Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204) - angevin

Daughter of William, 10th Duke of Aquitaine

Married:

1. (1137) @ age 15 Louis VII of France

• referred to as a 'fashionable, black-haired, black-eyed beauty'
  
• (1146) went on crusade with Louis and designed uniform of white tunic with red crowns, slit at sides to show red tights and long red leather boots
  
• 2 daughters Marie and Alix
  
• marriage annulled 18/3/1152 on the grounds of no male children
  

2. (1152) @ age 30 Henry (Plantagenet) II (born 1133, king 1154)

• married at Bordeaux 1/5/1152
  
• 8 children - (1153) William; (1155) Henry; (1156) Matilda; (1157) Richard (I/the Lionheart), king 1189; (1158) Geoffrey; (1161) Eleanor; (1165) Joanna; (1167) John, king 1199
  
• (1173) Henry's son Richard revolts and Eleanor is captured and placed under constant supervision at Winchester Castle for 16 years
  
• known as the 'Royal Grandmother of Europe' due to marrying her daughters to various kings
  
• helps raise money for Richard's crusade
  
• (1189) Henry dies and Eleanor is released from Winchester; Richard becomes king
  

3. Eleanor marries again to Alix of Champagne

• further son Phillip Augustus who becomes Phillip III of France and another daughter Margaret
  
• (1191) escorts Berengaria of Navarre to Richard in Cyprus
  
• (1193) writes letters titling herself as 'Eleanor, Queen of England, widow of Henry II'
  
• (1195) @ age 73 goes to Germany to deliver ransom for Richard to Emperor
  
• (1199) Richard dies and Eleanor supports her son John against her grandson Arthur of Brittany, son of Geoffrey
  
• (1202) @ age 80 collects granddaughter Blanche (daughter of Eleanor) and takes her to France to marry Louis, Heir of France, son of Philip Augustus
  
• defends Mirabeau against Constance of Brittany and her husband Arthur, Eleanor's grandson