What do you think?
Rate this book
World Leaders Past & Present
Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life
In this beautifully written biography, Alison Weir paints a vibrant portrait of a truly exceptional woman and provides new insights into her intimate world.
Renowned in her time for being the most beautiful woman in Europe, the wife of two kings and mother of three, Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the great heroines of the Middle Ages. At a time when women were regarded as little more than chattel, Eleanor managed to defy convention as she exercised power in the political sphere and crucial influence over her husbands and sons.
Eleanor of Aquitaine lived a long life of many contrasts, of splendor and desolation, power and peril, and in this stunning narrative, Weir captures the woman--and the queen--in all her glory. With astonishing historic detail, mesmerizing pageantry, and irresistible accounts of royal scandal and intrigue, she recreates not only a remarkable personality but a magnificent past era.
Renowned in her time for being the most beautiful woman in Europe, the wife of two kings and mother of three, Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the great heroines of the Middle Ages. At a time when women were regarded as little more than chattel, Eleanor managed to defy convention as she exercised power in the political sphere and crucial influence over her husbands and sons.
Eleanor of Aquitaine lived a long life of many contrasts, of splendor and desolation, power and peril, and in this stunning narrative, Weir captures the woman--and the queen--in all her glory. With astonishing historic detail, mesmerizing pageantry, and irresistible accounts of royal scandal and intrigue, she recreates not only a remarkable personality but a magnificent past era.
441 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Alison Weir
81 books7,740 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Alison Weir is an English writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens, and of historical fiction. Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her formal training in history at teacher training college. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.
Alison Weir is an English writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens, and of historical fiction. Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her formal training in history at teacher training college. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 760 reviews
November 26, 2022
3.5 "valiant, informative, clarifying" stars !!
Queen Eleanor of Aquitane was without doubt one of the most remarkable people of 12th century Western Europe. She continues to be shrouded in mystery as there is a lack of cohesive, impartial information about her as both a woman and sovereign. Ms. Weir valiantly and methodically puts the known pieces of her life together and infers and conjectures and fills in her long 82 year life in a respectful and fair way. Queen Eleanor is neither aggrandized nor demonized in this history but rather presented as an unusual woman for these most violent and difficult of times.
What was most excellent:
1. a clear and careful sequential telling of events through the life of Eleanor and all the most important people in her life... what I was most impressed with was her ability to convey to the reader all the assorted historical figures and to keep them (mostly) clear...we are talking of upward of fifty main figures
2. how the actions taken by Eleanor influenced the trajectory of English, French and Spanish history
Eleanor was a woman who took charge of her own life and owned not just her inherited lands but also strategized and manipulated to get her way in a rich elitist man's world with finesse. She was also in charge of her own sexuality and took pleasure in her beauty and moderate intellect. She was an immensely devoted mother to her sons and mostly used her daughters as political pawns. She was a mother of 10 and outlived eight of her children. She went on the Second Crusade and had numerous affairs...some of them incestuous. She became a wise ruler in her later years and was the queen of France and England and often acted as a regent for her young sons. She could be cruel to her adversaries, was faithful to her Catholic faith and at times could be quite caring and benevolent.
This woman did more in a week than I have done in my lifetime. She is quite simply amazing despite her many errors and foibles. I would certainly be a fan if I were a male of minor nobility during those times. As a noble female I would likely run run run and hide.
What prevented this work from achieving four star status is some minor to moderate quibbles...
1. my ecopy did not have any maps or family trees or photographs or paintings that would have deeply enriched my reading experience
2. I would have liked (with all the extensive research that the author put in) a more cohesive and deep psychological portrait of this formidable queen
3. at times the writing could have used a touch more pizazz
I am looking forward to now moving forward and reading this author's historical fiction of Queen Eleanor and I think I may be in for some soapy fun.
A warm thank you to Bam for recommending this author to me. Also to a gent named Julio (I hope I remembered that right) who recommended another book on Eleanor to me.
Queen Eleanor you amazed me ! I didn't always like you very much but greatly admired your strategizing mind and chutzpah !
Queen Eleanor of Aquitane was without doubt one of the most remarkable people of 12th century Western Europe. She continues to be shrouded in mystery as there is a lack of cohesive, impartial information about her as both a woman and sovereign. Ms. Weir valiantly and methodically puts the known pieces of her life together and infers and conjectures and fills in her long 82 year life in a respectful and fair way. Queen Eleanor is neither aggrandized nor demonized in this history but rather presented as an unusual woman for these most violent and difficult of times.
What was most excellent:
1. a clear and careful sequential telling of events through the life of Eleanor and all the most important people in her life... what I was most impressed with was her ability to convey to the reader all the assorted historical figures and to keep them (mostly) clear...we are talking of upward of fifty main figures
2. how the actions taken by Eleanor influenced the trajectory of English, French and Spanish history
Eleanor was a woman who took charge of her own life and owned not just her inherited lands but also strategized and manipulated to get her way in a rich elitist man's world with finesse. She was also in charge of her own sexuality and took pleasure in her beauty and moderate intellect. She was an immensely devoted mother to her sons and mostly used her daughters as political pawns. She was a mother of 10 and outlived eight of her children. She went on the Second Crusade and had numerous affairs...some of them incestuous. She became a wise ruler in her later years and was the queen of France and England and often acted as a regent for her young sons. She could be cruel to her adversaries, was faithful to her Catholic faith and at times could be quite caring and benevolent.
This woman did more in a week than I have done in my lifetime. She is quite simply amazing despite her many errors and foibles. I would certainly be a fan if I were a male of minor nobility during those times. As a noble female I would likely run run run and hide.
What prevented this work from achieving four star status is some minor to moderate quibbles...
1. my ecopy did not have any maps or family trees or photographs or paintings that would have deeply enriched my reading experience
2. I would have liked (with all the extensive research that the author put in) a more cohesive and deep psychological portrait of this formidable queen
3. at times the writing could have used a touch more pizazz
I am looking forward to now moving forward and reading this author's historical fiction of Queen Eleanor and I think I may be in for some soapy fun.
A warm thank you to Bam for recommending this author to me. Also to a gent named Julio (I hope I remembered that right) who recommended another book on Eleanor to me.
Queen Eleanor you amazed me ! I didn't always like you very much but greatly admired your strategizing mind and chutzpah !
Read
September 6, 2018Despite the title and the author's stated ambition to write a balanced account of Eleanor - neither on the side lines nor a romantic heroine - this book is best read as a friendly, accessible history of the early Plantagenets. Something to read if you've enjoyed The Lion in Winter and fancy knowing a bit more about that quarrelsome, competitive family.
Sadly Eleanor remains definitely on the sidelines. Weir doesn't discuss the source material, so as a reader you can't know if this was her choice or just inevitable given the material she had to work with. Weir could have spent time discussing in general terms what the life of a great Duchess and Queen would have been like, but she prefers to concentrate on the political (or family ) drama. This is great if you want to know more about Henry II and Richard I, but it does mean that she gives space to discussing events that don't touch on Eleanor, her activities or her relationship with her own lands of Aquitaine. Within sight of the end of the book there is a throw away reference to the impact of the town charters that Eleanor issued had on increasing prosperity in Aquitaine. It is the kind of detail that suggests that there was information that Weir could have expanded on that might have brought us closer to Eleanor. The title person taking the back seat in a book that is, apparently, meant to be about her isn't a great sign. Though I suppose it does indicate how our fascination for the idea of a person like Eleanor, can easily run far, far ahead of our ability to have a sensible discussion about them. We can't know such people as individuals, though we can think about them in terms of the web-like structures of power and authority and custom and tradition in which they sat. However as an account of the early Plantagenets, that striving bunch all struggling against one another for power, it is a decent read.
Weir is an amateur historian, I spotted a couple of mistakes (using Turks as a synonym for Muslim makes no sense at all when discussing medieval Sicily and the Truce of God was not a crusader privilege it was like the similarly named Peace of God an agreement that nobles and knights swore to not to fight on certain days and not to harm certain non-combatants in the course of warfare) which makes me wondering how many there were that I didn't pick up on. Weir makes a lot of use of chronicles, it is good that she's taking the time to use primary sources and not just rely on other people's subsequent work, but she does not seem to have been reading them critically. Chronicles are a bit like newspapers today, they have their political biases and they tend to tell certain types of story while ignoring others, its not advisable to take them at face value .
This particularly struck me as a potential problem in her treatment of stories of adultery involving Eleanor. While on the one hand I'm sure everyone can think of examples of modern politicians who have managed to have affairs and keep it fairly secret for years, on the other hand in the middle ages without reliable contraceptives that would have been a very big risk for noble women to run. You start to wonder how much the stories of adulterous relationships in chronicles are just gossip and particularly the gossip of people sworn to celibacy imagining that people in the secular world are indiscriminately having sex all the time.
However Weir's book is a nice tale of conniving, back-stabbing, intriguing, power-hungry folk, filled with appropriate medieval bad language even if Eleanor herself remains elusive in this biography about her.
