Eleanor of Aquitaine would become one of the wealthiest and most powerful women of the high middle ages. In addition to her birth titles as Duchess of Aquitaine and Countess of Poitiers, Eleanor would also be Queen Consort of both France and England in her lifetime. She was a remarkable woman, and this post will look at her life.
Eleanor's birthplace and date are pretty much unknown. From the knowledge that she was 13 in the Spring of 1137 (though it was also stated that she was 14 in 1136) makes her birthdate somewhere around 1122. Her parents likely married shortly before her birth (in around 1121) because she was the eldest of three children. Her mother died when she was 6. Her father died by the time she was fifteen. This left Eleanor with two titles and a lot of money. This made her one fo the most eligible women in Europe.
She married the King of France, Louis VII, three months after gaining her titles and money. Their rule was marked significantly by France's participation (at Eleanor's urging) in the failed Second Crusade. Soon after the crusade ended, she sought an annulment to her marriage with Louis. The Pope rejected her request. She gave birth to a daughter, Alix, and Louis agreed to an annulment to the marriage. Their marriage was annulled on the grounds of consanguinity, or the belief that they had a common ancestor. Their daughters were declared legitimate heirs, and Louis was awarded full custody. Eleanor was given back her lands and her original two titles.
Shortly after her annulment, she got engaged to Henry Plantagenet, Count of Anjou and Duke of Normandy. They were married less than eight weeks after her annulment. In 1154, Henry ascended to the throne of England, and Eleanor became Queen of the English. Thus, she was Queen again. She bore Henry eight children. The marriage was strained, and the two became estranged. In fact, when their son Henry tried to revolt against his father, Eleanor was imprisoned for supporting him.
She became a widow when Henry died in 1189. Her son, Richard I, immediately released her from her imprisonment. She was then Queen Dowager. After being Queen Dowager, she ruled as regent while Richard I was off fighting the third crusade.
She died in 1204 after outliving all but two of her children. She was 82 years old at the time. Her effigy, depicted above, was decorated with jewels and splendor. In the end, Eleanor was a noble queen and a good ruler. She was steady in her decisions, and showed herself to be a capable monarch. Not only that, she was one of the richest and most powerful women of the high middle ages. That alone makes her significant enough for this post.
Next Time We Will Discuss...
No comments:
Post a Comment