Eleanor Of Aquitaine Research Paper

Brooklynn Reynolds

English Honors White II

Ms. Jones

3 January 2017

Eleanor of Aquitaine Eleanor of Aquitaine was born in the year 1122 in what is now known as southern France. She was a member of the Ramnulfid dynasty of leaders along with her family. Around the year 1130, when she was only about eight years old, Eleanor’s mother Aenor and brother William died. Just seven years later, her father William X, Duke of Aquitaine, died. This left the areas of Aquitaine and Poitou in her hands, since she was the oldest of William X’s three children. “Inheriting a vast estate at the age of 15 made her the most sought-after bride of her generation” (Eleanor of Aquitaine). During her sovereignty, she became the queen of France, the queen of England,

After Eleanor’s mother and brother died, Eleanor’s father became progressively aggressive and tenacious (Sapet 26). Eleanor was then placed in the guidance of her father and grandmother (Kaplan 17). Even though he seemed to have had a bad temper, Eleanor was well educated by her knowledgeable father (Eleanor of Aquitaine). She was comprehensively skilled in philosophy, literature, and languages and educated to the rigors of court life when she became her father’s successor (Eleanor of Aquitaine). Eleanor led an energetic life up until she inherited her father’s heading and wide-ranging lands upon his passing when she was fifteen, becoming Duchess of Aquitaine and by far the most fitting single young woman in Europe (Eleanor of Aquitaine). After her father’s death, she was put under the supervision of the king of France, and within hours was engaged to his son and inheritor, Louis. The king directed defenders of 500 men to carry the news to Eleanor and redirect her to her new household (Eleanor of

Henry was also well known as being France’s enemy (Bard). Within two years after their marriage, Henry and Eleanor were crowned king and queen of England after Henry’s agreement to the English authority upon the passing of King Stephen (Eleanor of Aquitaine). Eleanor and Henry produced five sons and three daughters, a total of eight children. Although Eleanor’s second marriage seemed to have gone better than her first, she and Henry still argued very often. “After Henry publicly displayed his love for another woman, Rosamond Clifford, Eleanor left him” (Kaplan 75). Eleanor and Henry separated, and Eleanor moved her household to her own lands in Poitiers (Eleanor of Aquitaine). It took about seven ships to carry all her things back home with her (Kaplan 75). Even though Eleanor was now on her own again, she used the control of her own province to recover both her wealth and her freedom (Kaplan