The Influence Of Eleanor Of Aquitaine

Eleanor of Aquitaine was an outstanding woman who lived from 1122 to 1204 CE, contributing greatly to politics and the arts. She was a queen and duchess who influenced the faces of England and France for centuries to come. Few women of her time were able to maintain control over their personal choices, especially the wealthy, as they were often married off as teenagers. Women were a means for men to achieve greater control over more land. However, Eleanor of Aquitaine had power over her life and decisions because she exercised her independence wisely, was not afraid to stand up to her husbands, and was the only one who could make peace and hold her kingdom together. Women in medieval times had few rights and little control over their own
She married King Louis VII of France specifically because he would protect Aquitaine, not because he was the only option for her family (Kelly 1-6; Jones 31). Also, Queen Eleanor was very intelligent, which, in addition to her wealth, made her most desirable to King Louis. Her marriage to Louis VII was unstable because she stood up for what she believed in, which many considered a violation of “the condition of nature” (Peter of Blois). For example, while Louis was agonizing over his attack on Vitry in 1142, Eleanor continued to push him to allow her younger sister, Petronilla, to be married. More concerned with her family’s advancement than with his internal moral conflict, The Queen achieved her goal through persistence (Kelly 27). In addition, King Louis needed her help ruling France (Kelly 1-6), since she had been governing Aquitaine since age fifteen, making her an experienced leader, unlike him (Jones 30). Louis was jealous of Eleanor’s political strength and influence over Aquitaine (Hallam 81), and she compelled him to engage in some questionable political decisions (Jones 32). Both of these situations created tension between them. The conflicts between Eleanor and Louis grew so large that Eleanor insisted that they divorce, which occurred in 1151. Divorce was strongly discouraged at that time, especially among Catholics (Peter of Blois), but the
She chose to marry him after leaving Louis VII because she believed he would be her “surest guarantee of safety” (Peter of Blois). Henry would not refuse, because he gained desirable land from the marriage and he needed an experienced ruler to help him (Jones 30, 33; Hallam 81). The Queen ruled in his absence and had the administrative power to make political decisions (Hallam 117). Queen Eleanor was unafraid to exercise her ability to lead, both when acting as regent for Henry and when he was home. Eleanor fought to be the sole ruler of Aquitaine, and was successful. She did this because Henry II had taken her out of the public eye, and she was growing frustrated. She wanted to be independent (Hallam 117). Even after the revolt against him in 1173, Henry could not divorce Eleanor because he could not afford to lose the duchy of Aquitaine, which she controlled (Hallam 117). Due to the fact Eleanor continued to ensure that she had political influence and was able to make major decisions that were in her own interests, she was