Eleanor of Aquitaine\'s Colorful Life Was Mostly

Eleanor of Aquitaine's colorful life was mostly chronicled by her detractors and enemies and therefore, unfortunately little is actually known about Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most remarkable women in medieval European history. Most recorded history was penned by the hands of men and as a result figures like Eleanor are viewed only through the lens of their patriarchal societies. However, several authors pay tribute to Eleanor as a strong female leader. Although most of her life is validated only because of her relationships to powerful men, Eleanor was a force in her own right. The section "Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Wrath of God" presents several histories of Eleanor, each of which describes a certain specific aspect of her life.

Eleanor was born Duchess of Aquitaine and Countess of Poitou. Her noble blood led to her marriage to the future king of France, Louis the VII. She married Louis when she was fifteen years old. The marriage was essentially part of an agreement between the royal family and her late father's estate, a marriage of social convenience and political expedience. Eleanor's first marriage revealed much about her personality. For example, when King Louis forged the second crusades in the Middle East, Eleanor insisted on coming along as a fellow warrior. However, their marriage soon fell apart. Eleanor and her uncle Raymond of Poitiers, who was also Prince of Antioch, flirted openly enough to arouse the anger and suspicion of the King. Chroniclers like William of Tyre and John of Salisbury accuse Eleanor of outright adultery with Raymond. The excerpt "Eleanor and the Chroniclers" shows that Eleanor was viewed negatively by William of Tyre and John of Salisbury.

In her article "Eleanor, the Queen of Hearts," Amy Kelly describes the heyday of Eleanor's life, the period after which she divorced King Louis VII of France. After the divorce, Eleanor returned to her homeland of Poitou and within two months married Henry, the Duke of Normandy. Expanding her social, familial, and territorial ties, Eleanor started a family and created a quintessentially medieval court filled with romance and the arts. While Eleanor could not accomplish much in terms of political decisions because of her gender, she could control her own household. Eleanor instated a literal court of romance in which petitioners would voice their relationship issues and receive official guidance. Music filled Eleanor's court, and the Duchess cultivated relationships with her male and female children, including Marie, Countess of Champagne. Eleanor would also bear two kings: "good" King Richard and "bad" King John. Marion Meade completes the portrait of Eleanor by describing the downside of her family life. Treachery was common in the Middle Ages, especially among noble families whose sons vied for their inheritance rights. Eleanor was also imprisoned by her husband now King Henry II of England. Her two sons plotted against their father and helped release their mother. The late years of Eleanor's life was unfortunately caught up with such complex and treacherous family and political affairs. Through it all, her sons remained loyal to her, which indicates much about the true nature of Eleanor's personality and her impact on her family.