Eleanor of Aquitaine

The Legendary 12th Century Queen

Who Was Eleanor of Aquitaine?

Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204) was perhaps the most powerful woman in 12th century Europe, inheriting vast swathes of land and wealth as Duchess of Aquitaine in her adolescent years. She leveraged her power and prominence into two pivotal queenships, first wedding King Louis VII of France in 1137 at only age 15 to become Queen Consort, then marrying Henry of Anjou after getting her first marriage annulled in 1152, following his coronation as King Henry II of England. This second union resulted in her bearing several influential royal sons like Richard the Lionheart and King John. Throughout her long and remarkable life, Eleanor played crucial roles in decade-spanning political conflicts as Queen and Mother while also championing patronage of medieval arts and culture.

Born Into Nobility in France’s Aquitaine Region

Eleanor was born in 1122, eldest daughter to Duke William X of Aquitaine, ruler of extensive lands across western and southwestern France. As nobility, she received an esteemed early education in languages, music, literature and riding, preparing for future leadership. Under Frankish inheritance laws at the time, women could inherit lands and titles in their own right as heiresses.

Sudden Inheritance Transforms Teenage Eleanor into a Powerful Duchess

When Duke William died in 1137, 15-year old Eleanor rose to power as the new reigning Duchess of Aquitaine, gaining control over the duchy’s sweeping holdings including Aquitaine proper, Poitou, Gascony and Bordeaux – coveted lands encompassing a vast region larger than modern France. Now the most eligible and desirable heiress in all of 12th century Europe, Eleanor swiftly found herself highly sought-after by nobles and royals seeking to benefit from access to her immense assets via marriage alliances.

A Strategic Royal Union with the King of France

In 1137, at the mere age of 15, Eleanor was wed to the King of France, Louis VII, in a prestigious political match. This marriage granted her the eminent title of Queen Consort of France and allowed King Louis to incorporate her substantial Aquitaine lands into his royal demesne. Though a successful dynastic alliance at first, the union confronted challenges during its early years.

Accompanying the Momentous Second Crusade

As King Louis VII led the Second Crusade between 1147-1149 seeking to reclaim the Holy Land, Queen Eleanor convinced him to allow her to accompany the royal crusader contingent. Eleanor travelled through Byzantium and on to the Holy Land along with 300 of her ladies-in-waiting, exerting considerable influence over moral and strategy. Her rumoured affair with her uncle, Raymond of Poitiers, during this legendary endeavour, however, introduced strains into her marriage with Louis.

Dissolution on Questionable Grounds

After 15 years without producing a male heir, Eleanor’s high-profile royal marriage ultimately dissolved. While the reasons remain ambiguous in the historical record, the Papacy controversially granted an annulment in March 1152, potentially on grounds of consanguinity. Nonetheless, the two monarchs would remain connected through years of dispute over control of the wealthy Aquitaine province.

Her Swift Betrothal to Henry of Anjou

Becoming Queen Consort of England

Henry of Anjou’s subsequent coronation as King Henry II of England in 1154 saw Eleanor crowned Queen Consort once more following their swift marriage just two years prior. This began a period of consolidation of the Plantagenet dynastic empire, with Henry gaining control over England, Normandy, Anjou and Aquitaine by 1160 with Eleanor directly holding the latter as her duchy.

The Early Bearing of Many Sons over 13 Years

As Henry II focused on expanding his kingdom through war and diplomacy, Eleanor busied herself bearing his male heirs to secure the succession. She gave birth to eight children over thirteen years, including the ill-fated Henry the Young King in 1155, Richard I born in 1157, and John, born in 1166, who would later sit on the English throne himself as King John “Lackland”.

Wielding Influence as Queen and Administering Aquitaine

Though often apart from her husband conducting his campaigns, Eleanor actively wielded influence as Queen consort of England in court and council during her fertile decades. She also directly governed her sizeable duchy of Aquitaine for decades, where she promoted a rich artistic culture amongst the nobility, encouraged courtly love and troubadour lyric poetry, and became renowned as a protective patron.

Later Conflicts with Henry and Imprisonment

As she entered her mature years with grown sons, major conflicts emerged between Eleanor and King Henry II from the 1170s onward, centered around succession rights and autonomy over Aquitaine. By the 1180s these disputes deteriorated dramatically, prompting Henry to effectively place his Queen under house arrest within various English castles for up to sixteen years until the King’s death.

Clashes with Richard I, the Lionheart

Schemeing in Support of John “Lackland”

Eleanor’s loyalty swung decisively in favour of John once Richard named him as rightful heir to England and its French territories. She campaigned actively on John’s behalf to secure lands and titles for him in the final years of King Richard I’s reign. This would ultimately pay off when John succeeded his brother in 1199, taking the crown as King John.

Ongoing Imprisonment into Extreme Old Age

Despite briefly regaining authority with John’s accession, by 1200 Eleanor once again found herself tightly controlled and incarcerated following disputes over her attempts to expand territorial claims in Aquitaine into Toulouse on her son’s behalf. By this time in her mid-70s, she would spend most of the remainder of her remarkably long life confined by John, enduring a final imprisonment that lasted between 1202 until her death aged 82 in April 1204. She was entombed at the abbey in Fontevraud.

Legacy of a Formidable Queen

Though the last fifteen years of her life passed as a lonely captive widow, Eleanor of Aquitaine’s dramatic career trajectory as Queen of both Louis VII and later Henry II left a bold legacy. She not only reigned over Aquitaine with keen authority but also birthed multiple sons that included the infamous English crusading monarch Richard the Lionheart and the much-maligned King John, hugely impacting the beleaguered later Plantagenet era.