In order for a woman who lived hundreds of years ago to have her name written in history and still be mentioned today, she had to be either noble, marry an important person or her son had to be an important person. When all of these happen at the same time, an invincible figure emerges. This figure in Europe is Eleanor of Aquitaine. Eleanor of Aquitaine; She became the Duchess of Aquitaine, the Queen of France, the Queen of England, and the mother of the English king, respectively.
Eleanor of Aquitaine had innumerable birthrights because she was of nobility. Later marriages increased these rights, she. But his character was also quite interesting. Eleanor of Aquitaine participated in the Crusades and even came to Anatolia with her female soldiers. Let’s take a closer look at the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who even served a term in prison for her rebellious spirit.
Who is Eleanor of Aquitaine? Well-educated daughter of a noble family:
Although the exact date of birth of Eleanor is not known, we can say that she was born in 1122, when we look at the years in which her age is mentioned in the historical records. Eleanor is the eldest of three children of William X, Duke of Aquitaine. Eleanor’s name comes from her mother. The name, which is formed by combining the Latin words Alie Aenor, means Other Aenor.
At that time, France was divided into certain parts, and since the largest of these parts was Aquitaine, the owner William was an extremely powerful person. Thanks to this power, he has ensured that all his children receive a good education. Eleanor received an education far superior to the noble boys of her time in many different subjects, especially in science, art and social sciences, at a young age.
Her father, who had thought years ago that it was necessary to protect Eleanor, who became the Duchess of Aquitaine after her father’s death in 1137, sent her and her other daughters to King VI of France. He gave it to Louis. When the king, known as Louis the Fat, was about to die, he did not miss this opportunity and married Eleanor to his son, who will soon take the throne. With this marriage, Eleanor, the owner of the largest lands in France, was included in the royal.
Eleanor of Aquitaine participated in the Crusades, but not as queen:
King Louis VII the Younger. With her accession to the throne as Louis, Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine, gained another title and became Queen of France. Life as queen was very difficult for Eleanor. Paris was very cold and therefore the first domestic fireplaces were invented during this period. The king was a clergyman, and Eleanor felt as if she had married a monk. The queen was expected to give birth to an heir, but had no children for 8 years. By then, they had two daughters.
In the midst of all this turmoil, the Crusades were called, and the king announced his participation. When Eleanor insisted on coming with him, a solution was found. Clairvaux’s St. As Duchess of Aquitaine, Eleanor was allowed to join the campaign by Bernard. Elenaor would not go alone this time. Next to him were female knights called Amazons. These female warriors are a first in European history.
The Crusades were a complete disaster for Christians. The king and queen, who returned to France flocking their feet, broke the last ties between them with the birth of their second daughter. After 15 years of marriage, in 1150 King VII. Louis and Eleanor are divorced. Eleanor was a strong woman, not just for France, but for all of Europe. A new marriage took place recently.
Eleanor of Aquitaine becomes Queen of England:
Learning that Henry, then Duke of Normandy, wanted to marry her, Eleanor agreed and they were married in March 1152. At that time, England was in great turmoil. Everyone was fighting with each other and it was a real question mark who would take the throne. The winner of this confusion was Henry, and in 1153 he took the throne of England and II. He became king by the name of Henry.
Eleanor had become Queen of England, but even in the background she could not interfere in politics because her mother-in-law was a stronger woman than herself. By 1166, Eleanor and Henry had seven children. The fact that five of them were men was good news for everyone, because every throne needs an heir.
Eleanor is devoted to love and the arts:
Although we soften it as love, Eleanor was actually a woman who was considered perverted at the time. Eleanor encouraged art, as it was accepted that love and art were intertwined during this period. The patronage system, whose name we will hear frequently in the following years, emerged in this period.
The reason why the walnuts that Eleanor cracked with the title of Queen of England are so important is that they were examined in depth in the court where she appeared after the events that we will describe in a moment. These courts are also referred to as the Love Courts by some historians, since the activities of Eleanor and her companions in Aquitaine were examined.
A queen who rebelled against the king with her sons:
When Eleanor returned from a visit to Aquitaine one day, she learned that the king had pledged her lands without asking her. Thereupon, a rebellion started, led by his sons. Eleanor was in the background giving great support to this rebellion. The revolt was suppressed by the king. The sons were pardoned, but Eleanor was not pardoned and was sent to prison. His prison sentence lasted 16 years.
In 1189, King II. Eleanor’s prison life came to an end when Henry died and was succeeded by her son, who will be known in history as Richard the Lionheart. Richard’s heart was a lion, but no force could resist such a strong mother figure. For 10 years after he took the throne, England was ruled not by Richard but by his mother, Eleanor.
The death of Europe’s most powerful woman:
Eleanor, who rescued Richard, who was captured on his return from a Crusade, in return for a large ransom, could not prevent him from dying of simple wounds in 1199. Eleanor’s other son, John, who succeeded him on the throne, would be referred to in history as John the Homeless.
Eleanor, who retired to Fontevraud Abbey and was included in the administration while John was on the throne before retiring, died quietly in this monastery where she stayed in 1204. Eleanor, who outlived her husbands, many children, and even some grandchildren, had 51 grandchildren when she died. These descendants took the throne in different countries of Europe and held the helm of the continent for hundreds of years.
We tried to get to know this important name better by telling the exciting life story of Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most powerful female figures of Medieval Europe. You can share your thoughts about the story of this extraordinary woman in the comments.
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