Index of All Sites About Me

Here I will list websites that offer a wealth of information about me. The websites will be categorized based on specific criteria.

For example, someone who is interested solely in factual accounts of my life will scroll to that category and those who just enjoy receiving interesting trivia and lively discussion about my life will scroll to that category.

So far I the only category I have up is ‘Basic Background’. But more will be forthcoming.

Basic Background Sites

• Someone unfamiliar with my life can get a general feel for my era and legacy through my wikipedia page--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine
• This BBC news sponsored page on me provides a succinct account of the events of my life--http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/eleanor_of_aquitaine.shtml
• This site provides little bit more in depth information about me, they provide the additional bonus of separating out the different eras within my life such as for example my tenure as Queen of France--http://www.french-at-a-touch.com/French_History/eleanor_of_aquitaine.htm
• This site also provides a relatively more in depth biography of me, again separating our different eras of my life, very easy to read and engaging--http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/plantagenet_19.htm

My Sister's Life Story

Petronilla of Aquitaine was my sister and second daughter of William X, Duke of Aquitaine and Aenor Chatellerault. She was older sister to my little brother William Aigret who died early.

She was a close playmate. And we were inseparable. Traveling with me and our father's court, she  was exposed to troubadour art and other culture in our native Aquitaine. She spoke the language Provencal and was given  a few lessons in latin alongside me. Our mother died when she was 5 or 6. She was a great comfort to me then, as always.

Petronilla came with me to France after I wed French King Louis VII. There she fell in love with a married man Raoul of Vermandois who was a first cousin of my's husband's father, therefore making Raoul a distant relation of the French royal family. Raoul was around 40 years older than her.

Since he was a married man and he repudiated his marriage to marry Petronilla, the pair were promptly exocommunicated by the Pope. In the words of wikipedia, 'Hostilities flared, and Louis VII infamously burned Vitry-le-François'. The exocommunication was lifted by the next pope. But this was not to be the last tragedy of Petronilla's life. Raoul divorced her eleven years after they were married and he married again.

Since her marriage to Raoul she was referred to as Alix or Aelith. Two of her children with Raoul led  lives riddled with tragedy. Her daughter Elizabeth married Philip, Count of Flanders. Elizabeth was later found guilty of adultery and her lover was beaten to death. Elizabeth died childless.

Her son Raoul died of leprosy and was also childless. She also had a second daughter named Eleanor. 

In the words of wikipedia, 'It is believed that she came down with a fever on her voyage from England back to France and died in early 1190 before her arrival at port'

Despite all the tragedies of her life. She was a friend to me always and the dearest sister anyone could ask for. 

Fair Rosamund Video

There have been many scandalous rumors made about me and my behavior. Although I deny any wrongdoing, poets and writers continue to slander my image. They paint me as a villainess, a jealous witch who although beautiful was jealous of someone more beautiful. They are adept at using poetic language to mask the stench of their lies as they produce a tangled web of drama, beauty and cunning out of my rival's life.

Rosamund was her name, and although she was a 'rival' to me, as my husband's mistress, I never hated her. She was just a girl, Henry was the real culprit. I never harmed her. I was actually saddened to hear of her untimely death, for she was truly beautiful and had a long life ahead of her. So here is this tribute to her and to me, shedding light on both of our mistold stories. Enjoy the video!!!

Assorted Praise for Myself

I'm never one to indulge in my own praise, but for those of you who enjoy poetry. Here is a compilation of assorted praise made of me by people who hadn't even looked at me, some people miles away who had heard word of my great beauty and saw fit to write.....

From the Carmina Burana, a collection of student songs:

If all the world were mine

From the seashore to the Rhine,

That price were not too high

To have England's Queen lie

Close in my arms

Anonymous German:

The sweet young Queen

Draws the thoughts of of all upon her

As sirens lure the witless mariners

Upon the reef.

