leonardnyuaksuarez

"Plantagenet Princesses: The Daughters of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II


A unique look at the lives of two daughters that highlights the dichotomy of lives of royal women, as both daughters and mothers of kings, who also knew both prison and power.The names of few medieval monarchs and their queens are better known than Eleanor of Aquitaine, uniquely queen of France and queen of England, and her second husband Henry II. Although academically labeled medieval 8217 , their era was the violent transition from the Dark Ages, when countries 8217 borders were defined with fire and sword. Henry grabbed the English throne thanks largely to Eleanor 8217 s dowry because she owned one third of France. Their daughters also lived extraordinary lives. If princes fought for their succession to crowns, the princesses were traded usually by their mothers to strangers for political power without the bloodshed. Years before what would today be marriageable age, royal girls were dispatched to countries whose speech was unknown to them and there became the property of unknown
"