestors to Charlemagne, I will not be reviewing his life and accomplishments in this post.
I will, however, discuss another ancestor who also died on this day, 28 January, in the year of our Lord 1271—Isabella of Aragon, my two-times 23rd great-grandmother.
Isabella of Aragon was born in 1248 to James I of Aragon and his second wife Violant of Hungary.
On 28 May 1262, Isabella married Philip III of France in Clermont. He was the son of Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence.
Together, Philip III and Isabella had four sons: Louis, Philip IV (my 22nd great-grandfather), Robert, and Charles de Valois (my 22nd great-grandfather).
Isabella of Aragon accompanied her husband to Tunis on the Eighth Crusade. On their return trip, Philip and Isabella, along with their entourage, stopped in Cosenza, Calabria. At the time, Isabella was six months pregnant with her fifth child.
On 11 January 1271, Isabella fell from her horse, as she and Philip III were en route home. As a result of that fall, Isabella gave birth to a premature stillborn son. Sadly, Isabella never recovered from either her injuries or the childbirth and died 17 days later.
Philip III transported both the body of Isabella and that of their stillborn son back to France, where they were interred in the Basilica of St Denis.
Princes, Paupers, Pilgrims & Pioneers 