WI: Philippe Auguste divorces Isabella of Hainaut

She married King Philip on 28 April 1180 at Bapaume and brought as her dowry the county of Artois. The marriage was arranged by her maternal uncle Philip, Count of Flanders, who was advisor to the King.[3]

Isabella was crowned Queen of France at Saint Denis on 28 May 1180. As Baldwin V rightly claimed to be a descendant of Charlemagne, the chroniclers of the time saw in this marriage a union of the Carolingian and Capetian dynasties.

The wedding did not please the queen dowager, since it had meant the rejection of her nephew and the lessening of influence for her kinsmen. Though Isabella received extravagant praise from certain annalists, she failed to win Philip's affections due to her inability to provide him with an heir, though she was only 14 years old at the time.[4] Meanwhile, King Philip in 1184, was waging war against Flanders, and angered at seeing his wife's father, Baldwin, support his enemies, he called a council at Sens for the purpose of repudiating her. According to Gislebert of Mons, Isabella then appeared barefooted and dressed as a penitent in the town's churches and thus gained the sympathy of the people. Her appeals angered them so much that they went to the palace and started shouting loud enough to be heard inside.[5]

Robert, the king's uncle, successfully interposed and no repudiation followed as repudiating her would also have meant the loss of Artois to the French crown.[6]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_Hainault

I think the divorce was a possibility, since Adele of Champagne supports it herself, there will be no Louis VIII if this proceeds..
 
How likely is the veracity of the story by Gislebert of Mons? That she was kept by "popular demand"? And if Philippe does set her aside, who replaces her?
Perhaps we can have Constance of Brittany marry Philippe if Geoffrey's death is not butterflied, so that Philippe can take care of the Duchy..the other choice is Matilda Richeza of Saxony.

This cancels the assasination of Conrad of Montferrat since Henry of Champagne marries Isabella of Hainaut which means Richard does not get captured.
 
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A repudiation would surely bring the same problems with the papacy Philip had in the 1190', only without a recognized heir. Not the smartest of moves.
 
this definitely butterflies the arrest of Richard the Lionheart.

Not sure why it would butterfly it? Richard's arrest was due to a falling out he had with the Emperor over the kingdom of Sicily (among other things). So I can't see that the king of France setting his wife aside would change that.
 
Not sure why it would butterfly it? Richard's arrest was due to a falling out he had with the Emperor over the kingdom of Sicily (among other things). So I can't see that the king of France setting his wife aside would change that.

Richard's arrest was due to Henry of Champagne marrying Isabella of Jerusalem, if Henry of Champagne marries his intended bride, Isabella of Hainaut the arrest of his uncle due to them allegedly plotting to kill conrad of montferrat would not happen.
 
Not sure why it would butterfly it? Richard's arrest was due to a falling out he had with the Emperor over the kingdom of Sicily (among other things). So I can't see that the king of France setting his wife aside would change that.
But Montferrat not being involved due to Henry of Champagne and Richard I wanting the hand of Isabella of Jerusalem would mean that Leopold of Austria does not get involved in the fight of Richard and the Emperor.
 
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