Eleanor of Aquitaine

This week in class we discussed women as queens and the different types of power queens could have. We did discuss Eleanor of Aquitaine in class, but as I am also doing my research project I wanted to discuss her and especially her role as a queen a bit more at length. Eleanor of Aquitaine was originally born around the 12th century and from the duchy of Aquitaine in France, a very prosperous are, and was the eldest daughter of the tenth Duke of Aquitaine. Unlike most women in that age, she was well-educated at a young age and stepped into a role of power at just 15 years old, when her father and brother died leaving her a very wealthy and powerful duchess. In 1137 she married the prince of France, who became King Louis VII not soon after their marriage. Though they divorced in 1152, she accompanied him on the Second Crusade, also something rare for women of that era. She then went on to marry Henry of Anjou, who became the king of England, and had seven children with him. Eleanor was very active, maintaining her lands in Aquitaine as well as participating in politics in England.
She was imprisoned in 1173 for being involved in a plot by her two sons to overthrow their father, King Henry II of England, and was not released until his death when her son took the throne as Richard I. Eleanor was heavily involved in his reign, even acting as his regent when Richard I left for the crusades in 1190. Eleanor of Aquitaine is an example of a women exerting a great deal of influence and actually being a queen who was in a position of power as her son's regent in England. There are many examples of people of power, such as the pope, being in communication with her. As well as her sending out letters and decrees to the general public, showing how respected her word was. There is even a documented letter from Hildegard of Bingen to Eleanor, in it Hildegard wrote "Your mind is like a wall which is covered with clouds, and you look everywhere but have no rest. Flee this and attain stability with God and men, and God will help you in all your tribulations. May God give you his blessing and help in all your works.",  scholars assume Eleanor wrote her first asking for advice and Hildegard merely wrote back, but it shows a very interesting interaction between two very well-known and respected women of that age.

http://epistolae.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/woman/24.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/eleanor_of_aquitaine.shtml