She-Wolf In Medieval History: Eleanor Of Aquitaine

Even with all the different events going on in her life, Eleanor was still able to play an active role as the Duchess of Aquitaine. When her marriage to Henry began to fall apart, Eleanor kept busy by contributing to the rules of “courtly love.” She also spent most of her time finding powerful men to marry her daughters. Matilda married Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria ; Eleanor married Alfonso VIII, King of Sicily, and later married Raymond VI, Count of Toulouse. Eleanor also played an active role in the lives of her sons.

Marcus Bull is a distinguished professor for medieval and early modern studies. He earned is Bachelor of Arts at London University in 1987 followed by and his PhD in 1991. His area of educational concentration is medieval history. He currently is a professor at the University of North Carolina in the History Department. Dr. Marcus Bull has other notable publications including “Tudorism: Historical Imagination and the Appropriation of the Sixthteenth Century”, “Thinking Medieval: An Introduction to the Study” and “France in the Central Middle Ages 900-1200.” The majority of his intended audiences appear to be college students, and peers in the field of medieval history. In the approach to his works, the literature is filled with easy transitions and factual based research. Dr. Marcus Bull is able to bring the information to life in an easily comprehensible way. He provides detailed information that is backed by specific examples in history and detailed oriented analysis that correlates with his

Eleanor was born in 1122 to Duke William X of Aquitaine. The holdings of her father were equal to those of the French royalty, making him one of the most

In 1137, at the young age of thirteen, Eleanor of Aquitaine became the most sought after bachelorette because her father, William X, count of Poitou and duke of Aquitaine died, and so, she inherited the duchy of Aquitaine. Consequently, Eleanor’s guardianship transferred to King Louis VI of France. Louis VI of France arranged her marriage to his son, the future King Louis VII of France, with the sole intention to expand France’s territory. This marriage suited Louis VI’s advantage because she would be the first queen to bring property to France.

In the novel, “Dealing with Dragons” written by Patricia C. Wrede, she discusses how a courageous princess named, Cimorene, disappears from the formal Medieval society. More often than not, Cimorene decides to go against the classic act of a princess. Throughout her adventures she faces several mysterious events, and she became a dragon's princess. Cimorene was justified in ignoring the expected social norms of the Medieval society because, women did not have many rights, she wanted to become an independent princess who wanted to make her own decisions, and she was an inspiration towards others.

Dealing with Dragons, written by Patricia C. Wrede, is a fantasy novel starring Cimorene; the adventurous princess of Linderwall. In the novel, she ignores what the Medieval society hopes to see from her as a “proper” princess, no matter how many times she is implored to renounce her selection of ideas. Because of Cimorene point of view, she was justified in ignoring the expected social norms of her day since women should be free to apply their intelligence, be allowed to do whatever they want as long as they take considerable actions , and choose marriage only if they decide to. To start with, being a clever woman can become an advantage and aspect. One day when Cimorene was sauntering along a slope in order to put up a sign that would

“One of the most powerful and fascinating personalities of feudal Europe” (Women in world history, 2016), Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine (figure 1), a contributor to the court of love, an active role in both French and British politics, and “a fashion icon in the Medieval Europe” (Olivia Longueville, 2015). Born the eldest daughter to William X in 1122, France, she was educated in subject that girls weren’t supposed to learn at the time, such as Latin. At only fifteen, Eleanor was inherited the duchy of Aquitaine after William died, and soon after married the heir to the French throne, Louis VI. During her time with Louis, Eleanor accompanied him to Jerusalem on the second crusades. There, along with 300 of her ladies, she tended the wounded. The

Eleanor of Aquitaine is said to be one of the greatest women in history; but what makes this so true?

Marie de France lived in a time when social graces were paramount to a good reputation, lordships and to securing good marriages. A woman was considered less valuable if she lost her virginity; a wife was subjected to her feudal lord, father, brother or son after her husband’s death. According to Angela Sandison’s article “The Role of Women in the Middle Ages”, this was because in the Middle Ages the Church and the aristocracy controlled public opinion and the legal system. These authorities of the times believed a woman’s place was in a submissive role to a man. In The Lay of the Nightingale, we will see how this social and religious hierarchy will impact the behaviors of the three people involved.

The focus of this report will be on the legacy of Queen Isabella and who was the Queen of Castile at this time. It will become evident that Queen Isabella played a large role in Medieval Europe.

Before one can get into the great, yet surprisingly simple, debate over whether or not the capital figural statue heads, on the right side of the apse, in the interior at Notre Dame Du Bourg at Langon are in fact the sculptural depictions of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II of England; firstly one must have a general understanding of not only Eleanor’s life but of the tradition of Romanesque sculpture.

Women withstood a multitude of limitations in the medieval era. Due to the political, social, and religious restrictions women encountered, historians neglected to realize that they demonstrated agency. The female experience is something that has been overlooked until recently. Unfortunately, without the knowledge of how women found ways to exert their power, we are experiencing a deficit of knowledge in this period. Through the close examination of the primary sources: The Gospel of Mary, Dhouda’s Liber Manualis, and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the creative means of female force are displayed.

Lastly, Richard the Lionheart, the son of Eleanor and Henry II of Aquitaine was born in Oxford from 1157 to 1199 where he passed away in Aquitaine, France. Richard, “A hero of romantic legend for his leadership of the Third Crusade, he arrived in the Holy Land in 1191 and achieved a series of quick victories over the forces of Saladin in the coastal cities in the eastern Mediterranean” (NPR par 2) but unfortunately could not seize Jerusalem. Later as both Richard and Saladin became much weaker, both men finally came into a negotiation for peace and his withdrawal from leadership. While heading home from retiring, Richard got stuck in Austria where he was later imprisoned. After finally being, “Released for a huge ransom, he returned

The story of Heloise and Abelard is not unlike that of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in the sense that there was drama, family trials, and immeasurable passion. Known for her intelligence and sexual relationship with Abelard, Heloise was not the typical medieval woman. The life of Heloise was not conventional in the sense that she gave birth to a child out of wedlock and was reluctant to marry Abelard even though her reputation as a woman was tarnished due to their relationship. The sources presented in this paper are mainly written by Abelard himself telling his and Heloise’s tale from his point of view and some letters between the two which show that most of the story is relatively accurate. The life of Heloise was different from other medieval women in the due to her focus on education and her public affair with Abelard. In the end Heloise’s life was full of life, romance, and scholarly achievement which gave her a place in history.

-The current name is blond d'Aquitaine, french blonde d'aquitaine, aka blonde, and blonde d/ blondey. As their name indicates, they come from the Aquitaine district in France.