The lives of the sons of Eleanor of Aquitaine are the stuff of legend. Her daughters, however, are less well known, and the fascinating personalities of her daughters-in-law have been almost entirely overlooked, as have those of the daughters she bore Louis VII of France. The Families of Eleanor of Aquitaine showcases the lives, travels […]
Female networks of power in the Middle Ages
Medieval royal marriages were about creating networks of power. This gave the female members of a family more influence than we might think, says JF Andrews, and the history of the five daughters and five daughters-in-law of Eleanor of Aquitaine show how these marriage connections worked in practice. ‘Name the sons of Eleanor of Aquitaine’ […]