Eleanor of Aquitaine
1122 - 1204

She was born sometime in the year 1121, as Alienore or "the other Eleanor". To eliminate confusion with her mother Aenor. Her mother had two other children, Petronilla, (or Aelith) and William Aigret. She was eight when her mother and brother died leaving her as the heir to her father's wealth and rule. Growing up in castles, palaces, and hunting lodges allowed her to grow up in luxury and refinement. Her father made a formal education and learning the skills of government a priority in her upbringing. As a sportswomen she learned to ride houses at an early age and enjoyed hawking thought her life. She was said to be beautiful, intelligent, sophisticated, and ambitious with a love for music and song. At fifteen her childhood was over, her father died leaving Eleanor as the Countess of Poitou and Duchess of Aquitaine and Gascony.

To be continued….