Tribute to Eleanor from Roman de Troie

For my presumption, shall I be chid

By her whose kindness show no bounds?

Highborn lady, excellent and valiant,

True, understanding, noble,

Ruled by right and justice,

Queen of beauty and largesse,

By whose example many ladies

Are upheld in emulous right-doing;

In whom all learning lodges,

Whose equal in no peer is found.

Rich lady of the wealthy King,

No ill, no ire, no sadness

Mars your goodly reign.

May all your days be joy.

Philippe de Thaun:

God save Lady Eleanor, Queen, who is the arbiter

Of honour, wit and beauty,

Of largessse and loyalty.

Lady, born were you in a happy hour

And wed to Henry, King.

Unknown Troubadour

He who sees her lead the dance

Sees her body twist and twirl

Can see that in all the world

For beauty there's no equal

of the Queen of Joy!

From afar the Prince has come/come to interrupt the dance

For he fears no other man

May boldly seize the chance

to wed the April Queen

• 
  

Immense thanks to historian Alison Weir from whose novel I acquired some of this poetry!!!! Thanks to Trace Tyler who showed me the last poem of this compilation!!!

Alison Weir

Wors Cited

• Weir, Alison Eleanor of Aquitaine: a Life. New York: Ballantine, 2000. Print.

My Father-in-law Geoffrey the Handsome, Count of Anjou

Geoffrey of Anjou

Interestingly enough, my father-in-law Geoffrey was closer in age to me than his son Henry, my husband. Geoffrey was born on August 24, 1113. Nine years prior to my birth in 1122. He, like me was the son of wealthy, titled man, his father was Fulk V of Anjou, King of Jerusalem. Mine was William X of Aquitaine.


At an early age he was given the nickname 'le Bel' meaning 'the Fair'. He was handsome and brave. Here is a description of him as acquired from the Chroniques de comtes d'Anjou (Chronicles of the Counts of Anjou) abridged from the rewritten version of the Chronicles by John of Marmoutier.


"Tall in stature, handsome and red-headed (he had many) outstanding, praiseworthy qualities. as a soldier he attained the greatest glory, dedicating himself to the defence of the community and to the liberal arts. He strove to be loved and was honoourable to his friends; he was more trustworthy than the rest. His words were always good-humoured and his principles admirable. This man was an energetic soldier and most shrewd in his upright dealings. He was meticulous in his justice and of strong character. he did not allow himself to be corrupted by excess of sloth, but spent his time riding about the country and performing illustrious feats. By such acts he endeared himself to all, and smote fear into the hearts of his enemies. He was unusually affable and jovial to all, especially soldiers."


'The charm, however, concealed a cold, shallow, and selfish character' writes Alison Weir. Still, despite this inner coldness, I believe Geoffrey to be the most like me of  my in-laws.

Matilda of England

When he was fifteen his marriage was arranged to Empress Matilda. When I was fifteen my marriage was arranged to Prince Louis of France. Both of our first marriage's were not a success. Matilda was proud of her status as Empress and haughty. Louis was handsome and kind, but monkish and overly religious.


But both marriages were brilliant, uniting territories and building new alliances. But Matilda and Geoffrey shared deep mutual resentment and this led him to take mistresses. Rumor has it, one of them was me. Whether this is true, I will not tell.

Another quality that made him like me was his like for art and literature. He was passionate about history and could converse in Latin.

Geoffrey lived up to his reputation when he conquered Normandy and became Duke of Normandy. He was nicknamed 'Plantagenet' for wearing a flower whose Latin name was 'planta genista' in his hat. He was man whose life had many similarities to mine, and, should I have been born male, I may have been even more like him.



Works Cited

• Weir, Alison. Eleanor of Aquitaine: a Life. New York: Ballantine, 2000. Print.

I am Queen of France

We (Louis and I) were riding to Paris this morning and on the way a messenger asked us to halt. I hadn't the slightest idea why he did so but my pulse quickened as I heard him approach our cavalcade. He spoke to Louis and I with reverence and respect for our new authority. 