Sadly Eleanor remains definitely on the sidelines. Weir doesn't discuss the source material, so as a reader you can't know if this was her choice or just inevitable given the material she had to work with. Weir could have spent time discussing in general terms what the life of a great Duchess and Queen would have been like, but she prefers to concentrate on the political (or family ) drama. This is great if you want to know more about Henry II and Richard I, but it does mean that she gives space to discussing events that don't touch on Eleanor, her activities or her relationship with her own lands of Aquitaine. Within sight of the end of the book there is a throw away reference to the impact of the town charters that Eleanor issued had on increasing prosperity in Aquitaine. It is the kind of detail that suggests that there was information that Weir could have expanded on that might have brought us closer to Eleanor. The title person taking the back seat in a book that is, apparently, meant to be about her isn't a great sign. Though I suppose it does indicate how our fascination for the idea of a person like Eleanor, can easily run far, far ahead of our ability to have a sensible discussion about them. We can't know such people as individuals, though we can think about them in terms of the web-like structures of power and authority and custom and tradition in which they sat. However as an account of the early Plantagenets, that striving bunch all struggling against one another for power, it is a decent read.
Weir is an amateur historian, I spotted a couple of mistakes (using Turks as a synonym for Muslim makes no sense at all when discussing medieval Sicily and the Truce of God was not a crusader privilege it was like the similarly named Peace of God an agreement that nobles and knights swore to not to fight on certain days and not to harm certain non-combatants in the course of warfare) which makes me wondering how many there were that I didn't pick up on. Weir makes a lot of use of chronicles, it is good that she's taking the time to use primary sources and not just rely on other people's subsequent work, but she does not seem to have been reading them critically. Chronicles are a bit like newspapers today, they have their political biases and they tend to tell certain types of story while ignoring others, its not advisable to take them at face value .
This particularly struck me as a potential problem in her treatment of stories of adultery involving Eleanor. While on the one hand I'm sure everyone can think of examples of modern politicians who have managed to have affairs and keep it fairly secret for years, on the other hand in the middle ages without reliable contraceptives that would have been a very big risk for noble women to run. You start to wonder how much the stories of adulterous relationships in chronicles are just gossip and particularly the gossip of people sworn to celibacy imagining that people in the secular world are indiscriminately having sex all the time.
However Weir's book is a nice tale of conniving, back-stabbing, intriguing, power-hungry folk, filled with appropriate medieval bad language even if Eleanor herself remains elusive in this biography about her.
December 3, 2016
I've been curious about the historical figure of Eleanor of Aquitaine for a long time. Finally, through Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life I was able to sate my eagerness to know what kind of life this woman, that was the Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right and Queen of both France and England, lived. One thing for sure, it wasn't an easy life. She had difficult husbands, but compensated somewhat through a constant struggle for power. We could say that she was fairly successful, since she lived in an era were women had no power at all. Despite her struggles she was imprisoned by her second husband for many years. But in the end she won this battle, since she outlived him.
Just a taste of Weir's great novel, where the author discusses how restrictive and how excrutianting for women Eleanor's time was:
Just a taste of Weir's great novel, where the author discusses how restrictive and how excrutianting for women Eleanor's time was:
“In this martial world dominated by men, women had little place. The Church's teachings might underpin feudal morality, yet when it came to the practicalities of life, a ruthless pragmatism often came into play. Kings and noblemen married for political advantage, and women rarely had any say in how they or their wealth were to be disposed in marriage. Kings would sell off heiresses and rich widows to the highest bidder, for political or territorial advantage, and those who resisted were heavily fined.I really enjoyed Alison Weir's book. Recommended.
Young girls of good birth were strictly reared, often in convents, and married off at fourteen or even earlier to suit their parents' or overlord's purposes. The betrothal of infants was not uncommon, despite the church's disapproval. It was a father's duty to bestow his daughters in marriage; if he was dead, his overlord or the King himself would act for him. Personal choice was rarely and issue.
Upon marriage, a girl's property and rights became invested in her husband, to whom she owed absolute obedience. Every husband had the right to enforce this duty in whichever way he thought fit--as Eleanor was to find out to her cost. Wife-beating was common, although the Church did at this time attempt to restrict the length of the rod that a husband might use.”
April 3, 2010
Alison Weir spends a lot of time in this book discusses common legends and misconceptions surrounding Eleanor, which was interesting for me because I hadn't heard any of them before. I really wasn't that familiar with Eleanor of Aquitaine before reading this - mostly I just knew that she went on crusade once, was Richard the Lionheart's mother, and was played by Katherine Hepburn in The Lion in Winter. From these three bits of information, we can at least deduce that she was kind of a badass.
Having finished this account of her life, I have to admit that I now know a lot more about everyone else in Eleanor's life than I do about Eleanor herself. Weir does her best, but the fact is there just isn't that much concrete information about Eleanor, aside from a few letters (which were recorded by her clerk, who may have actually composed the letters himself) and some documents stating how much money she spent at a certain time or when she traveled to England. For the majority of the book, Eleanor is sort of kept to the sidelines, occasionally coming into the picture when she gets involved with her husband's/sons'/relatives' politics. Alison Weir is very careful not to take anything for granted and examines all the evidence before making a claim about what Eleanor did at any given time, which is a good thing for a historian to do, but it also means Eleanor is not actually very present in this biography.
Which is not to say that it isn't a good biography. The Plantagenets were one batshit crazy family, and reading about their violent shenanigens is always a good time. Just don't go into this book expecting Eleanor to be present on every page - entire chapters can go by without mentioning her. However, when she does make an appearance she is always being awesome, because she is Eleanor of Motherfucking Aquitaine. Take this letter she wrote to the Pope, basically tearing him a new one for not helping to free her son Richard after he was captured while on crusade:
"Is your power derived from God or from men? Did not the God of Gods speak to you through His apostle Peter, that whatsoever you bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven, and whatsoever you loose on Earth shall be loosed also in Heaven? Why then do you so long negligently, nay cruelly, delay to free my son, or is it rather that you do not dare? Perhaps you will say that this power is given to you over souls, not bodies: so be it, I will certainly be satisfied if you bind the souls of those who keep my son bound in prison.
It is your province to release my son, unless the fear of God has yielded to a human fear. Restore my son to me, then, O man of God, if indeed you are a man of God and not a man of mere blood. For know that if you are slow in releasing my son, from your hand will the Most High require his blood."
She wrote that to the Pope. The Pope. All I can say to that is, damn, lady!
Having finished this account of her life, I have to admit that I now know a lot more about everyone else in Eleanor's life than I do about Eleanor herself. Weir does her best, but the fact is there just isn't that much concrete information about Eleanor, aside from a few letters (which were recorded by her clerk, who may have actually composed the letters himself) and some documents stating how much money she spent at a certain time or when she traveled to England. For the majority of the book, Eleanor is sort of kept to the sidelines, occasionally coming into the picture when she gets involved with her husband's/sons'/relatives' politics. Alison Weir is very careful not to take anything for granted and examines all the evidence before making a claim about what Eleanor did at any given time, which is a good thing for a historian to do, but it also means Eleanor is not actually very present in this biography.
Which is not to say that it isn't a good biography. The Plantagenets were one batshit crazy family, and reading about their violent shenanigens is always a good time. Just don't go into this book expecting Eleanor to be present on every page - entire chapters can go by without mentioning her. However, when she does make an appearance she is always being awesome, because she is Eleanor of Motherfucking Aquitaine. Take this letter she wrote to the Pope, basically tearing him a new one for not helping to free her son Richard after he was captured while on crusade:
"Is your power derived from God or from men? Did not the God of Gods speak to you through His apostle Peter, that whatsoever you bind on Earth shall be bound also in Heaven, and whatsoever you loose on Earth shall be loosed also in Heaven? Why then do you so long negligently, nay cruelly, delay to free my son, or is it rather that you do not dare? Perhaps you will say that this power is given to you over souls, not bodies: so be it, I will certainly be satisfied if you bind the souls of those who keep my son bound in prison.
It is your province to release my son, unless the fear of God has yielded to a human fear. Restore my son to me, then, O man of God, if indeed you are a man of God and not a man of mere blood. For know that if you are slow in releasing my son, from your hand will the Most High require his blood."
She wrote that to the Pope. The Pope. All I can say to that is, damn, lady!
October 12, 2007
I've had a life-long and abiding interest in Eleanor of Aquitaine ever since I read a biography of her when I was 10 years old. I never realized, though, how little I actually knew about the Plantagenets...or how wrong what little I knew was...until I read Weir's book.
My only complaint about this book has less to do with Weir's impeccable scholarship and gift for narrative than it does with the scant record left behind by women, even notable women like Eleanor. (As an aside, it seems like a vast understatement to call her "notable"; I feel I need a much stronger word, but it is late and I can't think of a good word now!) There are times in the book when I grew impatient reading about the antics of John and Richard and wanted to know WHERE'S ELEANOR? But as I said, that is more a result of the scant evidence left behind in the historical record when it comes to the lives of women. It is the cross for all women's historians to bear. But Weir does a good job of touching base with the reader and saying (basically) the historical record does not show where Eleanor was at this time or what she was doing, but we can surmise...etc., etc.
In summary, this is a wonderful book to grab a cup of hot tea and curl up with during long winter nights.
My only complaint about this book has less to do with Weir's impeccable scholarship and gift for narrative than it does with the scant record left behind by women, even notable women like Eleanor. (As an aside, it seems like a vast understatement to call her "notable"; I feel I need a much stronger word, but it is late and I can't think of a good word now!) There are times in the book when I grew impatient reading about the antics of John and Richard and wanted to know WHERE'S ELEANOR? But as I said, that is more a result of the scant evidence left behind in the historical record when it comes to the lives of women. It is the cross for all women's historians to bear. But Weir does a good job of touching base with the reader and saying (basically) the historical record does not show where Eleanor was at this time or what she was doing, but we can surmise...etc., etc.
In summary, this is a wonderful book to grab a cup of hot tea and curl up with during long winter nights.
February 13, 2008
A scholarly but lightly-written book on late 12th Century European politics, as told through the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Eleanor comes across as a remarkable woman, extremely strong-willed and independent. She originally married the King of France, and even joined him on a Crusade, then abandoned him for the King of England. Later, through her sons - Richard the Lionheart was her favorite - she fostered rebellions against the English King in his French territories. When the rebellions ended in failure, she spent several years imprisoned by her husband, until he died and Richard restored her as an honored and trusted elder stateswoman. She died quietly in France at a ripe old age after leading a life of extraordinary power and influence.
The book does an excellent job of investigating contemporary sources to parse out the truth from the romantic legend and the anti-Eleanor propaganda. Many conventional stories are debunked (Eleanor poisoned her husband's mistresses!) and others are endorsed (Eleanor had an affair with the King of England's father!) based on the available records. The one knock against the book, and this is hardly the author's fault, is that there are long periods of Eleanor's life when the contemporary sources felt no need to record her activities. This was, after all, an era in which the value of a woman was calculated by how many sons she produced. As a result, the book frequently reads more like a biography of Eleanor's husbands and sons than a biography of Eleanor herself. Nevertheless, a great read.
The book does an excellent job of investigating contemporary sources to parse out the truth from the romantic legend and the anti-Eleanor propaganda. Many conventional stories are debunked (Eleanor poisoned her husband's mistresses!) and others are endorsed (Eleanor had an affair with the King of England's father!) based on the available records. The one knock against the book, and this is hardly the author's fault, is that there are long periods of Eleanor's life when the contemporary sources felt no need to record her activities. This was, after all, an era in which the value of a woman was calculated by how many sons she produced. As a result, the book frequently reads more like a biography of Eleanor's husbands and sons than a biography of Eleanor herself. Nevertheless, a great read.
August 17, 2007
I read this book in hardcover when it first came out before giving it to a friend (sorry Amy). At the time I seem to remember Weir saying in the introduction that it was more of a struggle to write this book than her Tudor histories due to the comparative lack and nature of sources (she relied chiefly on contemporary chroniclers, the richer biographical data of letters, diaries, etc no longer existing). Consequently I felt it was more of a struggle to read.
Not this time. I re-read the introduction and perhaps my mind had been playing tricks on me, as there was no mention of the above difficulties. She does fill in a lot of background about medieval daily life, both for peasants and royalty, in addition to providing a balanced portrait of her subject, one of the most famous women in medieval Europe. She's not squeamish or judgmental about incestuous affairs, Eleanor's son Richard's possible homosexuality (she doesn't think he was, as that is something chroniclers would have picked up on at the merest hint), or Henry II's involvement in Thomas Becket's murder.
Definitely enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone interested in medieval European history without needing a strong background in the subject already.
Not this time. I re-read the introduction and perhaps my mind had been playing tricks on me, as there was no mention of the above difficulties. She does fill in a lot of background about medieval daily life, both for peasants and royalty, in addition to providing a balanced portrait of her subject, one of the most famous women in medieval Europe. She's not squeamish or judgmental about incestuous affairs, Eleanor's son Richard's possible homosexuality (she doesn't think he was, as that is something chroniclers would have picked up on at the merest hint), or Henry II's involvement in Thomas Becket's murder.
Definitely enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone interested in medieval European history without needing a strong background in the subject already.
March 30, 2013
Alison Weir's biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine is thorough and well-researched, from birth to death. There's a lot of dates and names, and Weir's style doesn't really make that kind of detail absorbing, but there's plenty to interest a patient reader. My chief criticism is that Weir presents this as a complete portrait of Eleanor, commenting that previous accounts of her life rely too heavily on the actions of her husbands and sons, but Weir herself falls into that same pitfall. Whole chapters go by in which Henry or Richard or John are the focus.
Still, worth the time I invested, I think. Eleanor was a fascinating woman and a great queen, amd Weir definitely shows the reader that.
Still, worth the time I invested, I think. Eleanor was a fascinating woman and a great queen, amd Weir definitely shows the reader that.
December 3, 2016
Once again Alison Weir has produced another wonderful and exciting biography. In this book on Eleanor of Aquitaine she has told the story of this most interesting person in a manner that had me glued to the pages. I must state that I have not previously read any books on this subject, quite a few on Richard I but nothing on his mother. I usually enjoy military history but this was an excellent story, well researched and well presented with heaps of plots, fighting and treachery.
The story may well be known to quite a few people out there but to me this book offered the first timer a grand and interesting panorama of this most interesting person during a most interesting period. The narrative was quick and exciting, moving along covering a vast period of time and people however I never got lost in the story. On a number of occasions points in dispute were threshed out and a common sense approach was adopted in trying to find the truth of the matter.
Eleanor of Aquitaine had a number of detractors throughout history but I think the author tried to present her story in a non biased manner. This is a good book and I think that most people will enjoy the story and even those who know the whole story should gain something from this account.
The story may well be known to quite a few people out there but to me this book offered the first timer a grand and interesting panorama of this most interesting person during a most interesting period. The narrative was quick and exciting, moving along covering a vast period of time and people however I never got lost in the story. On a number of occasions points in dispute were threshed out and a common sense approach was adopted in trying to find the truth of the matter.
Eleanor of Aquitaine had a number of detractors throughout history but I think the author tried to present her story in a non biased manner. This is a good book and I think that most people will enjoy the story and even those who know the whole story should gain something from this account.
September 27, 2021
Great book about Eleanor of Aquitaine, mother of Richard the Lionheart.
My husband bought me this book after he saw that I was enjoying reading about Elizabeth I. I wasn't very familiar with who Eleanor was, but Alison Weir did a great job with the limited information that is available. I learned a lot about the people and lands of that time along with who Eleanor and her descendants were.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in biographies and mideaval history.
My husband bought me this book after he saw that I was enjoying reading about Elizabeth I. I wasn't very familiar with who Eleanor was, but Alison Weir did a great job with the limited information that is available. I learned a lot about the people and lands of that time along with who Eleanor and her descendants were.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in biographies and mideaval history.
January 30, 2010
This is another in Alison Weir’s series of historical biographical works. As always, the book is well-written with much historical detail coming from each page. As with some of her other works (such as “Katherine Swynford”), she takes a less than complete record of the person about whom she is writing and creates a plausible rendering of that person’s life. She notes where evidence is slim and makes cautious suggestions as to what might have happened during periods of time with little record of Eleanor.
Here, the target is Eleanor of Aquitaine, notorious after her death, with a greater appreciation of her accomplishments in more recent times. The fact that such a nuanced biography can be written is remarkable, when one accounts for the fact that she lived before records were as easy to come by as later on. Born in 1122, she died in 1204, over 80 years old.
There are a number of story lines here. One is simply the trajectory of her rich life. Second is the story of her two marriages—to King Louis VII of France and to King Henry II of England. In addition, she was the ruler of Aquitaine, a large area in France. Her falling out with her husbands is riveting—including her having been under, essentially, house arrest by Henry II for over a decade. The genealogical tables on pages 408 to 421 are absolutely necessary to keep the players straight, to understand their relationships with one another.
She was a strong woman in a time when that was scarcely the norm. She was effectively ruler of Aquitaine for a time; just so, when her husband was gone, she had a role in the governance of England. A third story is the chaotic relations of her sons. Two became king of England—Richard I and John. Both had some serious flaws; one, Henry, the “Young King” was heir to the throne before an untimely death. Making this all the more sensational was the warfare (literally) between sons and father (Henry II) and between the sons themselves. Being a mom to these unruly children must have been a challenge!
