top of page

ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE

ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE

Timeline and additional facts on Eleanor of Aquitaine.The wife of King Henry II of England. Learn who was Eleanor of Aquitaine. Find out who  Eleanor of Aquitaine children was. 

TIME-LINE OF ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE

 
1122
  • Eleanor is born the daughter of William X, Duke of Aquitaine and Aénordaenor de Châtellerault at Poitiers
1125
  • Eleanor’s sister Petronilla of Aquitaine, is born.
1130
  • MARCH: Eleanor’s mother Aénor of Châtellerault died, at Talmont.
1137
  • 9TH APRIL: Eleanor’s father, William X, Duke of Aquitaine died. his last words were for Louis VI to be protector to Eleanor, and the King of France followed his wishes.
  • 12TH JULY: Eleanor is queen consort of the France.
  • 25TH JULY: Eleanor married Louis VII of France, at Cathedral of Saint-André
1140
  • Eleanor’s sister Petronilla of Aquitaine married Ralph I, count of Vermandois, who was a grandson of Henry I France.
1144
  • JUNE: Eleanor and her husband Louis VII, visited the newly built monastic church at Saint-Denis
1145
  • Eleanor’s daughter Marie of is born, in the kingdom of France
1147
  • Eleanor accompanied her husband Louis VII on the Second Crusade, traveling to Constantinople and Jerusalem.
1149
  • Eleanor and her uncle Raymond of Poitiers visited Antioch during the second crusade.
1150
  • AUGUST: Eleanor’s daughter, Alix of France is born
1151
  • Eleanor’s sister Petronilla of Aquitaine divorced Ralph I, count of Vermandois
1152
  • 11TH MARCH: Eleanor and Louis VII of France, marriage is annulled, they met in person at royal castle of Beaugency to do this.
  • 18TH MAY: Eleanor married Henry Count of Anjou, the future Henry II of England
1153
  • JANUARY  Eleanor's husband Henry, Count of Anjou, arrives in England in a campaign against King Stephen in favour of his mother Empress Matilda
  • 17TH AUGUST: Eleanor’s son William is born in Normandy, France count of Poitiers
  • 7TH NOVEMBER The Anarchy:Henry Count of Anjou and  King Stephen seal the Treaty of Wallingford in Winchester Cathedral, ending the civil war
1154
  • 25TH OCTOBER :King Stephen is dead, and now Eleanor’s husband Henry is now King of England
  • 19TH DECEMBER: Joint coronation of  Henry as King of England and Eleanor as Queen consort, They were both crowned by Theobald of Bec, Archbishop of Canterbury
1155
  • JANUARY Henry II appoints Thomas Becket as Lord Chancellor
  • 28TH FEBRUARY Eleanor’s son Henry is born
  • Eleanor's husband King Henry defeats rebellious barons, reclaims many royal castles, and abolishes the Earldoms of York and Hereford
1156
  • 6TH JANUARY Eleanor's daughter Matilda  is born, at Windsor castle, Berkshire, England.
  • 5TH FEBRUARY King Henry pays homage to Louis VII of France to secure his titles over Normandy, Aquitaine, and Anjou
  • APRIL: Eleanor’s son William died. Wallingford castle, Berkshire age three year-old.
  • King Henry suppresses a revolt by his brother Geoffrey in Anjou, and grants him the title Count of Nantes in return for securing peace
1157
  • MAY Henry II demands the return of Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland from Malcolm IV of Scotland.In return Malcolm is given the title Earl of Huntingdon.
  • King Henry II launches a campaign for overlordship of Wales.Owain Gwynedd ( King of All Wales) submits to Henry and pays homage
  • 8TH SEPTEMBER: Eleanor’s son Richard is born Beaumont palace, Oxford, England. (The future Richard 1st England)
1158
  • 23RD SEPTEMBER: Eleanor’s son, Geoffrey is born.
  • Eleanor's husband King Henry II leaves for Normandy; he does not return to England until 1163
  • AUGUST  Henry agrees a treaty with Louis VII of France; Henry's son Henry the Young King to marry Louis' daughter Marguerite, in return for control of parts of Vexin
1160
  • 2ND NOVEMBER Eleanor's son Henry is formally betrothed to Margaret of France
1161
  • 13TH OCTOBER: Eleanor’s daughter Eleanor of England, is born, at Domfront castle, Normandy
1162
  • 3RD JUNE Thomas Becket consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury and resigns as Lord Chancellor
1163
  • JANUARY Henry II suppresses a revolt in Wales, and captures Prince Rhys ap Gruffydd
  • 1ST OCTOBER Thomas Becket resists Henry II's demands to extend the jurisdiction of secular courts to the clergy
1164
  • Eleanor’s daughter, Marie of France married Henry I, count of champagne
  • Eleanor’s daughter Alix of France married Theobald V, count of Blois.
  • 2ND NOVEMBER Thomas Becket found guilty of contempt of court and exiled to France
1165
  • OCTOBER: Eleanor’s daughter Joan of England is born, Château D' Angers, Anjou
1166
  • JULY Eleanor's husband King  Henry conquers Brittany, granting the territory to his son Geoffrey
  • King Henry enacts the Assize of Clarendon, reforming the law, underpinning the importance of jury trial and defining the legal duties of sheriffs
  • 24TH DECEMBER: Eleanor’s son John is born at Beaumont palace, Oxford (The future King John of England)
1168
