ELEANOR of AQUITAINE

One of the most influential women in 12th century Europe, Eleanor of Aquitaine, debatably, was the most dominant heiress of the Middle Ages. She reigned as both queen of France and queen of England. Eleanor not only survived all but two of her 11 children, she also fought in the Crusades.

For all her prominence and longevity, Eleanor remains mystifying to historians. What is known of her has frequently been gathered from her immediacy to formidable men. But tales of her beauty and power, though ambiguous and often enigmatic, spread far.

In her childhood, Eleanor was crowned as the Duchess of Aquitaine, the biggest and richest region of France, making her the most eligible single of her generation. Later in her life, she gained the title of the queen consort of France and England. Eleanor was educated and established the culture of chivalry. She also played a significant role as a military adviser to her sons.

She was born in 1122, the first of three children of the Duke and Duchess of Aquitaine, who owned the wealthiest province in France. Eleanor’s father made sure that she had a free-thinking rearing to prepare her for her future role as the Duchess of Aquitaine. She conquered many skills, including music, literature, dancing, singing, and was an accomplished rider and hunter. She was also taught to speak and read Latin, although her first language was Poitevin (Acadian French results from a Poitevin-Santongese language blended with French and local modernisms or archaisms). And by all accounts, she was an inquisitive and opinionated young woman.

Eleanor became the heiress of her father’s province at a young age when her mother and four-year-old brother died in the spring of 1130. In 1137, her father passed away, therefore, leaving the tag of Duchess of Aquitaine to his daughter Eleanor along with his extensive lands. Making Eleanor the most eligible single woman in Europe.

Her father passed away when Eleanor was aged 15. Within hours, her chosen guardian, King Louis VI, arranged her marriage to his son and successor, Louis VII. The merger brought the influential house of Aquitaine under the royal banner. In under a week after they married, Louis VI died, and Louis VII and Eleanor became king and queen.

Louis VII was a weak-willed ruler. However, early in his reign, he opposed the pope’s choice of an archbishop and consequently made a formidable enemy. Years later, in a sign of obedience to the church, he offered French troops to fight in the Second Crusades. Eleanor joined him as feudal leader of Aquitaine’s regiment. Folklore has it. She masqueraded herself as an Amazon to lead troops into battle.

They stayed married for a couple of years, and Eleanor bore him a daughter, but not a son. This placed stress on their marriage due to the fear of being left without an heir. Their marriage was now doomed, and Louis faced criticism of Eleanor. A while after, the Pope granted the annulment of their marriage. The custody of their two daughters was given to King Louis VII, and Eleanor continued to rule the Aquitaine.

After the parting, Eleanor stated to a group of barons, ‘Look at me, gentlemen. Is not my body beautiful? The king thought I was the devil,’ according to writer Philippe Mouskes. After 8 weeks of the annulment of Eleanor’s marriage, she married Henry, Duke of Normandy and the future king of England on 18 May 1152. Henry became King of England on October 25, 1154, and Eleanor became his Queen consort after the death of King Stephen.

Their marriage would also prove stormy, but tolerable. Over time, the pair had nine children. One of whom was Richard the Lionheart. Eventually, the royal couple separated. Though the motive for separation was unknown, it’s said that, in late 1166, Henry’s affair with Rosamund Clifford became known to Eleanor, and the marriage became strained. In 1167, Eleanor parted from Henry and left to her lands, Poitier’s. After Eleanor established a court called the Court of love in Poitiers, where she encouraged the ethos of Chivalry and courtly love that had a big impact on literature, music and poetry, literature, and music.

In the early 1170s, Eleanor’s son Henry came to his mother in secrecy with plans to overthrow his father, the king. With Richard in tow, Eleanor agreed to the revolt and promised to encourage the lords of her land to join in. But soon, the king learned of his family’s betrayal and sent guards to arrest his wife, aged 52. So began her 16-year imprisonment.

Henry II, the King of England, passed away on July 6, 1189, and Richard I became King. One of Richard’s first jobs as the king was to discharge his mother from prison and return her to freedom. Eleanor then ruled England as Richard’s regent, when Richard 1 went to fight in the Third Crusade.

Eleanor had a major influence on medieval culture, particularly during this period of her life. Specifically, she is credited for establishing the knightly tradition of chivalry, a custom that took hold in literature and inspired troubadour poetry.

Eleanor retired from public life and became a nun at Fontevraud until she died in 1204, aged 84. Eleanor was buried in Fontevraud Abbey next to her husband Henry and son Richard. Her fellow nuns wrote, ‘She was beautiful and just, imposing and humble and elegant.’ Even they weren’t exactly sure what to make of this regal woman.