THE SCENE: This 12th century history of the early life of Eleanor of Aquitaine makes her sound like a hold-hearted badass. From going on Holy War with the crusades, to insulting her husband’s manhood, to ditching her children so she could marry someone else, it’s clear that she lived her life by her own rules.
THE TEXT: About the same time a divorce took place between Louis, king of France, and Eleanor, his queen, certain bishops and nobles asserting their consanguinity, under the solemn testimony of an oath. This princess, who was the only daughter of the duke of Aquitaine, previous to the before-mentioned expedition to Jerusalem, had been married to the king of France, and, by her union, had joined the very extensive duchy of Aquitaine to the kingdom of France. She had, at first, so completely bewitched the young man’s affections, by the beauty of her person, that when, on the eve of setting out on that famous crusade, he felt himself so strongly attached to his youthful bride, he resolved not to leave her behind, but to take her with him to the Holy War. Many nobles, following his example, also took their wives with them; who, unable to exist without female attendants, introduced a multitude of women into those Christian camps, which ought to be chaste, but which became a scandal to our army, as it has been shown above.
When the king had returned home, together with his wife, branded with the ignominy of not having accomplished his design, their former affection began, by degrees, to grow cold; and causes of dissension arose between them. The queen was highly offended at the behavior of the king, and asserted that she had married a monk, and not a monarch. It is also said, that during her union with the king of France, she aspired to a marriage with the duke of Normandy, as more congenial to her feelings; and that, in consequence, she had wished for, and procured a divorce. Wherefore, the dissension increasing, and she, as it is said, becoming extremely urgent, and he making no resistance, the bond of conjugal union between them was dissolved by the power of ecclesiastical law.
At length, legally freed from her husband, and enabled to marry whom she pleased, she accomplished her most anxiously-desired match, leaving her two daughters with their father. Afterwards, by their father’s paternal appointment, they were united to Henry, and Theobald, the sons of the illustrious earl Theobald. The queen and the duke of Normandy, having met at an appointed place, were then united by the conjugal tie, which was solemnized not very splendidly, in proportion to their rank, but with guarded prudence, lest any pompous preparation for their nuptials should allow any obstacle to arise.
– History of English Affairs, William of Newburgh, 12th Century AD