  • 1ST FEBRUARY: Eleanor’s daughter Matilda of England, married Henry the Lion at Minden cathedral in Saxony.
1170
  • 24TH JUNE: Eleanor’s son Henry is crowned “Henry the young King”.the Young Henry is crowned by Roger de Pont L'Evêque, Archbishop of York
  • 29TH DECEMBER The murder of Thomas Becket by four of Henry II's knights Reginald Fitzurse, Hugh de Morville, William de Tracy, and Richard le Breton inside Canterbury Cathedral
1172
  • 27TH AUGUST: Eleanor’s son “Henry The Young King” married Margaret of France, both his wife and Henry again were again crowned on the same day. in Winchester cathedral by Rotrou, Archbishop of Rouen.
1173
  • Eleanor left Poitier's, but was arrested and sent to the King at Rouen and was imprisoned by her husband, Henry II, for supporting their son in the revolt. Eleanor’s sister Petronilla of Aquitaine was a companion to her , while she was in her imprisonment
  • Eleanor’s husband Henry began his love affair with , Rosamund Clifford
1174
  • Eleanor’s daughter Eleanor of England, married Alfonso VIII, King of Castile in Burgos.
  • 8TH JULY Henry the Young King and Eleanor of Aquitaine take ship for England from Barfleur. As soon as they disembark at Southampton, Eleanor is imprisoned in the care of Ralph FitzStephen, in which condition she remains until 1189.
  • 12TH JULY Eleanor's husband  King Henry II does penance at Canterbury for the murder of Becket
1177
  • 13TH SEPTEMBER: Eleanor’s daughter Joan of England married William II of Sicily, and became queen consort of Sicily, and crowned on the same day
1181
  • Eleanor’s son Geoffrey married Constance, duchess of Brittany
1182
  • Henry the Young King leads a rebellion against his father in Aquitaine
1183
  • 11TH JUNE: Eleanor’s son Henry “The Young King” died castle of Martel, Lot
1184
1185
  • Eleanor takes control of Aquitaine
1186
  • 19TH AUGUST: Eleanor’s son Geoffrey died at Paris France Geoffrey was trampled to death in a riding accident during a tournament in Paris.
1188
  • 11TH NOVEMBER Eleanor's husband King Henry refuses to name Richard as his heir. Richard pays homage to King Philip II
1189
  • MAY Eleanor's son, Richard campaigns against his father Henry II in France
  • 28TH JUNE: Eleanor’s daughter Matilda of England, duchess of Saxony, died at Brunswick, lower Saxony
  • 4TH JULY Henry II surrenders, agrees to make Richard his heir and pay an indemnity
  • 6TH JULY: Eleanor is released from her imprisonment, and goes back to take control of Aquitaine
  • Eleanor’s husband Henry II England is dead, and now her son Richard is King of England, Eleanor is regent for her son Richard I England
  • 13TH AUGUST Richard sails from Barfleur to Portsmouth to take up his crown.
  • 29TH AUGUST: Eleanor’s son, John married Isabella, countess of Gloucester at Marlborough castle in Wiltshire
  • 3RD SEPTEMBER: The coronation of Richard as King of England,, the first of his name. Richard was crowned  by Baldwin of Exeter, Archbishop of Canterbury
  • 12TH DECEMBER Eleanor’s King Richard I embarks on the Third Crusade, appointing Hugh de Puiset and William Longchamp as justiciars in his absence
1190
  • Eleanor of Aquitaine promoted the engagement of Berengaria herself.
1191
  • MARCH: Eleanor arrived in Messina with Richard's bride, Berengaria of Navarre Eleanor arrived in Messina with Richard's bride, Berengaria of Navarre. Eleanor leaves Berengaria in her daughter Joan’s care.
  • JUNE: Eleanor arrived in England in the company of Coutances
1193
  • Eleanor’s sister, Petronilla of Aquitaine died.
  • MARCH: Eleanor’s son King Richard is imprisoned by HenryVI, The Holy Roman Emperor, in Trifle’s castle, Eleanor, worked hard to raise the money for his releas
1194
  • 4TH FEBRUARY: Eleanor’s son, King Richard is released from imprisonment
  • 17TH APRIL   The second coronation Eleanor's son  of Richard I at Winchester
1196
  • OCTOBER: Eleanor’s daughter Joan of England married for a second time to Raymond VI of Toulouse
1197
  • Eleanor’s daughter Alix of France died
1198
  • 11TH MARCH: Eleanor’s daughter Marie of France, countess of champagne died, at county of champagne
1199
  • 6TH APRIL: Eleanor’s son Richard died in Eleanor’s arms., and now Eleanor’s son John is King of England
  • 27TH MAY: The coronation Eleanor’s son, King John of England the first of his name John  is crowned by Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury.
  • AUGUST Eleanor’s son gets an annulment from his marriage to Isabella, countess of Gloucester
  • 24TH AUGUST Eleanor’s son King John of England married Isabella of Angouleme
  • 4TH  SEPTEMBER: Eleanor’s daughter Joan of England died at Rouen.
1200
  • 24TH AUGUST: Eleanor’s son King John of England married Isabella of Angouleme
1201
  • Eleanor is unwell again
1202
  • Eleanor is besieged, by her grandson Arthur I, Duke of Brittany Château De Mirebeau. John organized a rescue mission inn which Arthur was arrested and imprisoned.
  • JULY King John rescues his mother, Eleanor, from near capture by the rebellious forces of Arthur I, Duke of Brittany
1204
  • 1ST APRIL: Eleanor died at Poitier's, Angevin Empire
Eleanor of Aquitaine was buried in Fontevraud Abbey, Fontevraud, Anjou, France.

