Queen Eleanor example essay topic

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 Posters, 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. The marriages of the royal children were planned at birth. Matilda was to marry the French Prince, Richard was to marry the French Princess Alys, Geoffrey was to marry Constance of Brittany, Eleanor was to marry the King of Castile, and Joanna was to marry the King of Sicily.

Queen Eleanor encouraged them. She loved her children very much. One of Eleanor's greatest accomplishments was the Second Crusade. She had no intention of just sitting quietly at home while her husband, Louis, went off to fight in the Crusade. She got 300 women to join her legion, which was called the Queen's Guard. Her uncle ruled Antioch, a city near Palestine, and asked Louis for help in defending his kingdom.

When Louis denied him protection, Eleanor decided to get a divorce. Although the Crusade failed because of quarreling among the leaders of the Crusade, it had introduced her to the splendors of the eastern culture, such as mulberry trees and silk worms. The children became rebellious against King Henry, for he had an affair with Richard's wife, Alys. Eleanor and her sons attempted to assassinate Henry, infuriating him. In 1173 he imprisoned her in Winchester. Sixteen years passed until King Henry died and Richard was crowned King of England.

Richard released Eleanor and appointed her to rule on his behalf. She governed as Queen of England, even though her true position was Queen Mother. Eleanor's first appealing task was her order to empty all of the prisons. She remarked that, 'by her own experience that the prisons were distasteful to men and that to be released there from was a most delightful refreshment to the spirits.

' Messengers were sent to every country in England to declare that all prisoners were to be freed. People hear the name "Eleanor of Aquitaine", but they do not truly know how greatly she impacted their lives. By giving birth to the children of King Henry II, she fostered the future rulers of a magnificent kingdom. When arranging the marriages of her children, she was also appointing new rulers to countries that still exist today.

So many lives have been heavily impacted by her doings as Queen.

Bibliography

Appleby, John T. England without Richard 1189-1199. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1965 Brooke, Christopher.
Europe in the Central Middle Ages, 962-1154. NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Inc., (copyright date N / A) Cantor, Norman F. Medieval Lives. NY: Harper Collins Publishers, 1994"Cinderella.
Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of England". web Amy. Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings. Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 1950 Lofts, Nora.
Queens of England. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1977 Smith, Stephanie.