Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor of Aquitaine traces the life of one of medieval Europe’s most powerful heiresses. It follows her marriage to Louis VII of France, participation in the Second Crusade, annulment and subsequent marriage to Henry II of England, which joined Aquitaine to the Angevin dominions.

The biography examines Eleanor’s role in court culture, the rebellion of her sons, years of confinement and political activity during the reigns of Richard I and John. Her long career reveals how marriage, inheritance and family conflict could give a medieval queen both unusual influence and serious vulnerability.