Eleanor of Aquitaine

Lore & Background

Eleanor became duchess upon her father's death in 1137. Later that year, she married Louis, son of King Louis VI of France. Shortly afterwards, Eleanor's father-in-law died and her husband became king, making her queen consort. Louis VII and Eleanor had two daughters, Marie and Alix.

During the Second Crusade, Eleanor accompanied Louis to the Holy Land. Pope Eugene III rejected an initial request in 1149 for an annulment of the marriage on grounds of consanguinity. In 1152, the marriage was annulled on those same grounds of consanguinity, not because Eleanor had failed to bear a male heir. Their daughters were declared legitimate by Pope Eugene III, custody was awarded to Louis, and Eleanor retained custody of her lands and titles.

In the same year, Eleanor married Henry, the Duke of Normandy. In 1154, Henry and Eleanor became king and queen of England. The couple had five sons and three daughters, but they eventually became estranged. Henry imprisoned Eleanor for supporting the 1173 revolt against him by their sons Young Henry, Richard and Geoffrey.

She was not released until 1189, when Henry II died and Richard I ascended the throne. As queen dowager, Eleanor acted as regent during Richard's long absences from England and France. On Richard's death in 1199, she successfully campaigned for his younger brother John to succeed him. After continuing turmoil between the French and English kings and the successive loss of the lands she and Henry II had once ruled over, she died in 1204 and was buried in Fontevraud Abbey in France.

Reader's Guide

Eleanor is a character defined by her immense starting power as Duchess of Aquitaine, one of the wealthiest and most powerful vassal states within France. Her primary challenge involves navigating the treacherous waters of marriage alliances and succession crises. Players must manage her relationships with powerful husbands like Louis VII or Henry II, balancing diplomacy with the risk of rebellion from ambitious children. Key turning points include the annulment of her first marriage in 1152 after fifteen years and no male heir, and her imprisonment by Henry II for supporting the 1173 revolt by their sons Young Henry, Richard and Geoffrey. She was not released until 1189. As queen dowager, she acted as regent during Richard's long absences. Her skills lie in stewardship and political maneuvering, allowing her to navigate the complex court politics of both France and England.

Did You Know?

• Eleanor's year of birth is not known precisely; the first mention of her is found in a document from July 1129, and tradition places her birth during one of her parents' visits to Bordeaux, likely at her father's nearby castle of Belin.
• She was named for her mother Aénor and baptised as Aliénor from the Latin alia Ænor, which means 'the other Aénor'.