They were showing the recent remake of The Lion in Winter last night so I thought I should profile her today.

Born around 1122, Eleanor was the daughter of William X, duke of Aquitaine and count of Poitiers. Upon her father’s death in 1137, Eleanor inherited Aquitaine and Poitiers. That same year, at the age of 15, she married Louis VII, King of France.

Eleanor was a very intelligent woman; many considered her superior in intellect to her husband. Eleanor was lively and educated, courageous and passionate, whereas Louis was considered grave and pious. In fact, Eleanor and her retinue, dressed in battle attire, joined Louis VII on the Second Crusade.

On their journey to the Holy Land, they first stopped at Antioch, where Eleanor’s uncle, Raymond of Tripoli, had been appointed prince of the city. Raymond advised against their previous plans and, attempting to heed his advice, Eleanor refused to continue with her husband to Jersualem, threatening divorce. Louis, however, took her by force. The expedition failed and both returned to France in separate ships. While the marriage continued for a time, the couple finally separated after the birth of their second daughter. The marriage was annulled in 1152 and Eleanor’s vast estates reverted back to her control.

Six weeks after her divorce, Eleanor married Henry, duke of Normandy, who soon afterwards became Henry II of England. During her marriage to Henry, Eleanor continued to rule Aquitaine, which consisted of Guienne and Gascony. Eleanor bore Henry five sons and three daughters, including Richard Coeur de Lion (Richard the Lionhearted), who ruled England from 1189 - 1199 and John Lackland who ruled from 1199 - 1216.

In 1169, disgusted by Henry's numerous infidelities, she set up her own court in Poitiers, which soon became a center of culture with many troubadours, musicians and scholars in residence. In 1173, she encouraged her sons to rebel against their father, giving them military support. The revolt failed and Eleanor was thrown into prison, where she remained for sixteen years, until her husband’s death. (It is during this imprisonment the fictional The Lion in Winter takes place) In 1189 she was released from prison by order of her son, Richard, when he took the throne. Richard then named her as regent when he want on crusade.

While she undoubtedly underwent much deprivation during her imprisonment, she did not, when she obtained power, use it to punish her enemies, but rather devoted herself to deeds of mercy and piety, going from city to city, setting free all persons confined for violating the game laws, which in the latter part of Henry’s life, were cruelly enforced. In 1202, Eleanor retired to the monastery at Fontevrault, Anjou, in NorthWest France where she died in 1204. She is buried in Fontevrault Abbey next to Henry II with her beloved son, Richard, nearby. The image of her on her tomb (seen above) is the only authorized likeness that was made in her lifetime.

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Posted by: Lou at March 17, 2005 5:05 PM

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