Eleanor, Queen of Castile

## Eleanor of England

Queen Consort of Castile

Eleanor, Latin Empress

Maria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia

Mafalda of Castile

Infante John of Castile

Constance of Castile

Henry I of Castile

Blanche of Castile

**Eleanor of England** (C. 1133 - 1172) was Queen Consort of Castile and Toledo, by her marriage to Alfonso VIII of Castile. Eleanor was the 5th child of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II of England, and a famous crusader. Eleanor was her older half-sister Blanche's favouarte sister.

## Early Life

### Childhood

Eleanor of England was born the twin sister of Isabella of England in Normandy, in 1133. Eleanor was described as the "Darling child" of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II of England, for her sincerity and passion, but on the inside Eleanor was a cruel monster like the rest of her sisters. Her half-siblings names were Alix of France, Louis VIII of France, Blanche of France, Marie and St. Agnes of France. Her full-siblings were Henry the Young King, Richard the Lionheart, Constance the Cruel/Mad, Isabella, John, Joan, Matilda and last but not least Margaret of England. John was close to her half-sister Blanche who called Eleanor "Ellie."

### Education

Eleanor of Aquitaine valued Eleanor's education deeply, and hired her a governess who was known as "Lady Kitty" by Eleanor, though her real name was Lady Katherine Veldon. Eleanor and her Governess/teacher moved to Brittany to start Eleanor's education, Eleanor was educated in the arts, and music, she was taught how to nit and dance, 2 passions her grand-mother Empress Matilda was fond of. Eleanor was given the standard education of a mideval Princess, when "Lady Kitty" died, Eleanor was devastated, her new teacher was Lady Joan de Warenne, who was an Irish noblewoman, when Joan arrived, Eleanor was very rude to her, Eleanor purposly tripped her and when she cried, she pushed her down the stairs, which earned her the nickname "The dangerous Princess." Joan had no idea how to be a strict teacher, and let Eleanor do whatever she wanted, much to the anger of Eleanor's mother. When Joan finally was pregnant she was very excited that she was finally a mother, put the cruel Princess pushed Joan, which caused a miss-carriage, this was the first time Joan got angry at Eleanor and punished her by whipping her with an Iron rod, Eleanor came wounded with cuts on her back and told her mother Joan had tortured her, Eleanor's mother believed her and murdered Joan and her husband, Eleanor again had a third teacher whom Eleanor was even crueler to, the new teachers name was Lady Phillipa Drummond, who was an Irish-Scottish Noblewoman, Phillipa brought her own daughter Elizabeth Drummond, to be educated with Eleanor. Elizabeth was very shy, and tried to act nice to Eleanor, but Eleanor made fun of her, Phillipa was a more stricter teacher and yelled at the Princess, but Eleanor had another idea, that night, the 13 year old strangled Elizabeth to death, Elizabeth could be heard screaming, when Phillipa came in, she was so devastated, she became a weak teacher, Eleanor at last murdered her teacher and moved to Dover Castle with her sister Constance who was known as "Constance the Mad or the Cruel" for her cruelty, Eleanor quickly became close to Constance who was the least favourate daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II of England.

### Betrothal

Eleanor was Betrothed to Sancho of Castile who was the eldest child and heir of Blanche of Navarre, and Sancho III of Castile. When Sancho was 14, he died of malaria, leaving the place in succession to his younger brother Alfonso of Castile, Alfonso's parents wanted to keep the Anglo-Castilian alliance with England, so Eleanor's younger sister Matilda, was betrothed to Alfonso, and Eleanor was betrothed to the King of Aragon, but Matilda's parents chose to marry Matilda to the Duke of Bavaria, and Eleanor's engagement to the King of Aragon broke, and Eleanor was betrothed to Alfonso of Castile, which this engagement lasted, 4 days after there betrothal, they were wed in Toledo.

