Eleanor of Aquitaine Part II

In spite of his piety, however Louis did have disputes with the Pope.  One was over the appointment of a Bishop, which often caused problems between rulers and the Pope.  In addition, Louis went to war with Count Theobald of Champagne…when Theobald’s sister was repudiated by her husband Raoul of Vermandois, in order to marry Petronella, Eleanor’s younger sister.

Louis was not a very successful warrior, and also felt guilt about a massacre which took place during the war with Theobald.  Eventually peace was made and Eleanor produced her first child.  However it was a daughter, Marie.. and Louis needed a son....

In 1145, the Pope requested that Louis should lead a Crusade to the Holy Land... The young King decided to do so in penance for his sins. However since Louis had never been a talented military leader, the Crusade did not achieve much.  Eleanor took the unusual step of deciding that she too would “take the Cross” and join the Crusade.  This was not something that women usually did but she was a vigorous healthy woman, accustomed to activity and sport and she had also been trained as a ruler. It was this independence of mind that drove her into conflict with Louis and with other male rulers... particularly churchmen who felt that women should not take active roles and should defer to their husbands or fathers, in matters of politics.   She was blamed for many of the disasters of the Crusade.  It was said that her baggage train and her ladies held up the soldiers.  She and Louis were beginning to argue more and more... She was accused of flirting with her uncle, Raymond, Prince of Antioch, whom she hoped to assist with her Crusade... It is unlikely that she did have an affair with him, but she was flirtatious and lively and it was something to attack her for…

It was increasingly clear that her marriage to Louis was a failure.  She had only had one child, a daughter and Louis needed a son. The couple retreated from their foray into the  East.  She began to work towards getting an annulment of her marriage but her husband was angered by this show of independence…

On their way back, they had an arduous journey, but decided to visit the Pope, Eugene III.  The Pope was unwilling to grant an annulment and tried to bring about reconciliation between Louis and Eleanor.. . Their brief coming together resulted in another pregnancy.  However the second child born In 1150, was another daughter Princess Alix.  Louis now began to realize he had no choice but to get the marriage dissolved.  He needed a male heir and his wife was clearly hostile to him and there seemed to be no prospect of their having more children.. She was unpopular with many of his vassals.  So he finally sought an annulment and the couple parted in 1152.

She left the French court for her own lands, and was almost kidnapped by two princes who wanted to marry her. She sought out Henry Duke of Normandy, who would become King of England… and asked him to marry her….