FEATURE Eleanor of Aquitane
A powerful English queen inspires a brilliant Robert Off roombox. by Deb Weissler When many people think about powerful English queens, Elizabeth I is likely the first to come to mind. There’s no denying Elizabeth I is revered as one of the greatest English monarchs to have ever ruled, but 400 years earlier, Eleanor of Aquitane helped rule a dynasty that ensured her place among the prominent European families. One of the most powerful and influential women of her time, she would become queen of France, queen of England, help lead a crusade to the Holy Land, and give birth to three kings, two queens, and numerous counts and countesses.
During Eleanor’s lifetime, feudalism was the social order of the day with numerous political upheavals throughout…