### Marriage

When Eleanor was 15, she made her way with her 16 year old husband to her new home, Eleanor was greeted by the Castilian's, Eleanor was educated in Catalan and Spanish, and impressed her new court with her knowledge. Eleanor brought 62 ladies in waiting from England, 43 from France, and 78 from Castile. Eleanor was named "Wife of the Heir to Castile." Blanche of Navarre was a strict and stern woman, she hated Eleanor and even before the betrothal, attempted to wed Alfonso to Constance of Portugal. But Alfonso was fond of his bride, and he was the first and only Castilian king to not have a mistress, Eleanor's father-in-law Sancho was also fond of his new daughter-in-law, he nicknamed her "Lionetta." But Eleanor was considered a threat to her sister-in-laws, one of them Blanche of Portugal who married Eleanor's brother-in-law, Infante Ferdinand of Castile, was rude to Eleanor, Eleanor in response was cold to her and made a fool out of her name, which her mother-in-law scolded her for, but Eleanor did not fear her mother-in-law at all, which made her baffled.

## 8th Crusade

When the Pope called the 8th Crusade, Eleanor wanted to please her new kingdom by going with her husband. At this time she was pregnant and was forced to stay home for 4 months to in Castile, so her baby would be okay, Eleanor gave birth to a daughter Berengaria of Castile, sense Berengaria was not a son, Eleanor's position of Queen was weak, Blanche of Navarre made fun of her which caused Eleanor to publically expell Blanche from her court, Blanche was baffled and alerted Sancho who forced Eleanor to allow Blanche to return, Berengaria was put in the care of her ladies-in-waiting, and Eleanor went on crusade to forget about her problems in Castile, Alfonso was pleased when he heard the birth of Berengaria even though she was a girl, Berengaria joined her sister Constance in the 6th Crusade, after the crusade she wen't home to go on a Reconquista in Granada.

## Queen of Castile

In 1150, Sancho wen't hunting with Alfonso, while Eleanor was pregnant. A few hours later Alfonso told Eleanor he could not find Sancho, and that he needed help, Eleanor searched for hours, but could not find him, at last Alfonso found Sancho dead with an arrow in his chest, Alfonso probably had accidently murdered his father, but Alfonso certainly was not sheding any tears and celebrated with his wife that they were now king and Queen of Castile and Toledo. That following day Eleanor was crowned and her sister's in law were horrified, her first act was to murder her mother-in-law, Eleanor imprisoned Blanche of Navarre without her husband's permission, and stabbed her in the bath-tub, Eleanor blamed an innocent knight on the murder. Eleanor then killed her sister-in-law Blanche of Portugal by cutting her throat open and choking her, then her body was laid on the bed of her husband who was also murdered, the Queen became known as "The Dangerous Queen" as she was a danger to her enemies, Eleanor gave birth to another daughter, Uracca who was said to be Alfonso's favouarte child.

## Court Life

Eleanor became more arragont then ever after she was crowned, she believed she was entitled to the best treatment ever. When the Queen of Portugal, Elizabeth of Aragon was invited to Castile, she was offended by Eleanor's arragonce and was uncomfortable around her. Eleanor was so arragont, she tried to make the weather obey her, even her 6 year old daughter cringed at her arragonce. Eleanor's husband also cringed at Eleanor's arragonce at times and laughed uncomfortably. But Eleanor was not always "The Arragont Queen" she was very popular in Castile for her dedication for Castile. Eleanor also helped the efforts of the Reconquista while her husband was at war with Morocco. Eleanor gave birth in a court bedroom to Eleanor, the future Latin Empress.

## 9th Crusade

When the 7th Crusade was announced, Eleanor wen't with her husband to the Holy lands, there the Queen of Jerusalem Isabella I was protected by Castilian forces. Eleanor wen't on Crusade alone this time to Romania, but she found out she was pregnant after going to bed with her husband in Jerusalem, this was Eleanor's hope for a son, she was taken back to Castile with a cheering crowd for her work in Romania. When she gave birth in Álava to Mafalda of Castile, Eleanor was quite disapointed she was not a son, and often neglected her daughter Mafalda of Castile and sent her to a convent to avoid having to raise her. Mafalda was raised by nuns who became her family. Eleanor sent herself back on crusade with her knights to Hungary. After the 9th Crusade, her husband became desprate for a son to please the people and begged Eleanor to go to bed with him, and she did so.

## A son

Soon, Eleanor gave birth in Toledo to a son named "Infante John." He was created Heir to Castile, and his birth was celebrated, though John was not the favourate like Urracca, but he was the second favourate, John outranked the heiress Berengraria, and Berengaria was stripped from her titles a "Heiress" and named "Infanta of Castile" which Berengaria threw a fit, because she had to give her title up. John was by no means a smart heir, he lacked interest in war, much to his father's disapointment, he found more interest in poetry and music which was considered, "A feminen" activity. John failed in writing and many woman found him unatractive, Eleanor attempted to mend John, but he was still very unsmart.

