Eleanor of Aquitaine

Book categories: Biographies, Fiction, Children's Books, Angevins, Henry II, Richard I, John, Plantagenets, Troubadour Music, Music & DVDs

Biographies

Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings by Amy Ruth Kelly. Was there ever a ruler, man or woman, quite as fascinating as Eleanor of Aquitaine? Always at the center of her world, Eleanor remains a fascinating figure even today, and Amy Kelly captures the whirlwind of her life in this entrancing biography. (Review © Amazon.com.)

Eleanor of Aquitaine by Marion Meade is a biography with a feminist point of view.

Eleanor of Aquitaine: By the Wrath of God, Queen of England by Alison Weir. Combining the pace and descriptive quality of a novel with the authority of a textbook, Weir brings all the color and ever-present dangers of Eleanor's world to life. (Review © Amazon.com.)

Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of France, Queen of England by Ralph V. Turner. Biography that strips away myths and focuses on primary sources, including documents not previously accessible to scholars.

Eleanor of Aquitaine: Lord and Lady edited by Bonnie Wheeler and John Carmi Parsons. Twenty-one essays reassessing Eleanor of Aquitaine's career and reputation.

Eleanor of Aquitaine, Courtly Love, and the Troubadours by Ffiona Swabey. Includes biographical sketches, songs, letters, poems, genealogical tables, maps, a chronology, and a timeline.

Women of the Twelfth Century: Eleanor of Aquitaine and Six Others by Georges Duby, translated by Jean Birrell.

Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen and Rebel by Jean Flori, translated by Olive Classe. Looks at Eleanor's life and her role in history, the Second Crusade, courtly love, the Plantagenet court, and Arthurian literature.

Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of the Troubadours by Jean Markale. Examines the queen's role as the symbol of courtly love, which was "a process of male initiation and transcendence that bears a close resemblance to Indian Tantra."

Most Wise & Valiant Ladies by Andrea Hopkins tells the stories of six medieval women: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Hildegarde of Bingen, Joan of Arc, writer Christine de Pisan, pilgrim Margery Kempe, and middle-class wife Margaret Paston. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

Eleanor of Aquitaine by Desmond Seward. Biography of the strong-willed 12th century queen. From Alibris.

Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen and Legend by D. D. R. Owen. This biography reassesses Eleanor's political importance, her role as a literary and cultural patron, and her influence in the 12th-century Renaissance. Sometimes available from Alibris.

Eleanor, April Queen of Aquitaine by Douglas Boyd. This biography presents Eleanor as an surprisingly modern and liberated woman. From Alibris.

Novels About Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor the Queen by Norah Lofts. A popular novel about the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, first published in 1955.

The Book of Eleanor by Pamela Kaufman. Novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine, narrated by the queen herself.

Devil's Brood by Sharon Kay Penman. The long-awaited final novel in Penman's trilogy about England's Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. The first two books are When Christ and His Saints Slept and Time and Chance.

Power of a Woman: Memoirs of a Turbulent Life by Robert Fripp. At the age of 81, Eleanor of Aquitaine looks back on her life and tells her story.

The Canterbury Papers by Judith Healey. In this suspense novel, Eleanor of Aquitaine sends the king of France's sister to retrieve letters hidden in Canterbury Cathedral.

The Queen's Man by Sharon Kay Penman. A young man helps Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine solve a murder.

Cruel As the Grave: A Medieval Mystery by Sharon Kay Penman. Sequel to The Queen's Man.

Dragon's Lair by Sharon Kay Penman. July 1193. King Richard Lionheart lies in a German prison. When a ransom payment vanishes, Eleanor dispatches a young man to investigate.

Novels by Jean Plaidy

The Courts of Love by Jean Plaidy. Novel about Eleanor of Aquitaine from Plaidy's Queens of England series. (For other books in Plaidy's popular Queens of England series, click here.)

The Plantagenet Prelude by Jean Plaidy. First novel in Plaidy's Plantagenet Saga. Tells how Eleanor's tempestuous relationship with Henry II began. From Alibris.

The Revolt of the Eagles by Jean Plaidy. Eleanor encourages her sons to rebel against Henry II. Second book in the Plantagenet Saga. From Alibris.

The Heart of the Lion by Jean Plaidy. This third book of the saga centers on Richard the Lionheart. From Alibris.

The Prince of Darkness by Jean Plaidy is about King John. From Alibris. (For other books in the Plantagenet Saga, click here.)

Children's Books

Eleanor of Aquitaine: The Queen Who Rode off to Battle by Ann Kramer. Biography for children ages 4 to 8.

Queen Eleanor: Independent Spirit of the Medieval World by Polly Schoyer Brooks is a biography for ages 12 and up.

Eleanor of Aquitaine: Heroine of the Middle Ages by Rachel A. Koestler-Grack. Biography for children ages 9 to 12.

Eleanor of Aquitaine and the High Middle Ages by Nancy Plain. Nonfiction for children ages 9 to 12.

Eleanor of Aquitaine: The Richest Queen in Medieval Europe by David Hilliam. Biography for young adult readers.

Eleanor of Aquitaine: Medieval Queen by Kerrily Sapet. Biography for young adult readers.

Eleanor, Crown Jewel of Aquitaine by Kristiana Gregory. A novel for children ages 9 to 12 from the popular Royal Diaries series.

A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver by E. L. Konigsburg is a children's book that follows Eleanor to heaven and there recounts the story of her life. For ages 9-12.

More Books

Books About the Angevin Kings
Books About King Henry II
Books About King Richard the Lionheart
Books About King John
Books About the Crusades
Books About the Plantagenets
Books About England's Queens
More Books About English Royal History

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Movies, Plays and Music

These items are formatted for North American audiences.

Richard Coeur de Lion: Troubadours & Trouvères. A CD of music from the time of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lionheart, Marie de Champagne, and Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany.

Movies & Documentaries About Eleanor & Henry II