# Queen Ysabeau — Chivalry character guide

> Queen Ysabeau in Chivalry by James Branch Cabell.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Ysabeau

**First appearance:** 0004-i-the-story-of-the-sestina

## Snapshot

The she-wolf queen of England, lazy with wine and gluttony, who can pardon anything except the one errand she cannot forgive.

## Who they are

Ysabeau sits in her carven chair, a handsome woman stoutening from too much wine, and regards her fettered prisoner with lazy amiability while Adam Orleton and the Earl of March croak for his death. She has harried the King's party out of England, and when Darrell confesses he rode for Ordish to see the desire of his heart, her face darkens and she tells him she would have pardoned anything save that. Her treacherous, adulterous, and assassinating career, catalogued in Darrell's song, makes her the tale's presiding image of power without faith.

## In the story

### [Chivalry](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/chapters/chivalry)

Featured as a queen in the dizain, representing themes of power and torment.

### [IV: The Story of the Choices](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/chapters/iv-the-story-of-the-choices)

Reveals her torment and bitterness, confesses her love for Gregory Darrell and her temptation to destroy Rosamund.

### [V: The Story of the Housewife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/chapters/v-the-story-of-the-housewife)

Mother of Prince Edward, accompanies him in exile to Hainault.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters/queen_ysabeau
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters