The life of Eleanor of Aquitaine based on the research behind the motion picture script "Eleanor".
Eleanor becomes the Queen of France at 15, marches to Jerusalem in the Second Crusade at 24, and is Queen of England at 32. Perhaps her greatest contribution, at the height of her power at 47 is her legendary romantic courts of love. Her main court is centered in Poitier, France while she is the Queen of England. The city is already a pilgrimage for aspiring knights old and new, for Poitier lies near the site of the great battlefield where Charles Martel defeated the Muslims 300 years before her time. Here in Eleanor's court, a code develops of love, honor, and chivalry. As her court begins to flourish and grow in fame and influence, her husband, Henry II has Archbishop Becket murdered horribly in Canterbury. Fearing her power, as well as being jealous and the upheaval in Europe to march on the murderer, Henry imprisons the 50 year old Queen. After 15 years of jail, her famous son, Richard the Lionhearted, defeats Henry in battle and releases Eleanor. She presides over England while Richard leads the Third Crusade. Richard is taken captive by his German allies and after raising ransom, Eleanor travels to his dungeon to release him. Over time she becomes the master politician of European kingdoms. She dies at 82, a mother of ten, queen of two countries and creator of the great romantic court traditions. Her children became the royalty of Italy, Germany, Spain, France and England - King Richard the Lionhearted, King John, Queen Eleanor of Spain, Queen Joanna of Sicily, and granddaughter Blanche, Queen of France.
A champion of every human dimension of love, Eleanor further rebalances the value of women, elaborates the codes of chivalry, certifies the establishment of the jury by twelve, and becomes the inspiration for thousands of knights. She becomes the motive for many Troubadour songs, and inspires lyrics and stories of the times. In the 1100's, the rewrite of King Arthur puts in the legendary story for the first time, Guenivere (Eleanor) and the new and now famous French knights. In Eleanor's domains, women were no longer the object of conquest or the bargaining chips by fathers. Love, especially the love by man for woman became its own quest. She codifies many rituals of romance - letter writing, courteous behavior, gift giving, engagement rings, Valentine ceremony, refined wine, flower giving, dance and other revels of her form of court. Courting originates from her court. In her court, when love came subject, her judgments ruled love as a primary cause in a relationship - a controversial belief that was ruled heresy.
Reviving the ancient, or for her - the Roman styles of life, Eleanor extended this to the humanely elegant form of architecture - the Romanesque. She also imported Spanish Muslim and Persian influences in architecture, customs, dress, cooking, and thought. Her freeing rule helped give birth to what historians call the first European Renaissance. Romance as a social code and individual determination of courage, faith and relationships were important to her sense of life and justice. Love, which gives life, figured heavily into the complex multi-level courts and domains that she ruled. Upon her death, her court practices, judgments, and laws were expunged and reversed by church and king.
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