December 26, 2003
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Grand daughter of the first noble troubador, married to the king of France and the king of England, mother of Richard Lion Heart and King John of Magna Carta fame, crusader, imprisioned by her second husband for years after she supported her sons in a rebellion against him, doyen of courts of love.
The Wikipedia link has links upon links to explore, but I really picked it because of the picture of her effigy on her grave at Fontevrault. Henry II, her husband, and Richard are shown "asleep", but she's reading! And, if you haven't seen the movie "The Lion In Winter", you've missed knowing the one of the most elegant disfunctional families in history. A couple more links: William IX of Aquitaine, her grandfather: http://www.hoasm.org/IIA/WilliamIX.html About Aquitaine: http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Provinces/Aquitaine.shtml
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Eleanor was amazing. For anyone who'd like a good book on the subject, I highly recommend Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings, by Amy Kelly; it's over 50 years old now, and there may well be more recent works with updated scholarship, but Kelly is thorough and readable. Nice post, path!
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Those looking for an updated link need look no further.
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wow, this is so weird, I looked at the sidebar "an amazing woman" and immediately thought "oh, like Eleanor of Aquitaine"? she is one of my absolute heros and she kickedASSSS!!
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for a delightfully readable, "armchair" bio (but fully past on primary source material and serious scholarship) try Marion Meade's Eleanor of Aquitaine
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for a delightfully readable, "armchair" bio (but fully past on primary source material and serious scholarship) try Marion Meade's Eleanor of Aquitaine dont know why that didnt work the first time!
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I have added that to my wish list. Curse you, Medusa! Oh, wait, that's not right...