The book also provides insight into the politics, economics, and culture of the time, giving us a broader context in which to consider Eleanor’s life and that of her husbands and children. For her time, she was something else again. She traveled widely, played a role in politics, roiled the interfamily tensions. In her 80s, she “retired” from public life to a convent, where she lived the rest of her days. The book concludes by noting (Page 346): “Remarkable in a period when females were relegated to a servile role, she was, as Richard of Devizes so astutely claimed, an incomparable woman.”
Here, the target is Eleanor of Aquitaine, notorious after her death, with a greater appreciation of her accomplishments in more recent times. The fact that such a nuanced biography can be written is remarkable, when one accounts for the fact that she lived before records were as easy to come by as later on. Born in 1122, she died in 1204, over 80 years old.
There are a number of story lines here. One is simply the trajectory of her rich life. Second is the story of her two marriages—to King Louis VII of France and to King Henry II of England. In addition, she was the ruler of Aquitaine, a large area in France. Her falling out with her husbands is riveting—including her having been under, essentially, house arrest by Henry II for over a decade. The genealogical tables on pages 408 to 421 are absolutely necessary to keep the players straight, to understand their relationships with one another.
She was a strong woman in a time when that was scarcely the norm. She was effectively ruler of Aquitaine for a time; just so, when her husband was gone, she had a role in the governance of England. A third story is the chaotic relations of her sons. Two became king of England—Richard I and John. Both had some serious flaws; one, Henry, the “Young King” was heir to the throne before an untimely death. Making this all the more sensational was the warfare (literally) between sons and father (Henry II) and between the sons themselves. Being a mom to these unruly children must have been a challenge!
The book also provides insight into the politics, economics, and culture of the time, giving us a broader context in which to consider Eleanor’s life and that of her husbands and children. For her time, she was something else again. She traveled widely, played a role in politics, roiled the interfamily tensions. In her 80s, she “retired” from public life to a convent, where she lived the rest of her days. The book concludes by noting (Page 346): “Remarkable in a period when females were relegated to a servile role, she was, as Richard of Devizes so astutely claimed, an incomparable woman.”
June 20, 2017
Alison Weir always gets at least four stars for every book I read of hers. Marks out of ten for this one, would be nine. Alison writes with all the authority and passion of the wildest beast that ever spurred a stirrup, galloping through the Angevin empire. Her subject, 'Eleanor of Aquitaine', is lifted from the mists and myths of eight hundred years. Her biography is also partly eclipsed as circumstance of the paternal world of the royal courts of Europe in the Middle Ages. Even so, the image is vivid of a powerful and extraordinary woman.
As wife of Louis VII of France, she changed horses in mid stream and married Henry II of England, but throughout remained Duchess of Aquitaine. Mother of Richard the Lionheart and King John, she lived for eighty two years. Therefore, much of the Weir narrative is involved in accounts of these tumultuous reigns.
Even in print it is somewhat exhausting to keep up with the travels, trials and tribulations of this woman. Reading this book has left me saddle sore, but a great ride/read.
As wife of Louis VII of France, she changed horses in mid stream and married Henry II of England, but throughout remained Duchess of Aquitaine. Mother of Richard the Lionheart and King John, she lived for eighty two years. Therefore, much of the Weir narrative is involved in accounts of these tumultuous reigns.
Even in print it is somewhat exhausting to keep up with the travels, trials and tribulations of this woman. Reading this book has left me saddle sore, but a great ride/read.
February 24, 2017
Some thoughts now that I've finished:
- I wish there had been more Eleanor in this book. She kind of made more cameo appearances in this book about her own life, rather than being the star. I'm not sure how much to fault Alison Weir for this, as I've enjoyed other biographies by her that I've read and this is really the first one I've been lukewarm on. And while it's true that this is the first Eleanor of Aquitaine biography I've read so there may be better ones, it's also true that overall there isn't a ton of info out there about her life. She swoops in to be badass every so often among the trials and tribulations of the men, but we don't often know much about what she was doing in the meantime because the 1100s didn't often feel like women and their doings were super important. Thanks, ancient historians.
- Despite there not being as much Eleanor as I'd have liked, the Plantagenets and Henry II and his sons were still a really batshit crazy family and their antics and shenanigans are so entertaining that it kept me reading anyway.
- The first half of the book was SO BORING MY GOD. And I love history books and am generally pretty adept at overcoming dry writing for the overall allure of the subject matter. This was definitely Weir's fault, as was the odd setup: some chapters about Eleanor's early life and first marriage to the King of France, followed by a chapter about life in that time period which makes sense to have but seemed like it interrupted action more than it established setting and background. Some chapters about Eleanor and the crusades but what were the peasants' lives like??? Now let's talk about Henry II's ancestors and kind of get to Eleanor and Henry's sons but WAIT! Chapters about the church! Like, all of the information was relevant but the ordering was very slapdash. I wasn't a fan of that.
- Once the sons were all born and grew up and started fighting the book got AWESOME. It was as good as guilty pleasure Kardashian-esque reality TV. Again, I think only a little of this is due to Weir's actual authorship - this family was just super batshit crazy. I could just see Eleanor sitting in her castle a la Lucille Bluth on "Arrested Development" :
Eleanor: If you're saying I play favorites, you're wrong. I love all my children equally!
**earlier that day**
Eleanor: *sips tea* I don't care for John.
Despite how much I adored the middle, once I hit the final few chapters the book went back to being semi-boring, although not as much as before. I had to give such an up-and-down book only 3 stars, especially because I wanted more Eleanor. I'm going to read some other Eleanor biographies to see if this is just the way it is, or if I just picked the wrong one to read first.
- I wish there had been more Eleanor in this book. She kind of made more cameo appearances in this book about her own life, rather than being the star. I'm not sure how much to fault Alison Weir for this, as I've enjoyed other biographies by her that I've read and this is really the first one I've been lukewarm on. And while it's true that this is the first Eleanor of Aquitaine biography I've read so there may be better ones, it's also true that overall there isn't a ton of info out there about her life. She swoops in to be badass every so often among the trials and tribulations of the men, but we don't often know much about what she was doing in the meantime because the 1100s didn't often feel like women and their doings were super important. Thanks, ancient historians.
- Despite there not being as much Eleanor as I'd have liked, the Plantagenets and Henry II and his sons were still a really batshit crazy family and their antics and shenanigans are so entertaining that it kept me reading anyway.
- The first half of the book was SO BORING MY GOD. And I love history books and am generally pretty adept at overcoming dry writing for the overall allure of the subject matter. This was definitely Weir's fault, as was the odd setup: some chapters about Eleanor's early life and first marriage to the King of France, followed by a chapter about life in that time period which makes sense to have but seemed like it interrupted action more than it established setting and background. Some chapters about Eleanor and the crusades but what were the peasants' lives like??? Now let's talk about Henry II's ancestors and kind of get to Eleanor and Henry's sons but WAIT! Chapters about the church! Like, all of the information was relevant but the ordering was very slapdash. I wasn't a fan of that.
- Once the sons were all born and grew up and started fighting the book got AWESOME. It was as good as guilty pleasure Kardashian-esque reality TV. Again, I think only a little of this is due to Weir's actual authorship - this family was just super batshit crazy. I could just see Eleanor sitting in her castle a la Lucille Bluth on "Arrested Development" :
Eleanor: If you're saying I play favorites, you're wrong. I love all my children equally!
**earlier that day**
Eleanor: *sips tea* I don't care for John.
Despite how much I adored the middle, once I hit the final few chapters the book went back to being semi-boring, although not as much as before. I had to give such an up-and-down book only 3 stars, especially because I wanted more Eleanor. I'm going to read some other Eleanor biographies to see if this is just the way it is, or if I just picked the wrong one to read first.
January 19, 2020
Let me just say that I love Tudor historian Alison Weir’s biographies. She is one of those historians that make history sing.
“Eleanor of Aquitaine” didn’t really “sing” for me. I think it was b/c of the paucity of historical record w/ which Ms. Weir had to work. The Tudor era has far more
Primary source material than the late twelfth century does. And so many of the sources are songs or prejudiced enemies writing about her.
Eleanor was a fascinating woman: she was the wife of two kings and the mother of three more (if you count Henry, the “Young King” as an actual king, which British history does not, since he doesn’t have a numeral.) Anyway, she wanted out of her first marriage w/ King Louis of France, whom she accompanied on the First Crusade, and abandoned their two daughters when she left him. She secretly negotiated her marriage w/ Henry of Anjou, daughter of Empress Matilda of England, who was in a civil war w/ her cousin, Stephen, to control England. Her marriage to Henry was a brilliant coup; their partnership created a political entity that covered most of modern-day France. And then Henry became King of England, so their realm was enormous, and nearly always troubled. Eleanor and Henry had ten children together and married their daughters into various European houses. So truthfully, Eleanor was Europe’s grandmother before Queen Victoria was.
So what made Eleanor turn against Henry and support her “devil’s spawn” sons when they rebelled against their father? I can see why they rebelled, but history just can’t tell us what happened between Henry and Eleanor. She was Henry’s prisoner for many years, and appears to have been at her best when he was quelling rebellions and she was left as Regent of England, or when he let her rule her own domains.
