In Episode 6 of History Channel’s Knightfall, Princess Isabella (Genevieve Gaunt) was seen drugging Princess Margaret of Burgundy (Clementine Nicholson) and then making it look like she had been involved with two other men that weren’t her husband.
While it is pretty obvious that Isabella is planning something, it is still unclear just what her plot for the long term will be in Knightfall. But, maybe history can give us a clue.
According to the history books, Princess Margaret, along with two other of King Philip’s daughter-in-law’s were implicated in adultery. This adultery was believed to be instigated at the hand of Philip’s daughter, Isabella.
While it looks like Isabella is using manipulation for her own gain in the latest episode of Knightfall, things went down a little differently, according to the records of the time.
The History of Royal Women explains that Isabella gave her sisters-in-law, Margaret, Blanche, and Joan, a purse each as a gift. Later, she noticed that some Norman knights had them and assumed the worst.
She told her father, King Philip IV of France, and surveillance was launched. As a result of this, it was believed that Blanche and Margaret of Burgundy were engaging in adultery at the Tour de Nesle guard tower.
Joan was said to have been present during at least some of the time that adultery was committed.
Taking the guards aside, they were tortured until they confessed. Blanche and Margaret were tried before Parliament and also found to be guilty of the charges.
While the men were executed — and castrated, according to Ranker — the women were sentenced to life in prison. Joan, who was also implicated in the situation was lucky that her husband intervened and she was eventually found not guilty.
Margaret and Blanche were imprisoned in the Chateau Gaillard. During their time there, Blanche gave birth to a son named Philip and was later released to Gavray Castle. Unfortunately, this son later died.
And, as TV Over Mind points out, this whole situation resulted in King Philip’s sons not being able to produce any more heirs before they died and the royal line belonging to King Philip died out.
As for Margaret, she died from the cold two years into her life sentence.
In the current season of Knightfall, it is possible that History Channel will try to amalgamate the two sisters-in-law who were found guilty of adultery. If this is the case, viewers might get to see Margaret give birth while incarcerated.
While the history books give Isabella reason to suspect adultery, in Knightfall, she is actually plotting to implicate Princess Margaret, so it will be interesting to find out the reasoning behind this.
Which means that fans will just have to tune into further episodes to find out more.
Knightfall returns to the History Channel with Episode 7 (titled “Death awaits”) on Monday, May 6 at 10 p.m. History Channel lists the following synopsis for this episode.
“Friday the 13th. Captured and brought back to Paris, the Knights Templar must stand trial for heresy.”