Eleanor of Aquitaine

Queen consort of France; Queen consort of England; suo jure Duchess of Aquitaine; patroness

Eleanor of Aquitaine (c. 1122 – March 31, 1204) was the daughter of William X of Aquitaine. She had a younger sister called Petronilla of Aquitaine. She brought the province of Aquitaine to England when she married Henry II of England. It stayed under English control for 300 years.

Eleanor of Aquitaine
Queen consort of France
Queen consort of England
Queen Eleanor
Duchess of Aquitaine
Reign9 April 1137 – 1 April 1204
PredecessorWilliam X
SuccessorJohn
Queen consort of France
Tenure1 August 1137 – 21 March 1152
Coronation25 December 1137
Queen consort of England
Tenure19 December 1154 – 6 July 1189
Coronation19 December 1154
Born1122
Poitiers, France
Died1 April 1204 (aged 81/82)
Poitiers, France
Burial
Fontevraud Abbey
Issue
Detail
Marie, Countess of Champagne
Alix, Countess of Blois
William IX, Count of Poitiers
Henry the Young King
Matilda, Duchess of Saxony
Richard I the Lionheart, King of the English
Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany
Leonora, Queen of Castile
Joan, Queen of Sicily
John Lackland, King of England
HouseHouse of Poitiers
FatherWilliam X, Duke of Aquitaine
MotherAenor de Châtellerault

Life change

Eleanor inherited land in France at the age of 15. She married Louis VII of France on July 22, 1137, and had two daughters:

The marriage was later annulled, as there were no male children.

Eleanor then married Henry II of England on May 18, 1152, and had eight children, including:

Eleanor was greatly known for her work in the Second Crusade, for she inspired many people to join.

Eleanor supported a revolt by her children against their father's rule in 1173. This revolt was unsuccessful, and King Henry II was so furious that he locked her away in a prison. In 1189, after King Henry II died and her son, Richard, came to be the king, Eleanor was freed. Shortly after, Richard died so she supported her son John to take the English throne against the claim of her grandson Arthur of Brittany. In 1202 during the campaign at Mairebeau, she continued to thwart Arthur. Emerging triumphant, Eleanor retired to a monastery. She died there on April 1, 1204.[1][2][3]

References change

  1. "Eleanor of Aquitaine." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Biography In Context. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.
  2. "Eleanor of Aquitaine." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.
  3. "Eleanor of Aquitaine." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.

Other websites change

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