Was Eleanor the slut as she was portrayed in some writings? Or was she a strong, smart woman who needed to have been born hundred of years later to achieve success? Or both?
“Eleanor of Aquitaine” didn’t really “sing” for me. I think it was b/c of the paucity of historical record w/ which Ms. Weir had to work. The Tudor era has far more
Primary source material than the late twelfth century does. And so many of the sources are songs or prejudiced enemies writing about her.
Eleanor was a fascinating woman: she was the wife of two kings and the mother of three more (if you count Henry, the “Young King” as an actual king, which British history does not, since he doesn’t have a numeral.) Anyway, she wanted out of her first marriage w/ King Louis of France, whom she accompanied on the First Crusade, and abandoned their two daughters when she left him. She secretly negotiated her marriage w/ Henry of Anjou, daughter of Empress Matilda of England, who was in a civil war w/ her cousin, Stephen, to control England. Her marriage to Henry was a brilliant coup; their partnership created a political entity that covered most of modern-day France. And then Henry became King of England, so their realm was enormous, and nearly always troubled. Eleanor and Henry had ten children together and married their daughters into various European houses. So truthfully, Eleanor was Europe’s grandmother before Queen Victoria was.
So what made Eleanor turn against Henry and support her “devil’s spawn” sons when they rebelled against their father? I can see why they rebelled, but history just can’t tell us what happened between Henry and Eleanor. She was Henry’s prisoner for many years, and appears to have been at her best when he was quelling rebellions and she was left as Regent of England, or when he let her rule her own domains.
Was Eleanor the slut as she was portrayed in some writings? Or was she a strong, smart woman who needed to have been born hundred of years later to achieve success? Or both?
February 19, 2012
I do think it is a good book, and good history. But it is not a biography of Eleanor. There have been numerous comments that the problems with the book revolve around there just not being enough direct material available to do a biography, and they're entirely justified. Large sections of the book go by with notes of 'Eleanor does not appear in any of the chronicles of this period'.
Worse, from a biography point of view, there are few real conclusions or statements of what Eleanor was like. I think the book would have benefited from being a bit more opinionated, and the book stays too distant from the subject.
All that said, even when Eleanor is not present, she haunts the pages of the book, even when she is not mentioned, she is still one of the foci of events. The book should not be considered so much as a biography as a 'life and times'. It is a very well researched look at the events in England and France over an 80 year period, and I can see it being very useful to use to answer questions about 'who was where when'. The writing is good throughout, and I do recommend it, as long as you understand that it isn't quite the biography that it purports to be.
Worse, from a biography point of view, there are few real conclusions or statements of what Eleanor was like. I think the book would have benefited from being a bit more opinionated, and the book stays too distant from the subject.
All that said, even when Eleanor is not present, she haunts the pages of the book, even when she is not mentioned, she is still one of the foci of events. The book should not be considered so much as a biography as a 'life and times'. It is a very well researched look at the events in England and France over an 80 year period, and I can see it being very useful to use to answer questions about 'who was where when'. The writing is good throughout, and I do recommend it, as long as you understand that it isn't quite the biography that it purports to be.
November 27, 2017
an incomparable woman...
A scholarly introduction to the life of one of the most remarkable medieval women - Eleanor of Aquitaine, a wife of two and a mother of three kings. So few primary sources survive that we do not even have a reliable description of her appearance. Alison Weir provides a balanced portrait- she does not shy away from discussing the circumstantial evidence of Eleanor’s extramarital affairs in her youth or that of the queen's inciting her sons to overthrow her second husband king Henry II (‘disloyalty and disgrace’). In fact, only in the second half of the book we finally see Eleanor become wise and sensitive to the plight of her less fortunate subjects, beloved and respected for her shrewd administration skills, dedication to family and generosity.
September 19, 2022
Good history from the Middle Ages.
Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir
Some historical notes
1. Louis VII (1120 to 1180) and Eleanor married
2. Eleanor and Louis divorced
3. Eleanor married Henry the Duke of Normandy
4. Henry later became King of England
5. Henry eventually blamed Eleanor for marital issues and had her imprisoned
6. Henry the Young King was the eldest son to survive childhood. He died of dysentery
7. When her son Richard became King of England he had led a failed attempt to capture Jerusalem for the Christians and was unable to succeed. On his return overland he secretly traveled through Austria but was discovered by his new enemy Duke Leopold and imprisoned in Vienna. Eleanor assumed the role of temporary ruler of England in the meantime. They asked for a ransom of several hundred thousand silver marks and eventually received it, a total more than the annual coffers of the King of England. John was waiting in the wings.
8. Richard later died of an arrow wound to his arm that became gangrenous.
9. Eleanor died during the villainous King John's reign. He was her youngest son. They did not care for one another.
4 solid stars
Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir
Some historical notes
1. Louis VII (1120 to 1180) and Eleanor married
2. Eleanor and Louis divorced
3. Eleanor married Henry the Duke of Normandy
4. Henry later became King of England
5. Henry eventually blamed Eleanor for marital issues and had her imprisoned
6. Henry the Young King was the eldest son to survive childhood. He died of dysentery
7. When her son Richard became King of England he had led a failed attempt to capture Jerusalem for the Christians and was unable to succeed. On his return overland he secretly traveled through Austria but was discovered by his new enemy Duke Leopold and imprisoned in Vienna. Eleanor assumed the role of temporary ruler of England in the meantime. They asked for a ransom of several hundred thousand silver marks and eventually received it, a total more than the annual coffers of the King of England. John was waiting in the wings.
8. Richard later died of an arrow wound to his arm that became gangrenous.
9. Eleanor died during the villainous King John's reign. He was her youngest son. They did not care for one another.
4 solid stars
September 5, 2018
2.5 stars. Like most books claiming to be a biography of a lesser known woman from hundreds of years ago, this book isn't so much about Eleanor of Aquitaine as it is about her husbands and sons, famous kings of medieval England and France, and other powerful men of the time. Eleanor herself was probably the wealthiest woman in Europe, owning/ruling in her own right about half of modern France before marrying King Louis and becoming a queen. She got bored with Louis, asked for an annulment, and then married the Henry II, King of England, taking her French lands, Aquitaine, with her. And then Henry couldn't keep it in his pants and Eleanor got locked up for decades and only when her son became King was she let out of prison, and ruled REALLY REALLY WELL while he was off slaughtering people in the Crusades. But, of course, very little about her survives, because, #patriarchy. I would love to have read a shorter book that focused more on Eleanor and less on the men who tried so damn hard to control her.
December 10, 2008
As if "Timeline" hadn't convinced me enough, life in the Middle Ages was damn hard! This biography was not so much about Eleanor of Aquitaine as about the events and the men that governed her life: feudal wars, countless treaties made and broken, provences switching hands, marriages made and then annulled because of "consanguinity," kings and bishops being crowned and excommunicated, and women being sold in marriage during their early years (earliest was three?) to make good on those treaties. Names ran in the family: many people named Henry, William, Louis, Geoffrey, Eleanor, Alice, and Matilda.
I feel as though Weir's prose could have been more elegantly sculpted, but the events that Eleanor's life encompassed are hard to believe. She dressed like a man! She ruled England and France! She lived until the age of 82! (must have been near-unheard of at the time.) Richard the Lion-Heart looks pretty bad. Slimy Prince John looks slimy. In a suprising turn of events my favorite figure turned out to be Saladin who during the Crusades sent an ailing Richard, his mortal enemy, snow and fruit to revive him, agreed to hold a three year truce as Richard went back to England to see how his realms were doing, and offered to show Richard the holy sites of the Holy Land when the crusades failed. This Richard scorned, as he did not want the prize dangled before his eyes when he could not safeguard the Holy Land from the hands of infidels.
In conclusion: Don't trust your barons, don't trust the pope, don't trust your husband (who may or may not lock you up in a tower), don't trust your sons (if you are Henry II - they will rebel against you) and do become literate.
I feel as though Weir's prose could have been more elegantly sculpted, but the events that Eleanor's life encompassed are hard to believe. She dressed like a man! She ruled England and France! She lived until the age of 82! (must have been near-unheard of at the time.) Richard the Lion-Heart looks pretty bad. Slimy Prince John looks slimy. In a suprising turn of events my favorite figure turned out to be Saladin who during the Crusades sent an ailing Richard, his mortal enemy, snow and fruit to revive him, agreed to hold a three year truce as Richard went back to England to see how his realms were doing, and offered to show Richard the holy sites of the Holy Land when the crusades failed. This Richard scorned, as he did not want the prize dangled before his eyes when he could not safeguard the Holy Land from the hands of infidels.
In conclusion: Don't trust your barons, don't trust the pope, don't trust your husband (who may or may not lock you up in a tower), don't trust your sons (if you are Henry II - they will rebel against you) and do become literate.