## Reconquista

Eleanor was an active Queen in the Reconquista, she and her 11 year old daughter held parties on honor for knights who were fighting the the Reconquista. Eleanor had her daughter marry the King of Léon who was also active in the Reconquista. And Eleanor had her second daughter Urracca betrothed and married to a the heir to the Portuguese throne. Eleanor successfully held an army to conquer west Granada, her husband praised his wife, which made Eleanor more arragont. Eleanor saw herself as a better warrior then her famous brother Richard the Lionheart who was currently imprisoned, by Eleanor's sister Constance.

## Eleanor as a Guest

Eleanor was often an embarresing guest, when she visited the Queen of Portugal with her husband, the Queen cringed when Eleanor tried to command the tea on to her hand, the Queen of Portugal tried her best to be nice and arranged a marriage between Eleanor's daughter Urraca and her son, but Eleanor started acting like she was a goddess, and Elizabeth tired of the arragont Queen, lectured Eleanor's rudeness, Eleanor only blinked twice at her and then tried to command the Queen to stop talking with her hand, the Queen dismissed Eleanor, Eleanor was offended and told her husband Elizabeth of Aragon had offended her, her husband face-palmed himself, and spoke to Elizabeth in a more polite manner. When Eleanor visited the Queen of France, Queen Joan, Joan face palmed at Eleanor for attempting to summon the sun, when it was raining. When Alfonso was visiting his sister Petronilla of Castile in Léon, Alfonso advised Eleanor not to come, but she came anyways, when they were invited, Eleanor brought a mirror with her to look at herself, the court stared at her while Petronilla was talking, Alfonso was cringing.

## Death of Infante John

When Eleanor was 29, her 18 year old daughter Berengaria, and 11 year old son John got in a fight, when Berengaria gave birth to a son Ferdinand, in Léon, she declared her son Ferdinand the rightful heir to Castile and Léon. John felt threatened and murdered his sister's ministers to Castile, for safe mesures, Berengaria furious wen't to Eleanor and begged Eleanor and Alfonso to make Ferdinand heir to all, and her husband Henry of Léon also sided with her. Alfonso refused and stated John was the rightful heir, Berengaria still wanting revenge strangled her brother in her sleep, John's 10 year old wife, Sancha of Brazanga, was stabbed in the throat by Berengaria's spies, Eleanor of England and Alfonso were convinced Berengaria wen't mad and attempted to kidnap Berengaria and imprison her, but Berengaria captured the kidnappers, and burned them before a roaring crowd. Eleanor's youngest 3 month old child Henry was declared heir, Eleanor broke of Henry's betrothed Theresa of Denmark, and instead chose Mafalda of Portugal, the 3rd daughter of Elizabeth of Aragon.

## Queen Dowager of Castile

When Eleanor was 32, her Alfonso was very ill, he wanted his daughter now 16 year old Queen Urracca of Portugal and Eleanor to act as regent for the 3 year old Henry of Castile. But in order for Berengaria to claim power over Henry, so she murdered her sister while she was in bed, this outraged Europe who turned against the Kingdom of Léon, Alfonso was so furious at Berengaria, that he attempted to murder her, but he died the day before he was going to stab her in her sleep. Berengaria and her 8 year old son quickly moved to Castile, were Eleanor was imprisoned along with Eleanor's 14 year old daughter Maria and 12 year old daughter Constance and her 6 year old daughter Isabella imprisoned, Isabella was later strangled to death. Berengaria ceased the regency. Berengaria did have mercy on her sister Maria, Berengaria wed Maria to the Hungarian King, Géza of Hungary. But Berengaria never let Eleanor out, Berengaria attempted to poison Eleanor, but Eleanor refused the wine that was poisoned. 8 years later, Berengaria stabbed Henry of Castile to death so she could become Queen, but she abdicated in favor of her own son, when the Pope annulled her marriage to Henry of Léon in fear Henry would claim the Castilian Throne.

## Death

Eleanor of England died at age 39 in prison, when she caught yellow fever. Berengaria buried her mother in the standard funeral for a Castilian Queen, but Berengaria did not attend it. Eleanor's other children were devastated.