Alienor Aquitaine:
“Trees are not known by their leaves, nor even by their blossoms, but by their fruits.”
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| Marie Countess of Champagne |
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| Alice Countess of Blois |
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| Matilda Duchess of Saxony |
but I do still have a question or two.
No, I’m not going to ask
if you really rode to the Crusades
with a band of Amazon warriors.
I’m not even going to ask
what it was like to be married
to the King of England and the King of France
For sure, I’m not going to ask
about your lovers or your schemes against Henry II.
That is none of my business.
I’m your 24th great granddaughter,
descended from Marie, Alix, Eleanor and Matilda
(John, too, but you were right about him).
What were my ancestors like?
I wonder if any of your daughters were like you—-
a strong-willed woman.
Your “fruits” were not as well-known as you.
I know about their titles:
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| Eleanor Queen of Castille |
But what about
their character,
their values,
their intelligence?
Royal titles mean nothing to me.
You’ve had novels and plays written about you,
but tell me about them.
Were they respected and admired?
Were they benevolent leaders?
You had tumultus relationships with your husbands:
Louis VII and Henry II.
What did their husbands and children think of them?
You had 10 children—-5 daughters and 5 sons.
We know your sons were not strong or principled.
What about your daughters?
What about your daughters?
