Eleanor of Aquitaine

Hello! My name is Eleanor of Aquitaine. I grew up a long, long time ago in a sunny part of France called Aquitaine. It was a beautiful place. When I was a young teenager, something very important happened. In the year 1137, my dear father, the Duke, passed away. Suddenly, I became the ruler of all our lands. It was a very big job for a girl my age, but I was ready to be strong for my people.

In that same year, 1137, I married a prince named Louis. It wasn't long before he became King Louis VII of France, which meant I became the Queen! I moved to the big, busy city of Paris and got to wear a beautiful crown. Life as a queen was full of new things to learn. A few years later, in 1147, the king and I went on a very long journey called the Second Crusade. We traveled to faraway lands, and it was a great adventure for me to see so much of the world.

After some time, my marriage to King Louis ended in the year 1152. But my story was far from over! Just a few weeks later, I married again. My new husband was a handsome duke named Henry. My life changed once more in 1154 when he became King Henry II of England. Can you believe it? I was a queen for a second time, but this time, of England! We had many children together. I was so proud that two of my sons, Richard and John, grew up to become kings of England, too.

Being a queen wasn't always like a fairy tale. My husband, King Henry, and I sometimes disagreed on important things. For many years, I even had to live away from the royal court. Even when things were difficult, I never stopped being a strong mother to my children. When my son Richard became king in 1189, he had to go away to fight. I helped him rule England while he was gone. I made sure our kingdom was safe and sound for him.

I lived a very long and exciting life, especially for that time. I lived to be 82 years old. My story is remembered because I was a powerful duchess in my own land and a queen of two great countries, France and England. I hope my story shows you that you can be a strong and important leader, too.