Second marriage and consequences, 1200–1202 thumb|alt=A photograph of a medieval tomb with a carving of Isabella on top. She is lying with her hands clasped, wearing a blue dress.|The effigy of Isabella of Angoulême, John's second wife, in Fontevraud Abbey in France The new peace would last only two years; war recommenced in the aftermath of John's decision in August 1200 to marry Isabella of Angoulême. In order to remarry, John first needed to abandon his wife Isabella, Countess of Gloucester; the King accomplished this by arguing that he had failed to get the necessary papal dispensation to marry the Countess in the first place—as a cousin, John could not have legally wedded her without this. It remains unclear why John chose to marry Isabella of Angoulême. Contemporary chroniclers argued that John had fallen deeply in love with her, and John may have been motivated by desire for an apparently beautiful, if rather young, girl (Isabella of Angoulême was either 12 or 14 at the time of their marriage). On the other hand, the Angoumois lands that came with her were strategically vital to John: by marrying Isabella, John was acquiring a key land route between Poitou and Gascony, which significantly strengthened his grip on Aquitaine.Turner, p. 99.
second marriage and consequences 1200–1202 thumb|alt=a photograph of a medieval tomb with a carving of isabella on top she is lying with her hands clasped wearing a blue dress|the effigy of isabella of angoulême john's second wife in fontevraud abbey in france the new peace would last only two years; war recommenced in the aftermath of john's decision in august 1200 to marry isabella of angoulême in order to remarry john first needed to abandon his wife isabella countess of gloucester; the king accomplished this by arguing that he had failed to get the necessary papal dispensation to marry the countess in the first place—as a cousin john could not have legally wedded her without this it remains unclear why john chose to marry isabella of angoulême contemporary chroniclers argued that john had fallen deeply in love with her and john may have been motivated by desire for an apparently beautiful if rather young girl (isabella of angoulême was either 12 or 14 at the time of their marriage) on the other hand the angoumois lands that came with her were strategically vital to john by marrying isabella john was acquiring a key land route between poitou and gascony which significantly strengthened his grip on aquitaineturner p 99