Isabel Bruce
Encyclopedia
Isabel Bruce (c. 1272 Carrick, Scotland
– 1358, Bergen
, Norway
) was a Queen consort
of Norway
, married to King Eric II.
. Her brothers included King Robert I of Scotland
, and Edward Bruce
who briefly was High King of Ireland
. She travelled to Norway with her father was married to King Eric in Bergen in 1293.
Isabel was king Erik's second wife, and indeed his second Scottish one. She was widowed, at age 24, at his death in 1299. Isabel never remarried, despite surviving her husband by 59 years. Their marriage did not produce a male heir, though it did produce a daughter, Ingeborg Eriksdottir of Norway
, who, having firstly been engaged to Jon II, Earl of Orkney, married Valdemar Magnusson of Sweden
, Duke of Finland
, in 1312. Isabel herself arranged for her daughter's marriages.
She did not return to Scotland, but lived in Bergen in Norway the rest of her life. As a queen, there is little information of her life, but her life as a queen dowager is more documented. Isabel did the most out of her position as queen dowager, participated in many official events and ceremonies and did not lack influence. She was present at the inauguration of the new Bishop of Bergen with the royal couple in 1305. She had a good relationship with the clerical powers in Bergen, made donations and received properties from the church: in 1324, she received several houses from the church. It has been suggested, that she participated as a mediator in the conflicts between Orkney, Shetland and Scotland in 1312. In 1339, the king pardoned a prisoner at her request. She exchanged letters with her sister Christina
in Scotland and sent soldiers there. In 1357, she was one of the heirs of her daughter, the duchess of Öland.
Carrick, Scotland
Carrick is a former comital district of Scotland which today forms part of South Ayrshire.-History:The word Carrick comes from the Gaelic word Carraig, meaning rock or rocky place. Maybole was the historic capital of Carrick. The county was eventually combined into Ayrshire which was divided...
– 1358, Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
) was a Queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, married to King Eric II.
Biography
Isabel's parents were Robert Bruce and Marjorie, Countess of CarrickMarjorie, Countess of Carrick
Marjorie of Carrick was countess of Carrick, Scotland, from 1256 to 1292, and is notable as the mother of Robert the Bruce.-Marriages:...
. Her brothers included King Robert I of Scotland
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
, and Edward Bruce
Edward Bruce
Edward the Bruce , sometimes modernised Edward of Bruce, was a younger brother of King Robert I of Scotland, who supported his brother in the struggle for the crown of Scotland, then pursued his own claim in Ireland. He was proclaimed High King of Ireland, but was eventually defeated and killed in...
who briefly was High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...
. She travelled to Norway with her father was married to King Eric in Bergen in 1293.
Isabel was king Erik's second wife, and indeed his second Scottish one. She was widowed, at age 24, at his death in 1299. Isabel never remarried, despite surviving her husband by 59 years. Their marriage did not produce a male heir, though it did produce a daughter, Ingeborg Eriksdottir of Norway
Ingeborg Eriksdottir of Norway
Ingeborg Eriksdottir of Norway was a medieval Norwegian princess and by marriage a Swedish princess, Duchess of Uppland, Öland and Finland, with a seat in the regency government of her nephew, Magnus IV of Sweden.-Family:Ingeborg was the daughter of King Eric II of Norway and Isabel Bruce...
, who, having firstly been engaged to Jon II, Earl of Orkney, married Valdemar Magnusson of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Duke of Finland
Duke of Finland
Duke of Finland was an occasional medieval title granted as a tertiogeniture to the relatives of the King of Sweden between the 13th and 16th centuries. It included a duchy along with the feudal customs, and often meant a veritably independent principality...
, in 1312. Isabel herself arranged for her daughter's marriages.
She did not return to Scotland, but lived in Bergen in Norway the rest of her life. As a queen, there is little information of her life, but her life as a queen dowager is more documented. Isabel did the most out of her position as queen dowager, participated in many official events and ceremonies and did not lack influence. She was present at the inauguration of the new Bishop of Bergen with the royal couple in 1305. She had a good relationship with the clerical powers in Bergen, made donations and received properties from the church: in 1324, she received several houses from the church. It has been suggested, that she participated as a mediator in the conflicts between Orkney, Shetland and Scotland in 1312. In 1339, the king pardoned a prisoner at her request. She exchanged letters with her sister Christina
Christina Bruce
Christina Bruce the second daughter of Robert de Brus, jure uxoris Earl of Carrick and Marjorie of Carrick, and an older sister of King Robert the Bruce....
in Scotland and sent soldiers there. In 1357, she was one of the heirs of her daughter, the duchess of Öland.