Duchess of Aquitaine (1137-1204), Queen Consort of Louis VII of France (1137-1152), Queen Consort of Henry II of England and Duke of Normandy (1154-1189). Born circa 1122 died 1204.
Unusual for her day, Eleanor was actively involved in politics from her youth to her death. Be it ruling the largest Duchy in France, advising her royal husbands, arranging advantageous noble weddings, influencing her royal children or organizing military revolts against her second husband King Henry II, Eleanor was no man's tool. Actually, she was very adept at making otherwise powerful men into her tools to forward her political agenda. She was a unique woman of her age, politically astute, strong willed and immensely intelligent.
Mother of three kings of England: Henry the Young King (1170-1183), Richard I-Coeur de Lion (1189-1199) and John-Lackland (1199-1216)
Mother of two queens: Eleanor Queen of Castile (1177-1214), and Joan Queen of Sicily (1177-1189)
For more details on her remarkable life check:
http://ehistory.osu.edu/world/PeopleView.cfm?PID=394http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/heroine2.html
