Papers > History > Eleanor of Acquitaine
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Eleanor of Acquitaine
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Eleanor of Aquitaine was born in the year 1122, but the month and day are unknown. ...
As a child Eleanor was energetic and determined. ... Eleanor’s character was molded in her early years when her grandfather’s court was the center of western European culture. ... Eleanor also learned a great deal about politics through literature and by listening to the stories told by the Troubadours. “Eleanor absorbed politics by a process of osmosis, just as she had soaked up the literature created by Cercamon, Marcabru, and other Troubadours at her father’s court, and she grew up believing that affairs of the state were a province not necessarily restricted to men”. (3) This is not what her father William X intended, Eleanor was not being geared for authority. ...
At the young age of eight tragedy struck Eleanor’s family. ... Eleanor was left to her own devices and did as she pleased. ...
In 1137, Eleanor’s father William X set out on a pilgrimage to Saint James at Santiago de Compostela. ... He bequeathed his fief to his eldest daughter Eleanor. He also bestowed to his overlord the King of France Louis VI his domain and daughters in hope that he would watch over them until a suitable husband was found for Eleanor. “The Duke therefore made Eleanor a ward of his overlord, Louis VI, King of France, with a view to her marrying the King’s son and heir, another Louis. William knew that Louis VI was the only man with the power, status, and authority to protect Eleanor’s inheritance and safeguard her interests. ... What better match could the King find for Eleanor than his own Son heir to the throne Louis Capet. ... “The Duchess of Eleanor was a prize to draw the covetous attention of ambitious nobles, for the patrimony she inherited from her forebears was one of the goodliest of the feudal world. ...
Eleanor found the transition to her new life in the north extremely challenging. ... “Eleanor found that she was expected to be no more than a decorative asset to her husband, the mother of his heirs and the arbiter of good taste and modesty. ... ” (10) Because Eleanor had such difficulty adjusting to such a restricted role, she began to dream of the day when she might return home. ... ” (11) His devotion to the church was not shared by Eleanor, which caused great difficulties between them. ... Eleanor knew it was her most important duty to provide an heir to the throne. ... “It became apparent only much later how deeply this sexual neglect affected the more worldly and passionate Eleanor”. ... Eleanor was told in no uncertain terms by one of Louis’s key advisor St. ... ” (13) Under any other circumstances this would not have been an offer Eleanor could have accepted, but in this case she was able to get what she wanted most, a child. “Within the year Eleanor was brought to bed and delivered of her first child, a daughter, who was christened Marie.” (14)
Once again, Eleanor finds it extremely hard to behave as she is expected and the lack of diversion only intensifies her boredom. So when Louis announced that he intended to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Jerusalem to visit the tomb of Christ, Eleanor jumped at the opportunity to accompany her husband. ... For Eleanor it was chance to escape her lackluster way of life. ... During the long crusade Eleanor grew tired of her husband’s jealousy and decided that she wanted out of the marriage. Though Louis was still in love with Eleanor he consented to divorce her if it would be allowed.
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Paper Information
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Title: Eleanor of Acquitaine
Words: 3016
Rating: None
Pages: 12.1
submitted by: blondiie310
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