May, 1152, Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry Fitz-Empress, duke of Normandy through his mother and count of Anjou through his father, and heir to the throne of England
His mothers cousin, Stephen, who had seized the throne of England at Henry I's death. In 1154, Stephen died, making Henry II king of England, and Eleanor of Aquitaine his queen.
Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II had three daughters and five sons. Both sons who survived became kings of England after him: Richard I (the Lionhearted) and John (known as Lackland).
Born September 8, 1157, Oxford, England—died April 6, 1199, Châlus, duchy of Aquitaine.
Duke of Aquitaine (from 1168) and of Poitiers (from 1172) and king of England, duke of Normandy, and count of Anjou (1189–99).
His knightly manner and his prowess in the Third Crusade (1189–92) made him a popular king in his own time as well as the hero of countless romantic legends. He has been viewed less kindly by more recent historians and scholars.
Born: 24-Dec-1166
Birthplace: Oxford, England
Died: 18-Oct-1216
Location of death: Newark, Lincolnshire, England
Cause of death: Illness
Remains: Buried, Worcester Cathedral, Worcester, England
In 1173, Henry's sons rebelled against Henry, and Eleanor of Aquitaine supported her sons. Legend says that she did this in part as revenge for Henry's adultery. Henry put down the rebellion and confined Eleanor from 1173 to 1183.
From 1185, Eleanor became more active in the ruling of Aquitaine. Henry II died in 1189 and Richard, thought to be Eleanor's favorite among her sons, became king. From 1189-1204 Eleanor of Aquitaine also was active as a ruler in Poitou and Glascony. At the age of almost 70, Eleanor traveled over the Pyrenees to escort Berengaria of Navarre to Cyprus to be married to Richard.
When her son John joined forces with the King of France in rising against his brother King Richard, Eleanor backed Richard and helped bolster his rule when he was on crusade. In 1199 she supported John's claim to the throne against her grandson Arthur of Brittany (Geoffrey's son).Eleanor was 80 years old when she helped hold out against Arthur's forces until John could arrive to defeat Arthur and his supporters. In 1204, John lost Normandy, but Eleanor's European holdings remained secure.
Eleanor of Aquitaine died on April 1, 1204, at the abbey of Fontevrault, where she had visited many times and which she supported. She was buried in Fontevrault.
Intelligent, creative and impulsive, Eleanor's legend would go unrivaled until Elizabeth I. Blessed with a remarkably long and fulfilled life, Eleanor took centre stage in the 12th century, which, as Katherine Bailey expressed in the May 2005 issue of 'British Heritage', was a "particularly impressive achievement considering that medieval women were considered nothing more than chattel".
The unrest in Europe and the Holy Land at the time proved to be an incredible challenge for all leaders of the time, but Eleanor was renowned for her political wisdom and tenacity that marked the years of her maturity. Her sons are some of the most famous kings of England, including Richard the Lionheart and John, who is most known for signing the magna carta.