December 18, 2020
Whilst I do realise that history is just one bloody thing after another, this book did plod through Eleanor's life somewhat with no real call-backs or context, too much discussion on sources and a load of random asides that could have been edited out to give a more focused story.
January 2, 2009
Interesting, and probably really 3.5 stars. In part it is a history of Eleanor's times, but since she did much to make those times what they were, that didn't bother me.
June 3, 2014
For saying this was a biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine, this book had surprisingly little information on the Queen herself. Instead, it read as a documentation of the actions of her various husbands, sons and, at one point, Thomas Beckett. I understand the need to contextualize the period and Eleanor's position within it but I felt like I rather lost sight of Eleanor at some points. For instance, a detailed analysis of Beckett's and Henry's relationship was underpinned by the conclusion that there is too little documentation to ascertain how Eleanor felt about the situation. Considering the sparsity of surviving evidence available to the historians of today, it is understandable that solid conclusions are difficult to draw. Especially considering the attitudes towards women during the Medieval Period. However, one does wonder why a biography of Eleanor is written when solid conclusions cannot be draw.
Weir really tries to make her subject accessible to the reader, yet Eleanor elusively is just that little bit beyond our reach. In the end, it feels like we know more about what Eleanor wasn't than what she was. For me, this was a frustrating read as I waited for Eleanor of Aquitaine to take center-stage in her own biography. As I neared the middle I resigned myself to the knowledge that she has been truly relegated to the sidelines of History, despite her remarkable achieves. After this, reading became an exercise to finish this book rather than an enjoyment.
This book is well-written and extensive research has been conducted during its compilation. The analysis is presented in a subtle manner. One of my favorite aspects of this book is that Weir roots out substantiated rumors and exposes their origins. For example, the murder of Rosamund; some of the legends associated with Eleanor's murder of Rosamund began after all parties were dead and were developed to satisfy political agendas, some even naming the wrong queen named Eleanor entirely!
In conclusion, this was a very ambitious project that fell short of my expectations. I won't be rereading this book but I appreciate the wider knowledge of the period this book gave me but feel it did little to expand my knowledge of the woman herself. Perhaps a better title would have been "Eleanor of Aquitaine": The Men in Her Life.
Weir really tries to make her subject accessible to the reader, yet Eleanor elusively is just that little bit beyond our reach. In the end, it feels like we know more about what Eleanor wasn't than what she was. For me, this was a frustrating read as I waited for Eleanor of Aquitaine to take center-stage in her own biography. As I neared the middle I resigned myself to the knowledge that she has been truly relegated to the sidelines of History, despite her remarkable achieves. After this, reading became an exercise to finish this book rather than an enjoyment.
This book is well-written and extensive research has been conducted during its compilation. The analysis is presented in a subtle manner. One of my favorite aspects of this book is that Weir roots out substantiated rumors and exposes their origins. For example, the murder of Rosamund; some of the legends associated with Eleanor's murder of Rosamund began after all parties were dead and were developed to satisfy political agendas, some even naming the wrong queen named Eleanor entirely!
In conclusion, this was a very ambitious project that fell short of my expectations. I won't be rereading this book but I appreciate the wider knowledge of the period this book gave me but feel it did little to expand my knowledge of the woman herself. Perhaps a better title would have been "Eleanor of Aquitaine": The Men in Her Life.
September 3, 2013
This is a very well researched narrative on the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Unlike other women of her era, she controlled property, was able to retain it and, therefore, was a participant in and not a bystander to events. The nuns of Fontevrault extol the "brilliance" of the "royal progeny" with which she "illuminated the world". There were no newspapers then, and being cloistered, they had only Eleanor's word on this. While she is the mother of 2 kings (3 if the "Younger King" counts), these sons are not exactly distinguished. They cannot inspire their nobles;u they make war on each other and one of them essentially loses England's continental empire.
Weir doesn't speculate on the daily prodding Eleanor might have given her sons to make war on their father, but she presents evidence to demonstrate that she tried to temper their wars against each other. Her efforts on behalf of the kidnapped Richard are extraordinary. There is no record, but legend has it that she sought leniency for her imprisoned (by her son) grandson and other legends have it that she killed him.
I found it interesting how this family spends Christmas or Easter together... after and sometimes in the middle of all this drama. Another thing of interest in this family is the role of guilt. Henry II wears a hair shirt and orders himself lashed in the presence of witnesses including his family, Richard publically decries his unspeakable sins and Eleanor's writes the Pope that her sins have caused the troubles that have befallen Richard.
Eleanor was in no way an ornament or passive queen. She managed kingdoms and rode along on 2 Crusades. It appears she engineered her divorce from the King of France, an accomplishment in its own right (witness the trouble Henry VIII had in this regard) and maintained some sort of useful relations with him throughout his life. She was imprisoned for 10(?) years, and came back without missing a beat.
Weir conveys all this, drawing a picture of the times, what they wore, what they ate, how they traveled, the appearance of the castles and how they were defended and much more.
Weir doesn't speculate on the daily prodding Eleanor might have given her sons to make war on their father, but she presents evidence to demonstrate that she tried to temper their wars against each other. Her efforts on behalf of the kidnapped Richard are extraordinary. There is no record, but legend has it that she sought leniency for her imprisoned (by her son) grandson and other legends have it that she killed him.
I found it interesting how this family spends Christmas or Easter together... after and sometimes in the middle of all this drama. Another thing of interest in this family is the role of guilt. Henry II wears a hair shirt and orders himself lashed in the presence of witnesses including his family, Richard publically decries his unspeakable sins and Eleanor's writes the Pope that her sins have caused the troubles that have befallen Richard.
Eleanor was in no way an ornament or passive queen. She managed kingdoms and rode along on 2 Crusades. It appears she engineered her divorce from the King of France, an accomplishment in its own right (witness the trouble Henry VIII had in this regard) and maintained some sort of useful relations with him throughout his life. She was imprisoned for 10(?) years, and came back without missing a beat.
Weir conveys all this, drawing a picture of the times, what they wore, what they ate, how they traveled, the appearance of the castles and how they were defended and much more.
August 15, 2009
I'm two chapters into this book, and I've decided to bail out. This book is almost a textbook on France in the 12th century. The author, in spite of a understandable feminist view of Eleanor, was objective and not necessarily sympathetic to Eleanor. Eleanor was known to play politics, and lovers. She actually got divorced (practically unheard of in the 12th century) and remarried King Henry II of England. Pretty good hook.
Unfortunately, the book is not very compelling. Page after page brings a litany of names of characters that are incidental to Eleanor, and unfamiliar to me. The empahsis, as can be expected, is on events. But without the juicy details, it became tedious to me.
I give it two stars, in spite of giving up on it, because I did learn a lot about the Middle Ages, and the author has done a monumental job of research to bring this story out. There are 50 pages of bibliography and references. If you're a medieval history buff, this may be just your cup of tea, but I'm going to look for something with a little more zing to it.
Unfortunately, the book is not very compelling. Page after page brings a litany of names of characters that are incidental to Eleanor, and unfamiliar to me. The empahsis, as can be expected, is on events. But without the juicy details, it became tedious to me.
I give it two stars, in spite of giving up on it, because I did learn a lot about the Middle Ages, and the author has done a monumental job of research to bring this story out. There are 50 pages of bibliography and references. If you're a medieval history buff, this may be just your cup of tea, but I'm going to look for something with a little more zing to it.
June 11, 2007
This one was not as easy for me to get through as The Princes in the Tower, but I still enjoyed it. The reason it reads a little slower is just because of the exhaustive notes and the fact that she spends a lot more time on analysis of sources here. Which makes it feel more authoritative, but also a bit more like a textbook. However, Eleanor's life was sexy and interesting enough on its own. It really doesn't need that much help to be a page turner. I finished it and really liked it. Recommended for anyone with a beginning interest in the time period, or Eleanor and a little bit of patience.
November 29, 2023
Eleanor is my Roman Empire. I think about her at least once a month. 👑
This book is like reading the blueprint to the show succession.
This book is like reading the blueprint to the show succession.
December 11, 2020
Excelente. Magnífico. Increíble. Muy bueno.
Segundo libro que compré en Reino Unido - concretamente, en la londinense abadía de Westminster - guiada por una corazonada y en el que no he podido estar más acertada (toma pareado). O tengo mucha suerte o será que los libros de divulgación histórica made in Britain son buenos de per se.
Esta obra historiográfica y biográfica (ojo, NO es una novela histórica ni un libro de lectura) está dedicada a Leonor de Aquitania, esa mujer tan fascinante que fue duquesa de Aquitania, condesa de Poitou y reina primero de Francia y luego de Inglaterra. Una figura muy legendaria y por desgracia muy romantizada. Siempre había tenido ganas de leer algo sólido y fundamentado sobre esta reina conocida como "la abuela de Europa"; pero daba por sentido que bien poco se conservaría, en cuanto a información rigurosa y cierta, sobre la que más perdura en la leyenda que en la realidad.
