Eleanor of Aquitaine
Any search on powerful or influential women throughout history will bring to light a whole host of interesting stories, but one of the most notable from the Middle Ages is that of Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Eleanor was born in 1122 into a family of wealth and position, who ruled over the province of Aquitaine in South Western France. Her birthright ensured her path was set from an early age, and when her father William, the 10th Duke of Aquitaine, and her brother both died, she as heiress became Duchess of Aquitaine. At the tender age of 15, she was thrust into the spotlight and a position of power, yet she came to this with a childhood spent in a cultured court, and an excellent education. This later led to an interest in the literary world, and she was a well known supporter of poets and writers.
In the meantime, Eleanor was a young lady who, thanks to her inheritance, was a very attractive prospect for a bride. In the Middle Ages, it was still customary to court, and marry ladies young, especially those with vital lands to their name. Although it was a matter of importance, it was also a matter solved quickly, and so soon after her accession, the new Duchess of Aquitaine married Louis, who later became King Louis 7th of France. This was a marriage that was doomed to failure. During their married life they participated in the Second Crusade, one of many quests in the Middle Ages to capture Muslim lands. Louis the 7th was one of the Kings leading the Crusade in 1147, which also involved English, Scottish, German, Flemish, and Norman Crusaders. Eleanor, Louis, and the others, failed in their quest, and this, along with the failure to produce an all important male heir, led to tensions, and ultimately the end of Eleanor’s first marriage.
Her first experience as Queen Consort, wasn’t an altogether happy one, and her second, later brought tensions too. Eight weeks after her divorce, Eleanor married Henry 2nd Of England. Together they made a formidable couple, bringing equal power and land to the marriage, and later a family of 8 children. Henry ascended the throne in 1154, making Eleanor Queen Consort for the 2nd time, playing an active part in the running of Henry’s Empire both in England, and France. Unfortunately, family life wasn’t always as successful, as among their sons was a rebel. Eleanor’s son Henry revolted against his father the King, involving Eleanor in his plans. Husband and wife became estranged, and both mother and son were imprisoned. King Henry died in 1189, and the throne passed to their eldest son, Richard The Lionheart. Richard’s first move was to release his mother from prison, who as Queen Mother, later acted as Regent when her son joined the 3rd Crusade in 1190. It was in later life that she withdrew from English affairs, and returned to her lands in Aquitaine, eventually surviving all her children bar John, who became King when Richard died, and a daughter Eleanor, who was Queen of Castile. Although the exact date of her birth isn’t known, we do know that Eleanor of Aquitaine died on 31st March 1204, leaving behind her a story that has become one of the most famous and enduring of those from the Middle Ages.
