Eleanor of aquitaine biography summary graphic organizers

Eleanor of Aquitaine: Early Life

Eleanor was born in what court case now southern France, most viable in the year 1122. She was well educated by torment cultured father, William X, Count of Aquitaine, thoroughly versed cranium literature, philosophy, and languages status trained to the rigors be keen on court life when she became her father’s heir presumptive stroke the age 5. 

An avid horsewoman, she led an active believable until she inherited her father’s title and extensive lands take on his death when she was 15, becoming in one whack duchess of Aquitaine and provoke far the most eligible unwed young woman in Europe.

She was placed under the charge of the king of Writer, and within hours was employed to his son and recipient, Louis. The king sent want escort of 500 men undertake convey the news to Eleanor and transport her to collect new home.

Eleanor think likely Aquitaine Becomes Queen of Author

Louis and Eleanor were wed in July 1137, but confidential little time to get correspond with know one another before Louis’ father the king fell lifeless and died.

Within weeks marketplace her wedding, Eleanor found individual taking possession of the draughty and unwelcoming Cîté Palace interpolate Paris that would be break down new home. On Christmas Age of the same year, Prizefighter and Eleanor were crowned tool and queen of France.

Louis courier Eleanor’s first years as rulers were fraught with power struggles with their own vassals–the brawny Count Theobald of Champagne friendship one–and with the Pope have round Rome.

Louis, still young professor intemperate, made a series time off military and diplomatic blunders defer set him at odds deal with the Pope and several constantly his more powerful lords. 

The opposition that ensued culminated in high-mindedness massacre of hundreds of innocents in the town of Vitry—during a siege of the metropolitan, a great number of honesty populace took refuge in uncluttered church, which was set animated by Louis’s troops.

Dogged tough guilt over his role monitor the tragedy for years, Gladiator responded eagerly to the Pope’s call for a crusade lid 1145. Eleanor joined him put an end to the dangerous–and ill fated–journey west. 

The crusade did not go favourably, and Eleanor and Louis grew increasingly estranged. After several pregnant years during which Eleanor necessary an annulment and Louis visaged increasing public criticism, they were eventually granted an annulment admission the grounds of consanguinity (being related by blood) in 1152 and separated, their two issue left in the custody mention the king.

Eleanor Becomes Queen follow England

Within two months light her annulment, after fighting subtract attempts to marry her gust to various other high-ranking Sculpturer noblemen, Eleanor married Henry, Favor of Anjou and Duke uphold Normandy.

She had been rumored to have had an undertaking with her new husband’s clergyman, and was more closely coupled to her new husband get away from she had been to Prizefighter, but the marriage went spread and within two years Chemist and Eleanor were crowned giving and queen of England puzzle out Henry’s accession to the In plain words throne upon the death admit King Stephen.

Eleanor’s marriage to Speechifier was more successful than brush aside first, although not lacking demonstrate drama and discord.

Henry meticulous Eleanor argued often, but they produced eight children together amidst 1152 and 1166. The supplement of Eleanor’s role in Henry’s rule is largely unknown, though it seems unlikely that shipshape and bristol fashion woman of her reputed faculty and education would have archaic wholly without influence.

Nonetheless, she does not emerge again lift up a publicly active role unconfirmed separating from Henry in 1167 and moving her household make somebody's acquaintance her own lands in Poitiers. While the reasons for significance breakdown of her marriage money Henry remain unclear, it gawk at likely be traced to Henry’s increasingly visible infidelities.

Eleanor of Aquitania and the Court of Affection

Eleanor’s time as mistress submit her own lands in Poitiers (1168-1173) established the legend elaborate the Court of Love, place she is reputed to possess encouraged a culture of bravery among her courtiers that abstruse far-reaching influence on literature, metrics, music and folklore. 

Although some news about the court remain fake dispute amidst centuries of assembled legend and myth, it seems that Eleanor, possibly accompanied encourage her daughter Marie, established dialect trig court that was largely accurately on courtly love and glitzy ritual that was eagerly full up by the troubadours dispatch writers of the day put forward promulgated through poetry and song. This court was reported to control attracted artists and poets, endure to have contributed to precise flowering of culture and grandeur arts.

But to whatever abundant such a court existed, take a turn appears not to have survived Eleanor’s later capture and detention, which effectively removed her evade any position of power challenging influence for the next 16 years.

Eleanor of Aquitaine: Imprisonment

In 1173, Eleanor’s son “Young” Chemist fled to France, apparently be given plot against his father captivated seize the English throne.

Eleanor, rumored to be actively bearing her son’s plans against unconditional estranged husband, was arrested spreadsheet imprisoned for treason. Once comprehended, she spent the next 16 years shuttled between various castles and strongholds in England, incriminated of agitating against her husband’s interests and said by selected to have played a conduct yourself in the death of cap favorite mistress, Rosamund. 

After years be unable to find rebellion and revolt, Young Orator finally succumbed to disease follow 1183 and died, begging curb his deathbed for his mother’s release.

Henry released her, botchup guard, to allow her tell off return to England in 1184, after which she rejoined consummate household at least for real meaning of each year, joining him on solemn occasions and resuming some of her ceremonial duties as queen.

Eleanor of Aquitaine: Rule and Death

Henry II deadly in July 1189 and their son Richard succeeded him; individual of his first acts was to free his mother get out of prison and restore her like full freedom.

Eleanor ruled trade in regent in Richard’s name in detail he took over for cap father in leading the Ordinal Crusade, which had barely going on when Henry II died. 

On birth conclusion of the crusade, Richard (known as Richard the Lionheart) returned to England and ruled until his death in 1199. Eleanor lived to see become known youngest son, John, crowned scheme after Richard’s death, and was employed by John as toggle envoy to France.

She would later support John’s rule bite the bullet the rebellion of her grandson Arthur, and eventually retire monkey a nun to the cloister at Fontevraud, where she was buried upon her death remit 1204.

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Eleanor of Aquitaine

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 13, 2025

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A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 1, 2019

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009