EXTRA  FACTS ON ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE

  • Eleanor Of Aquitaine was Queen, consort of England for thirty-five years and was Duchess of Aquitaine, for sixty-seven years.
 
  • Eleanor Of Aquitaine had also been Queen consort of France for fifteen years, through her first marriage to Louis VII of France.
 
  • Eleanor of Aquitaine is said to be responsible for the introduction of built-in fireplaces, first used when she renovated the palace of her first husband Louis in Paris. Shocked by the frigid north after her upbringing in southern France, Eleanor’s innovation spread quickly, transforming the domestic arrangements of the time.
 
  • Eleanor came from of House of Poitiers Ramulfids, which goes back to the ninth century. After the death of her father William X, Duke of Aquitaine, the male line became extinct, and Eleanor herself was the last female of this house in their family.
 
  • Eleanor’s provided her with an excellent education, learning arithmetic, the constellations, and history. Eleanor also learned domestic skills such as household management and the needle arts of embroidery, needlepoint, sewing, spinning, Eleanor developed skills in conversation, dancing, games such as backgammon, checkers, and chess, playing the harp.
 
  • The mother of two future kings of England, Richard (lion heart) and John.
 
  • Eleanor, was a good option for King Louis VI for his son Louis as Eleanor came with the vast Duchy of Aquitaine as a dowry. However, she was high spirited and not easy to manage, there was a famous painting of Louis VII France, and he resembled a monk, Eleanor would crack jokes, saying she thought she came to marry a king, not a monk. Their marriage produced no male heirs and The Council of Beaugency declared that Louis VII and Eleanor were too closely related for their marriage to be legal, So hence forth went the annulment. When Eleanor married Henry, who was count of Anjou and future King of England, this led to hostility, as Louis believed he should have been asked for his consent, and a personal humiliation to Louis personally.
 
  • Eleanor’s son, Henry the Young King was the only King of England since the Norman conquest to be crowned in the lifetime of his father.
 
  • In 1173 two of Eleanor's sons involved her in a plot against their father, and as a result Henry imprisoned her. Eleanor was nor released until after the death of her husband Henry II.
 
  • Eleanor is buried next to her husband King Henry II of England and her son King Richard IST England. Eleanor’s tomb shows her reading ,
ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE

FICTIONAL PORTRAYALS OF ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE

FICTIONAL PORTRAYALS OF ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE
bottom of page