The world has been turned upside down, King Louis VI, Louis the Fat, is dead. He died of dysentery on the first of August. Louis and I are King and Queen of France.

Description of Me During Second Crusade

Sculpture of Amazon Queen Penthesilea

Here is a description of Eleanor as she traveled on the Second Crusade on the way to Constantinople. The account is given by Greek chronicler, Niketas Choniates.

"Even women traveled in the ranks of the crusaders, boldly sitting astride in their saddles as men do, dressed as men and armed with lance and battle axe. The kept a martial mien, bold as Amazons. At the head of these was one in particular, richly-dressed, who, because of the gold embroidery on the hem of her dress was nicknamed Chrysopus (Golden Foot). The elegance of her bearing and the freedom of her movements recalled Penthesilea, the celebrated leader of the amazons."

About My Family

Charlemagne

My family can trace its roots back to the rule of Charlemagne. When Charlemagne had his son, still a child, made King of Aquitaine, he nominated a group of nobles to rule for him. The warrior William of Orange, Count of Toulouse was the foremost and strongest of these rulers. But William was defeated by the Moors of Spain and he retired to an abbey and died there. When Charlemagne's empire fragmented, the Counts of Poitiers and Toulouse fought over the territory of Aquitaine. Ebalus, the Count of Poitou, was the victor of these wars and a distant cousin of the renowned William of Orange.

Ebalus is my ancestor. Indeed, he is the ancestor of all the Dukes of Aquitaine. His son was William III, presumably named after aforesaid warrior William of Orange. He was a capable ruler and married a strong woman like myself, Adela of Normandy.

There were another seven William's, in the ducal line, before me. The last of which was my father. The second to last, my grandfather. William IX, my grandfather, was an interesting man. Passionate, artistic, poetic and very sensual. He was a troubadour and wrote erotic, sensual and lustful poetry. He married twice, first to Ermengarde of Anjou and then to Philippa of Toulouse. A rather rash man, he fell in love with the wife of on of his vassals, a woman named Dangerosa, kidnapped her and took her to his palace. to patch up relations between his children with Philippa and Dangerosa, a marriage was arranged between Aenor--Dangerosa's daughter from her previous marriage and William--son of Philippa.

Aenor and William were my parents. They were both reluctant to marry as neither had liked the attention they got from their parents' notorious affair. William in particular was greatly offended by his father's betrayal of his mother Philippa. But they can't have gotten on that badly, for I was born in 1122, just a years after their marriage.

Works Cited

• Weir, Alison. "Opulent Aquitaine." Eleanor of Aquitaine: a Life. New York: Ballantine, 2000. 7-13. Print.

Wedding Day!

St. Andrew's Cathedral

Today on July 25th, I, Eleanor of Aquitaine marry Prince Louis of France. We marry in the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Bordeaux France. Most bride's marry when their in their 20's, 18 or 19 year old brides are rare. I, however, am 15 when we marry. Louis is 17.

He is very good looking. With fair hair and bright, beautiful blue eyes. But he is very religious and does not appreciate the lifestyle we live here in Aquitaine. The lavish style of dress and elaborate feasting is foreign to him. Already I see that we won't see eye to eye on many things.

On the bright side. I am royalty now, a princess of France. And I will soon be journeying to Paris!!! Excitement abounds.

I am sorry that I will have to leave my beloved Aquitaine. The memory of my father's recent death still clouds my memory. But my sister is here with me still, the last living member of my immediate family. How I love her, my Petronilla, my friend. It really be difficult to say goodbye to my home, my Aquitaine. The troubadours and their songs will not liven up my days in France. Alas, the price of wedding a prince.

I will try to liven up Paris with tales of my homeland. Hopefully they will love me there and welcome me as their new princess. Hopefully Louis and I will be good co-rulers of Aquitaine and France.