Eleanor of Aquitaine

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Eleanor of Aquitaine
There have been many historic women have had a great impact on modern day society. We have come to recognize them as key parts of our past, and without them the world would not be as it is. One of these women whom we recognize is Eleanor of Aquitaine. Eleanor of Aquitaine is known as one of the most successful women in history because of her valiant efforts to reform medieval England.

Eleanor of Aquitaine was born in 1122 . She grew up in Poiters, France, where she was always surrounded by poets, artists, and other educated peoples . Numerous suitors attempted to woo her . Her childhood was rich and full of exquisite fortunes .

However, all lives must eventually come to an end. In 1204 she died at the age of eighty-two, which was an extraordinary age at the time . Her corpse may still be in Fontervrault Abbey, her cherished rest and recuperation abode .

Eleanor’s first taste of great power was as the Queen of France. At the youthful age of fifteen she was whisked away to become the Queen of Louis VII . After several years the marriage crumbled . The two talked about divorce . Eleanor asked the Church for an annulment on grounds that they were fourth cousins, and Louis did not attempt to argue . Louis and Eleanor were granted the annulment in 1152 .

Henry Plantagenet, heir to the throne of England, had already stolen Eleanor’s heart, despite the fact that she was twelve years older than he was . A mere six weeks after the annulment, she and Henry got married at Bordeaux . In 1154 they were crown King and Queen of England in Westminster Abbey . After she was crowned, she was addressed as “Eleanor, by the grace of God, Queen of England.” The occupancy of the throne is what gave her the power to complete her goals, though she most likely would have somehow risen to impose her ideas anyhow.

Most of Eleanor’s life was devoted to child- bearing . Her first son by Henry was William . William was born in Normandy, but died at a young age in 1183 . She had eight children after William . In order from eldest to youngest they were Matilda, Henry, Richard, Geoffrey, John, Eleanor, and Joanna . Richard was Queen Eleanor’s favorite child . King Henry’s favorite child was John .

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