Bueno, pues estaba equivocada. Cuando se acometen las fuentes de la época y se contrastan con rigor y detallismo, como hace la autora de este libro, resulta que tenemos mucha y muy variada información sobre Leonor de Aquitania. Desde sus antepasados hasta el momento de su muerte - Leonor vivió hasta los ochenta y pocos, habiendo parido ocho hijos, enterrado a seis, y enviudado, fuerte de cuerpo y lúcida de mente, todo un mérito en el siglo XII -, Alison Weir hace un recorrido exhaustivo por los eventos de la vida de la reina; desde la situación política del mundo en que le tocó vivir, su papel como señora feudal de uno de los territorios más ingobernables de Europa, su patronazgo sobre poetas, músicos y trovadores, su matrimonio con el rey de Francia; su viaje a Tierra Santa en calidad de cruzada; su segundo matrimonio con el rey de Inglaterra tras anular el primero, las disputas con su marido en favor de la cesión de poder a sus hijos - particularmente su favorito, el célebre Ricardo - y finalmente, su papel activo como regente y consejera de sus hijos Ricardo y Juan.
Porque la leyenda normalmente tiene un origen, y parece ser que en verdad Leonor fue una mujer inteligente, sagaz, capacitada para la política, culta, hábil y resiliente. Incluso en una época donde las reinas tenían un papel muy restringido, y pese al cautiverio sufrido en manos de su propio marido, se las arregló para vivir hasta una avanzada edad y seguir en la política y al frente del gobierno aun cuando sus hijos fueran reyes.
No puedo dejar de recomendar este libro a todos los interesados en la figura de Leonor y en su contribución a la época. Eso sí, hay partes del libro, extensas también, en las cuales no se incide mucho en su figura porque la autora las dedica a contexto histórico y a hablar de los personajes que la rodearon, particularmente su familia; y porque durante el período de su encarcelamiento ella prácticamente desaparece de la documentación de la época.
Y es eso lo que ofrece este libro, certeza, documentación, rigor; y la deconstrucción de fantasías y leyendas en torno a esta reina mítica; o más bien, mitificada.
Como he dicho, excelente. Muy recomendado para fans de la Historia que no tengan miedo a un buen ensayo historiográfico, ameno, fácil de leer, pero riguroso. ¡Y qué pena que no parezca haberse traducido nunca al castellano!
Segundo libro que compré en Reino Unido - concretamente, en la londinense abadía de Westminster - guiada por una corazonada y en el que no he podido estar más acertada (toma pareado). O tengo mucha suerte o será que los libros de divulgación histórica made in Britain son buenos de per se.
Esta obra historiográfica y biográfica (ojo, NO es una novela histórica ni un libro de lectura) está dedicada a Leonor de Aquitania, esa mujer tan fascinante que fue duquesa de Aquitania, condesa de Poitou y reina primero de Francia y luego de Inglaterra. Una figura muy legendaria y por desgracia muy romantizada. Siempre había tenido ganas de leer algo sólido y fundamentado sobre esta reina conocida como "la abuela de Europa"; pero daba por sentido que bien poco se conservaría, en cuanto a información rigurosa y cierta, sobre la que más perdura en la leyenda que en la realidad.
Bueno, pues estaba equivocada. Cuando se acometen las fuentes de la época y se contrastan con rigor y detallismo, como hace la autora de este libro, resulta que tenemos mucha y muy variada información sobre Leonor de Aquitania. Desde sus antepasados hasta el momento de su muerte - Leonor vivió hasta los ochenta y pocos, habiendo parido ocho hijos, enterrado a seis, y enviudado, fuerte de cuerpo y lúcida de mente, todo un mérito en el siglo XII -, Alison Weir hace un recorrido exhaustivo por los eventos de la vida de la reina; desde la situación política del mundo en que le tocó vivir, su papel como señora feudal de uno de los territorios más ingobernables de Europa, su patronazgo sobre poetas, músicos y trovadores, su matrimonio con el rey de Francia; su viaje a Tierra Santa en calidad de cruzada; su segundo matrimonio con el rey de Inglaterra tras anular el primero, las disputas con su marido en favor de la cesión de poder a sus hijos - particularmente su favorito, el célebre Ricardo - y finalmente, su papel activo como regente y consejera de sus hijos Ricardo y Juan.
Porque la leyenda normalmente tiene un origen, y parece ser que en verdad Leonor fue una mujer inteligente, sagaz, capacitada para la política, culta, hábil y resiliente. Incluso en una época donde las reinas tenían un papel muy restringido, y pese al cautiverio sufrido en manos de su propio marido, se las arregló para vivir hasta una avanzada edad y seguir en la política y al frente del gobierno aun cuando sus hijos fueran reyes.
No puedo dejar de recomendar este libro a todos los interesados en la figura de Leonor y en su contribución a la época. Eso sí, hay partes del libro, extensas también, en las cuales no se incide mucho en su figura porque la autora las dedica a contexto histórico y a hablar de los personajes que la rodearon, particularmente su familia; y porque durante el período de su encarcelamiento ella prácticamente desaparece de la documentación de la época.
Y es eso lo que ofrece este libro, certeza, documentación, rigor; y la deconstrucción de fantasías y leyendas en torno a esta reina mítica; o más bien, mitificada.
Como he dicho, excelente. Muy recomendado para fans de la Historia que no tengan miedo a un buen ensayo historiográfico, ameno, fácil de leer, pero riguroso. ¡Y qué pena que no parezca haberse traducido nunca al castellano!
September 27, 2011
A historical, non-fiction accounting of Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of two kings (France's King Louis VII and England's King Henry II) and mother of three kings (England's Young King Henry, King Richard I and King John). She was born in 1122 and died at the age of 82....quite a phenomenal life span for that time period. Her influence, direct and indirect, helped to shape the history of France, England and quite a bit of the European continent. Eleanor's descendants include Kings and Queens of several different empires as well as two saints. I have given this book 4 stars, but this most definitely does not correlate directly to goodreads' rating scale as I did not "love" it....it was by no means a gripping, page-turner, BUT it was exactly what I thought it would be....an incredibly detailed accounting of her life (well....as detailed as could be from 800-yr old documents and references) as well as the history of the English monarchy in the 12th century. I will absolutely keep it on hand to use as a reference whenever I read any book from that time period. I wish I would have had it nearby when I read The Greatest Knight and The Pillars of the Earth, both set in that era and landscape. It was a laborious read, but definitely worth it in the long run!
January 30, 2011
There are not many important women of the Middle Ages, but Eleanor of Aquitaine has to be the most prominent and important: wife to King Louis VII of France and King Henry II of Britain and Aquitaine, mother of King Richard the Lionheart and King John of Magna Carta fame.
Quite a few biographies have been written over the years of Eleanor of Aquitaine, but there has never been one so adherent to primary and secondary sources, to the extent that the scenes depicted veritably come to life before your very eyes. The reader joys as Eleanor weds Louis and then Henry, but is much saddened at her imprisonment by Henry after her deception, and then admires her motherly love for her son Richard.
With some four hundred pages, including an index, bibliography, a collection of photos, as well ass notes on the chief sources, and extensive family trees; there is never a dull moment in this book. Each page is packed with so many facts and details that if one were to skip a passage, they would soon become lost in the complex yet fully explained happenings of Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Originally published on October 21st, 2002.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 40 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
Quite a few biographies have been written over the years of Eleanor of Aquitaine, but there has never been one so adherent to primary and secondary sources, to the extent that the scenes depicted veritably come to life before your very eyes. The reader joys as Eleanor weds Louis and then Henry, but is much saddened at her imprisonment by Henry after her deception, and then admires her motherly love for her son Richard.
With some four hundred pages, including an index, bibliography, a collection of photos, as well ass notes on the chief sources, and extensive family trees; there is never a dull moment in this book. Each page is packed with so many facts and details that if one were to skip a passage, they would soon become lost in the complex yet fully explained happenings of Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Originally published on October 21st, 2002.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 40 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
Read
January 31, 2024Last winter I visited my aunt, who has been researching her family history for the past forty years. During the conversation she mentioned that Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of her forebears. I knew her as the only Queen ever to go on crusade, mother and wife to Kings. A little research showed that by the 12th century, 30 generations have gone by, by which time you have 538 million ancestors. But still I am 1/538.000.000 Eleanor of Aquitaine. And one could do much worse.
Alison Weir has produced a beautiful biography - in her introduction she writes how she had doubts whether she could come close enough to a woman so far back in time, especially as hardly any written documents by herself have remained. I think she has done a great job in bringing her as close as one can (and last years reading of the Hughes/Plath books has shown me that having a wealth of material does not necessarily bring a clearer picture).
Aquitaine was a duchy, where in the 12th century the Roman influence (who founded it around the first century BC) was still evident. In the 8th century a William of Orange, Count of Toulouse, fought the Moors and was defeated. He became leader of the nobles, who served the nominal king of Aquitaine, but was in fact the Duke and ruler himself. William IX (1071), was Eleanor's grandfather. Eleanor married Louis, the King of France, a pious man, who perhaps would have preferred monkhood. Bernard of Clairvaux supported him in this and critiqued the feminine dresscode at court: 'he was at a loss to understand how Christian women could borrow the skins of squirrels and the labour of silkworms.'
