Isabella of Coimbra

Infanta Isabella of Coimbra (Isabella of Portugal) (1 March 1432 – 2 December 1455) was a Portuguese infanta and a queen consort of Portugal as the first spouse of King Afonso V of Portugal.

Biography

Isabella was a daughter of Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra and Isabella of Aragon, Countess of Urgel. Her paternal grandfather was King John I of Portugal and her maternal grandfather was James II, Count of Urgel.

Her father was the regent of her cousin Alfonos V during his minority, and reportedly, Isabella and Alfonso fell in love with each other. They were engaged in 1445, which caused a conflict between Peter of Coimbra and Duke Alfonso of Braganza, who had wished for the monarch to marry his grandchild. Isabella was given the income of Santarém, Alvaiázere, Sintra and Torres Vedras at her wedding.

Isabella and Afonso V were married on 6 May 1447. Both the bride and groom were fifteen. They had three children:

• Infante John, Prince of Portugal (29 January 1451 – 22 April 1455)
• Infanta Joan, Princess of Portugal (6 February 1452 – 12 May 1490): Known as Saint Joan of Portugal or Saint Joan Princess. Canonized in 1693 by Pope Innocent XII.
• John II of Portugal (3 March 1455 – 25 October 1495): Succeeded his father as 13th King of Portugal.

In 1448, the king took Alfonso of Braganza as his advisor; the father of Isabella died, suspected to have been killed, and her brother was exiled. Isabella herself however did not fall out of favour with the king, and she took...
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