To Be Queen (41 page)

Eleanor and Henry had nine children, seven of whom lived to adulthood. William, their first son, named for Eleanor's father, died of a fever before he reached the age of three. Henry the Younger, Richard, Geoffrey, and John were given titles and lands in their own right, while Eleanor and Henry's daughters each married abroad at a young age in service of the crown.

Eleanor's daughters with Louis, Marie and Alix, both married to support the throne of France. Marie became the Countess of Champagne, and though she spent little time in her mother's company, Eleanor's eldest daughter grew into a woman who embodied all the graces of the Court of Love. All her life, Marie of France supported the arts; a patroness of troubadours, Eleanor's eldest daughter was also famous for writing music and poetry of her own.

Eleanor and Henry's marriage began to falter on a personal level in 1166, when Henry met and fancied a new mistress, Rosamund de Clifford. Eleanor and Henry still saw each other often on feast and holy days, but after the birth of their last child, John, in December of 1166, Eleanor returned to Aquitaine, and took up her place as duchess there.

Once Eleanor's eldest sons were old enough, in 1173 she aligned with Henry the Younger, Richard the Lionhearted, and Geoffrey of Brittany, along with the Count of Flanders and her ex-husband, Louis VII of France, in an effort to take over Henry's holdings in Brittany, Normandy, and Anjou. This bid for power failed as Henry defeated his rebellious sons and their allies. Henry forgave his sons, but once he had captured Eleanor, he locked her away for the rest of his reign. Upon Henry's death in July 1189, Richard's first act as king was to set his mother free.

Eleanor ruled through her son Richard, serving as regent when he rode to the Levant on the Third Crusade. Upon Richard's death, Eleanor saw to it that her last remaining son, John, succeeded as king in England, before withdrawing into retirement at the Abbey of Fontevrault in 1199.

Eleanor died April 1, 1204, at the Abbey of Fontevrault. She was buried beside her husband, Henry II, and her favorite son, Richard. Her effigy, and Henry's, can still be seen in that abbey today.

CHRISTY ENGLISH is the author of two historical novels,
To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine
and
The Queen's Pawn
. Christy received her undergraduate degree in history from Duke University.

1. As the novel opens, Eleanor's mother and brother are dead, and she is her father's heir. Would Eleanor have ever become duchess without her father's support?

 

2. Eleanor's younger sister, Petra, is never considered for a political role by Eleanor's father. Do you think this has a negative effect on Petra's relationship with Eleanor? How do Eleanor and Petra interact in the novel? Do you think that they loved each other, even as children?

 

3. As a child, Eleanor wants to learn to hunt with a falcon and a hawk. Her father has also promised her that she can ride a warhorse once she is old enough. Why do you think Eleanor wants to establish dominance over these hunting animals, especially hawks and warhorses, two types of animals that are usually reserved for men?

 

4.
To Be Queen
is dedicated to Eleanor's father, William X, Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou. If she were alive today, what might Eleanor think of this dedication?

 

5. Eleanor never liked the Parisians, and they never liked her. Why? Do you think her attitude toward her husband's people changes over the course of the novel?

 

6. For years, Eleanor and Louis are without a child. Who gets blamed for the lack of children? Who was at fault? How does this attitude toward conceiving children differ from our modern point of view? Why?

 

7. Eleanor and Louis go on Crusade to fight against the Turks in the Levant. Did Eleanor want to take this journey? What was your favorite part of her time in the city of Constantinople? What was Eleanor's favorite thing about that city?

 

8. When Eleanor reached Rome, she expected the pope to grant her an annulment from Louis. Why did she expect this? Were you surprised when she did not get what she wanted? What was your reaction to the pope blessing her marriage to Louis, a marriage she desperately wanted to get out of?

 

9. Eleanor was clearly unhappy in her marriage to Louis. What were her reasons for being so dissatisfied with Louis? Do you think she ever truly loved him?

 

10. When Henry of Normandy walks into the court of Paris, he stares at Eleanor and does not look away. Do you think he planned his seduction of her? Why did she allow herself to be seduced by him?

 

11. Whom do you think Eleanor will be happier with, Louis or Henry? Why? Is happiness a consideration for Eleanor? If not, what does she base her decisions on? Do you agree with her choices?

 

12. Eleanor was one of the most remarkable women of her time. She was one of the few women ever to wear two crowns in a lifetime, and one of the few women to rule a duchy in her own right. What attributes of her character allowed her to achieve so much?