Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine’s life was rich, colorful and complex. It was also one of considerable highs and lows. Indeed, after a bright start to her life, she suffered humiliation and then persecution. However, at an age when most women would have been expected to retire from the public eye and give up their political meddling, Eleanor mounted a stunning comeback. It’s largely due to this resilience and refusal to give up that she is widely regarded as one of the greatest women in British history, even if she was born and raised over the sea in France…
Eleanor was born in the French city of Poitiers in 1124, the daughter of the hugely powerful Duke of Aquitaine. When her fathered died, she became Duchess of Aquitaine at the age of just 15. She was the most eligible woman in all of Europe and was soon wed to King Louis VII of France. Far from being happy to stay at home, she loved to travel and she took part in the Second Crusade. However, the marriage was not a happy one and, in 1152, Eleanor and Louis split, their union annulled on the grounds that they were cousins. Before long, she was engaged to the Duke of Normandy and, two years later, he became King Henry II of England.
Eleanor’s second marriage was a fruitful one. The couple had eight children, even though Henry spent much of his time abroad fighting the Third Crusade. While the King was away, Eleanor took control of the court, and did an excellent job of it. After all, she was 11 year’s her husband’s senior and, by then, a savvy political operator. In 1173, the couple’s sons plotted to overthrow their father. Forced to take sides, Eleanor sided with her sons, perhaps due to her husband’s serial philandering over the years. The revolt failed. Eleanor escaped to France but was soon captured and brought back to England where she was condemned to live the rest of her life under house arrest.
Eleanor spent more than a decade as a semi-prisoner. However, Henry II died in 1189. Eleanor was free, and she launched a spectacular comeback. Before long, she was playing a greater political role than ever before. Not only did she smooth the way for Richard the Lionheart to take the throne, she looked after his kingdom while he was away on Crusade. What’s more, when Richard was captured, it was Eleanor who delivered his ransom in person and brought him back to England. When Richard died in 1199, Eleanor was 80 years old. Still, she would not retire. Richard had not left a successor, so the Plantagenet dynasty was highly vulnerable. Eleanor personally traveled to Spain to fetch her granddaughter to marry an Englishman. The move worked, and Eleanor finally retired. She died in 1204, with the second chapter of her amazing life confirming her as one of the greatest figures in European history.
Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“History of Sir Winston Churchill.” Gov.uk.
“Nixon’s Comeback.” The Richard Nixon Foundation.
“Ulysses S. Grant.” WhiteHouse.gov.
“Abraham Lincoln and Failure.” Snopes.com.
“Napoleon Bonaparte: Top 10 Political Sequels.” Time.com, February 2010.