She joined Louis in his ill-fated crusade, choosing a more relaxed campingspot with her vanguard, which eventually led to the ambushing of the main army in a pass in the Holy Land. 'We know nothing of Eleanor’s activities during the eleven months she spent in Jerusalem: the contemporary chroniclers do not mention her, and stories of her deeds and pilgrimages there belong to later romances; one legend claims that she brought back from the Holy Land the gallica rose, a distant forebear of the red damask rose, later used to represent the royal House of Lancaster. Another credits her with introducing silkworms from the Orient into Aquitaine, and the mulberry trees whose leaves they ate. There may be a modicum of truth in these tales, for her experiences of life in the Holy Land must have had tremendous significance for her and left their mark in many ways, even though she had no obvious public role to play.' Louis took cipresses from the Holy Land and planted them at Vitry, where their descendants may still be seen.
Henry of Anjou, one of the nobles at Louis' court (son of Geoffrey, Duke of Anjou) wanted to unite Normandy, Anjou and England into one vast domain. There was a legend that one Melusine was married to a earlier count of Anjou, and that she was the daughter of the Devil. A heritage Henry and his son Richard Lionheart would both refer to jokingly. Geoffrey of Anjou was married to Matilda, Empress of Germany (because there were no heirs, she was allowed to take the throne: she was daughter and the only heir to Henry I, king of England, and widow to the German emperor Henry V). Her brothers, princes of England, drowned in het White Ship disaster (which was new to me). The marriage was not a great succes; Matilda was proud and masculine, Geoffrey took his pleasure elsewhere.
Most counts of Anjou were known for their cruelties, their irregular matrimonial affairs and their debaucheries, as well as for their family feuds. Several were intelligent, cultivated and surprisingly literate men; Fulk the Good had told Louis IV of France that ‘an unlettered king is a crowned ass’. Most of these qualities and failings would be evident in the Angevin men associated with Eleanor of Aquitaine. The Angevins were a good-looking race. Many were of impressive stature, with a strong physique and red-gold hair, and most bore themselves like royalty, commanding considerable respect from their peers and vassals. They were in the main dynamic and capable rulers, and in time would provide England with a dynasty of remarkable kings, the Plantagenets, which would rule the land for 331 years. [..] Geoffrey was nicknamed Plantagenet on account of the sprig of broom flower (Latin: planta genista) that he wore in his hat. Although the dynasty founded by his son is referred to as the Plantagenet dynasty – a term coined by Shakespeare – the name was not used again by Geoffrey’s descendants until Richard, Duke of York adopted it around 1460 in order to emphasise his claim to the throne.'
Eleanor divorced from Louis and married his great antagonist Henry II, a man more suited to her in temperament and ambition. What in these days would be called a power-couple. Henry 'had a lion-like face and cropped red hair; ‘his countenance was one upon which a man might gaze a thousand times, yet still feel drawn to return to gaze upon again'. Eleanor too was known for her beauty.
"Henry II, more than any other contemporary monarch, was, as Walter Map complained, ‘forever on his travels, covering distances in unbearably long stages, like a courier, and in this respect merciless beyond measure to his household’. ‘He does not linger in his palaces like other kings, but hunts through the provinces, inquiring into everyone’s doing, and especially judges those whom he has made judges of others.’ His companions moaned about ‘the miseries of court life’: Walter Map grumbled that ‘we wear out our garments, break our bodies and our beasts, and never find a moment for the cure of our sick souls’, yet the King did not seem to notice and ‘suffered patiently the discomforts of dust and mud."
Eleanor lived a long and interesting life - ruling the Duchy of Aquitaine in her own right. She colluded with her sons against her husband. Her eldest, Henry 'the young king' rebelled against his father. Eleanor had a strong favorite in Richard (later called Coeur de Lion), for whom she passionately pleaded when he was imprisoned after his crusade. She survived him to see John, the youngest eventually take the throne of England.
A special life, well told.
Alison Weir has produced a beautiful biography - in her introduction she writes how she had doubts whether she could come close enough to a woman so far back in time, especially as hardly any written documents by herself have remained. I think she has done a great job in bringing her as close as one can (and last years reading of the Hughes/Plath books has shown me that having a wealth of material does not necessarily bring a clearer picture).
Aquitaine was a duchy, where in the 12th century the Roman influence (who founded it around the first century BC) was still evident. In the 8th century a William of Orange, Count of Toulouse, fought the Moors and was defeated. He became leader of the nobles, who served the nominal king of Aquitaine, but was in fact the Duke and ruler himself. William IX (1071), was Eleanor's grandfather. Eleanor married Louis, the King of France, a pious man, who perhaps would have preferred monkhood. Bernard of Clairvaux supported him in this and critiqued the feminine dresscode at court: 'he was at a loss to understand how Christian women could borrow the skins of squirrels and the labour of silkworms.'
She joined Louis in his ill-fated crusade, choosing a more relaxed campingspot with her vanguard, which eventually led to the ambushing of the main army in a pass in the Holy Land. 'We know nothing of Eleanor’s activities during the eleven months she spent in Jerusalem: the contemporary chroniclers do not mention her, and stories of her deeds and pilgrimages there belong to later romances; one legend claims that she brought back from the Holy Land the gallica rose, a distant forebear of the red damask rose, later used to represent the royal House of Lancaster. Another credits her with introducing silkworms from the Orient into Aquitaine, and the mulberry trees whose leaves they ate. There may be a modicum of truth in these tales, for her experiences of life in the Holy Land must have had tremendous significance for her and left their mark in many ways, even though she had no obvious public role to play.' Louis took cipresses from the Holy Land and planted them at Vitry, where their descendants may still be seen.
Henry of Anjou, one of the nobles at Louis' court (son of Geoffrey, Duke of Anjou) wanted to unite Normandy, Anjou and England into one vast domain. There was a legend that one Melusine was married to a earlier count of Anjou, and that she was the daughter of the Devil. A heritage Henry and his son Richard Lionheart would both refer to jokingly. Geoffrey of Anjou was married to Matilda, Empress of Germany (because there were no heirs, she was allowed to take the throne: she was daughter and the only heir to Henry I, king of England, and widow to the German emperor Henry V). Her brothers, princes of England, drowned in het White Ship disaster (which was new to me). The marriage was not a great succes; Matilda was proud and masculine, Geoffrey took his pleasure elsewhere.
Most counts of Anjou were known for their cruelties, their irregular matrimonial affairs and their debaucheries, as well as for their family feuds. Several were intelligent, cultivated and surprisingly literate men; Fulk the Good had told Louis IV of France that ‘an unlettered king is a crowned ass’. Most of these qualities and failings would be evident in the Angevin men associated with Eleanor of Aquitaine. The Angevins were a good-looking race. Many were of impressive stature, with a strong physique and red-gold hair, and most bore themselves like royalty, commanding considerable respect from their peers and vassals. They were in the main dynamic and capable rulers, and in time would provide England with a dynasty of remarkable kings, the Plantagenets, which would rule the land for 331 years. [..] Geoffrey was nicknamed Plantagenet on account of the sprig of broom flower (Latin: planta genista) that he wore in his hat. Although the dynasty founded by his son is referred to as the Plantagenet dynasty – a term coined by Shakespeare – the name was not used again by Geoffrey’s descendants until Richard, Duke of York adopted it around 1460 in order to emphasise his claim to the throne.'
Eleanor divorced from Louis and married his great antagonist Henry II, a man more suited to her in temperament and ambition. What in these days would be called a power-couple. Henry 'had a lion-like face and cropped red hair; ‘his countenance was one upon which a man might gaze a thousand times, yet still feel drawn to return to gaze upon again'. Eleanor too was known for her beauty.
"Henry II, more than any other contemporary monarch, was, as Walter Map complained, ‘forever on his travels, covering distances in unbearably long stages, like a courier, and in this respect merciless beyond measure to his household’. ‘He does not linger in his palaces like other kings, but hunts through the provinces, inquiring into everyone’s doing, and especially judges those whom he has made judges of others.’ His companions moaned about ‘the miseries of court life’: Walter Map grumbled that ‘we wear out our garments, break our bodies and our beasts, and never find a moment for the cure of our sick souls’, yet the King did not seem to notice and ‘suffered patiently the discomforts of dust and mud."
Eleanor lived a long and interesting life - ruling the Duchy of Aquitaine in her own right. She colluded with her sons against her husband. Her eldest, Henry 'the young king' rebelled against his father. Eleanor had a strong favorite in Richard (later called Coeur de Lion), for whom she passionately pleaded when he was imprisoned after his crusade. She survived him to see John, the youngest eventually take the throne of England.
A special life, well told.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 760 reviews