Isabella had been informed that Christian had refused to give up his mistress, a Dutch woman named Dyveke, and she had been installed near the royal palace. Admonishments from both her grandfather Maximilian and her aunt Margaret led to nothing. The welcome ceremony was followed by a coronation and an in-person wedding on 12 August 1515. After this, the couple undertook a tour of Denmark so that the people could meet their new Queen. It was a difficult time for Isabella; she was in a new country where she did not speak the language, and her husband favoured another woman. Despite this, Isabella was said to have fallen in love with him when she first saw his portrait. She expressed her disappointment in several letters to her sister, Eleanor. Isabella turned her attention to learning the language and charitable work, which earned her the love of the people.
Things changed when Dyveke died suddenly in June 1517 amidst rumours of a poisoning. Christian singled out Torben Oxe, a courtier, and ordered his execution, which Isabella tried to prevent. In any case, Dyveke’s death eased the tension in their marriage, and it was perhaps no surprise that nine months later, Isabella gave birth to her first child, a son named John. As Christian and Isabella grew closer, she became more involved in politics. Dyveke’s mother, Sigbrit, also became an important advisor to Christian and even became known as Mother Sigbrit.
On 4 July 1519, Isabella gave birth to twin boys, who were named Philip and Maximilian. However, both died within a week of their baptism, upon which Sigbrit remarked that it was a good thing as Denmark could not support so many princes.1 With the help of Isabella’s large dowry, Christian became King of Sweden in 1520 but this was to be shortlived. While Christian was in Sweden, Isabella gave birth to a daughter named Dorothea on 10 November 1520. She was named for Christian’s grandmother, Dorothea of Brandenburg.
Following the revolt in Sweden, Christian decided to travel to the Low Countries and placed the regency in Isabella’s hands. He met with Isabella’s aunt and brother in Brussels, as well as Isabella’s step-grandmother, Germaine of Foix. His journey was without success, and the situation continued to spiral out of control. Meanwhile, Isabella had given birth to a second daughter, Christina, sometime at the end of 1522. Her exact birthdate is not known.
Just weeks after Christina’s birth, Isabella wrote to Margaret asking for help with the rebels. She wrote, “We have sad news from my lord in Jutland. The nobles there have rebelled against him and seek to deprive him and our children of their crown and their lives. So we entreat you to come to our help, that we may chastise the rebels.”2
On 20 January 1523, Christian was officially deposed as King of Denmark and Norway and replaced by his uncle, Frederick. Christian decided to flee with his family. Isabella, John, Dorothea and Christina went on board the Lion, even though Frederick begged her to remain in Denmark, assuring them of their safety. Christian still had the popular support, and many watched as the King and his family sailed away on 13 April. Isabella would never see Denmark again.
The family headed for the Low Countries and arrived in Veere on 1 May, where they were received by Adolf of Burgundy, who later escorted them to Mechelen. Isabella’s aunt Margaret took her and the children in but told Christian that it was beyond her power to help. Christian then decided to ask King Henry VIII of England for help, and Margaret lent Isabella several ladies so that she could appear in state in England.
Isabella and Christian reached Greenwich on 19 June, and they were met by Cardinal Wolsey, who introduced them to King Henry and Queen Catherine, who was also Isabella’s aunt. However, Henry told Christian he had made a mistake by abandoning his subjects and advised him to return home. He later wrote to Emperor Charles, “For this perfidy of the King’s subjects is a most fatal example, if for the most trifling cause a Prince is to be called in question, and expelled and put from his crown.”3
Ambassador De Praet wrote of Isabella, “It is indeed grievous to see this poor lady in so melancholy a plight, and I cannot marvel too much at her virtues and heroic patience.”4 Nothing more could be done in England, and so Isabella and Christian returned to the Low Countries in early July. Isabella returned to her children in Mechelen, while Christian went to Antwerp to raise ships with aid for Copenhagen. After a fight with Margaret, he suddenly left for Germany.
Isabella joined him in Germany as he tried to find help, and Isabella even spoke at the Nuremberg Diet. Minister Hannart wrote to Emperor Charles, “Everyone here is full of compassion for the Queen, but no one places the least trust in the King. If it were not for her sake, not a single man would saddle a horse on his behalf.”4 In Nuremberg, she attended the sermons of a Lutheran doctor, much to the annoyance of her brother, Ferdinand.
During a congress in April 1524, a proposal was made that Prince John was to be recognised as Frederick’s successor, but Christian angrily rejected this offer. He soon realised the hopelessness of his cause. Isabella’s health had suffered during these last years and Christian took her to Aachen for the waters. The family then settled at Lierre, halfway between Mechelen and Antwerp, at the end of 1524. While they received an allowance, Isabella was eventually forced to cut up her husband’s old robes to make clothes for the children. When her health required a second visit to Aachen, she declined due to the vast expense.
At the doctor’s suggestion for a change of air, she moved to Swyhnaerde near Ghent, where she soon became so weak that she could no longer leave her room. On 19 January 1526, Isabella received the last sacraments from the priest of Swynaerde, and she commended her children to Margaret’s care. She died a few hours later.
Christian wrote of her wife’s last moments, “As her weakness increased, Frau Margaret sent her servant, Philippe de Souvastre, and other excellent persons, to admonish her after the fashion of the Popish Anti-Christ faith and the religion of his sect. But Almighty God, in his mercy, deprived my wife of her powers of speech so that she made no reply, and they gave up speaking and only anointed her with oil. But before this, she had received the Blessed Sacrament in the most devout manner, with ardent longing, firm faith, and steadfast courage; and when one of her preachers exhorted her, in the words of the Gospel, to stand fast in the faith, she confessed her first trust in God, and paid no heed to the superstitious mutterings of the others. After this, she became speechless, but gave many signs of true faith to the end, and took her last farewell of this world on 19 January. May God Almighty be gracious to her soul, and grant her eternal rest! We are strong in the sure and certain hope that she has entered into eternal bliss, unto which God bring us all!”5
Isabella was still only 24 years old. Her remains were initially interred in the Abbey of St. Peter in Ghent before being moved to Denmark in 1883.6
Martin Luther later wrote of her, “Of such King’s daughters there was indeed one, of the noblest birth, Isabella, Queen of Denmark, a Princess of the royal house of Spain. She embraced the Gospel with the greatest ardour and confessed the faith openly. And because of this, she died in want and misery. For had she consented to renounce her faith, she would have received far more help and much greater kindness in this life.”7
- Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan and Lorraine, 1522-1590 by Julia Cartwright p.16
- Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan and Lorraine, 1522-1590 by Julia Cartwright p.19
- Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan and Lorraine, 1522-1590 by Julia Cartwright p.22
- Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan and Lorraine, 1522-1590 by Julia Cartwright p.23
- Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan and Lorraine, 1522-1590 by Julia Cartwright p.26-27
- Read more: Isabel de Austria by Manuel Lobo Cabrera
- Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan and Lorraine, 1522-1590 by Julia Cartwright p.27
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