Eleanor, Queen of France and the Dissolution of Her First Marriage

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Eleanor, Queen of France and the Dissolution of Her First Marriage Krystal Thomas History 303 22 December 2011 Professor Harrison Eleanor of Aquitaine is best known as one of the most independent and defiant women of her time, which was highly unusual and looked upon negatively. During the height of the Middle Ages, Eleanor was Duchess of Aquitaine by her own right, queen to both France and England, and mother to the legendary Richard the Lion-heart. Not only did she live a long and eventful life, she outlived most of her eight children. One of her greatest accomplishments was her journey to the Holy Land on the Second Crusade and the dissolution of her marriage to the king of France. Eleanor was often accused of being a demon or a witch due to her scandalous behavior at times, the rumors and stories which surrounded her, and the powerful influence she spread during her reigns. She was the ideal of a feminist before there was such a term or woman, all in an era that was completely dominated by men. For hundreds of years, thy rich and bountiful lands of Aquitaine had been ruled by the long line of Duke Williams. The most famous of these Duke Williams was William IX, Eleanor's grandfather. He was also known as “The Troubadour” and for his rampant womanizing, his talent of poetry and the arts, and for his court which became the center of European culture. His court was full of troubadours, performers, and many people from diverse cultures. William IX and his people promoted a court of chivalric love and song. It was into this unique atmosphere that Eleanor was born and it contributed to her personality and development as a fiercely independent woman. Eleanor was born to Duke William X and his wife Aenor sometime in 1122. There was a story which spread throughout the country during that time of a prophecy that was given to Eleanor's

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