After a series of disputes between Isabella's father William, Earl of Gloucester and
Henry II, in September 1176, William attempted to regain favour with the King and secure the future of the earldom. In a politically difficult position, William agreed to a betrothal between Isabella, and John, Henry and
Eleanor of Aquitaine's youngest son. As part of the settlement, William agreed that John would be recognised as his heir, and even if William and his wife, Hawise were to have another male child, John would become a co-heir and receive half the Gloucester estates on William's death. Earl William died in 1183, at which point Henry II nominated Isabella as the sole heir to the earldom, and made her his ward. Wardship meant that Henry completely controlled her lands, revenues and resources, and while he could have married her to John, he chose to keep Isabella's holdings for himself. Following Richard I's accession in July 1189, Isabella was removed from royal wardship and was married to John on 29 August at
Marlborough Castle. Isabella and John were related within the third degree of consanguinity, meaning they both shared the same great-grandfather (Henry I). This order of relationship was prohibited by the Church, and in order to marry they should have gained a special dispensation from the pope. However, this did not happen, and when he learnt of their marriage, the Archbishop of Canterbury,
Baldwin of Forde, placed John under interdict and forbade him from seeing Isabella. Ultimately, the interdict was removed by the papal legate
John of Agnani, but permission for the marriage was never officially given. In May 1199, John was crowned and anointed King of England, but Isabella was not at his side; thus putting her in the precarious position of being only a consort, rather than a queen. By the Spring of 1200, John had been granted permission to have their marriage annulled and a divorce on the grounds of consanguinity was granted by bishops in both Normandy and Aquitaine. ==Earldom of Gloucester==