Eleanor of Aquitaine Essay - 1072 Words

Eleanor of Aquitaine In an age when men were considered to be superior to women, Eleanor of Aquitaine proved that conclusion wrong by becoming one the greatest queens ever known in history, first as the Queen of France and later as the Queen of England. But many queens during the medieval ages were not able to accomplish what Eleanor did in her lifetime. How did Eleanor become such a powerful queen during the period in which she lived. Eleanor was the eldest of three offspring of William X, the Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitiers (also one of the first Troubadours poets) and Eleanor Chatelleraul de Rochefourcaulb. As a child, Eleanor was educated in subjects girls were not supposed to learn. For example, she learned how to read†¦show more content†¦After returning to France , Eleanor found a way to divorce Louis by announcing to the Church that her marriage to Louis could not be legal in the eyes of God since they were cousins. The marriage was annulled in 1152. Following medieval custom, all of Eleanors property was then returned to her. Eleanor did not allow her failed marriage with Louis to hold her back. She always had her eyes on the future, shown by the way she was able to escape a bad marriage. Six weeks later she married Henry, the future King of England. Shortly after their marriage Eleanor gave birth to Henry, their first heir, but he died later. With Henry, she had the total of eight children: William, Henry, Matilda, Richard, Geoffrey, Eleanor, Joan, and John. Eleanor would often serve as Regent whenever Henry would travel to other countries. By serving as Regent, Eleanor showned the world that she was very knowledgeable in politics. Even with all the different events going on in her life, Eleanor was still able to play an active role as the Duchess of Aquitaine. When her marriage to Henry began to fall apart, Eleanor kept busy by contributing to the rules of â€Å"courtly love.† She also spent most of her time finding powerful men to marry her daughters. Matilda married Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria ; Eleanor married Alfonso VIII, King of Sicily, and later married Raymond VI, Count of Toulouse. Eleanor also played an active role in the lives of her sons.Show MoreRelatedEssay on Eleanor of Aquitaine1310 Words   |  6 PagesEleanor of Aquitaine When viewing the Middle Ages, it is often assumed that women had little if no political power. However, there are certain women that still stand out in the minds of historians, regardless of whether they are queens or commoners. These women ruled vast domains either directly or indirectly, and have influenced many other women to do the same. One such figure was Eleanor of Aquitaine. 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Adapted from his stage play of the same title, author James Goldman provides a fictional, but plausible, account of intra-family deceit and political conniving within the large and powerful Angevin Empire, which spanned much of the land that is now Britain, and much of what is now Northeastern France, within the medieval world. Directed and edited by AnthonyRead MoreKing Richard I Essay1016 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Lionheart† was the Duke of Aquitaine, Poitiers, and Normandy. The count of Anjou and his later in his years The king of England. He was the son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. King Richard was born In Oxford, England on September 8, 1157, according to Geoffrey Wallis Steuart Barrow (2017). Hickman has stated in â€Å"Crusades: King Richard I the Lionheart of England† that He was the third son of King Henry II and was belie ved to be the favorite son of Eleanor of Aquitaine. He was smart, had a very