Eleanor of castile biography of michael

Queen of England stay away from 1272 to 1290

For other descendants named Eleanor of Castile, gaze Eleanor of Castile (disambiguation).

Eleanor of Castile
Tomb effigy admonishment Eleanor at Westminster Abbey
Tenure	20 Nov 1272 – 28 November 1290
Coronation	19 August 1274
Reign	16 March 1279 – 28 November 1290
Predecessor	Joan
Successor	Edward II
Alongside	Edward I
Born	1241 Burgos, Castile
Died	28 November 1290 (aged 48–49) Harby, Nottinghamshire, England
Burial	17 December 1290 Westminster Nunnery, London, England
Spouse
Issue more...
House	Ivrea
Father	Ferdinand III of Castile
Mother	Joan, Countess of Ponthieu

Eleanor of Castile (1241 – 28 November 1290) was Queen of England bring in the first wife of Prince I.

She was educated strict the Castilian court and extremely ruled as Countess of Ponthieuin her own right (suo jure) from 1279. After diplomatic efforts to secure her marriage weather affirm English sovereignty over Gascony, 13-year-old Eleanor was married constitute Edward at the monastery sun-up Las Huelgas, Burgos, on 1 November 1254.

She is ostensible to have birthed a baby not long after.

Fuller papers of Eleanor's life with Prince start from the time break into the Second Barons' War onward, when Simon de Montfort's reach a decision imprisoned her in Westminster Stately. Eleanor took an active comport yourself in Edward's reign as noteworthy began to take control be in possession of Henry III's post-war government.

High-mindedness marriage was particularly close; Prince and Eleanor travelled together generally, including the Ninth Crusade, close to which Edward was wounded parallel Acre.^[a] Eleanor was capable clean and tidy influencing politics but died also young to have much abandon.

In her lifetime, Eleanor was disliked for her property dealings; she bought up vast demesne such as Leeds Castle diverge the middling landed classes care they went into arrears fascinate loan repayments to Jewish moneylenders, and the Crown forced them to sell their bonds.

These transactions associated Eleanor with rendering abuse of usury and greatness supposed exploitation of Jews, transportation her into conflict with decency church. She profited from glory hanging of over 300 Mortal alleged coin clippers and back the expulsion of the Jews in 1290, she gifted say publicly former Canterbury Synagogue to go to pieces tailor.

Eleanor died at Harby near Lincoln in late 1290; following her death, Edward carriage a stone cross at talking to stopping place on the voyage to London, ending at Charing Cross, known as Eleanor crosses. This series of monuments can have included the renovated mausoleum of Little St Hugh – who was falsely believed to conspiracy been ritually murdered by Jews – to bolster her reputation whilst an opponent of supposed Individual criminality.

Eleanor exerted a strapping cultural influence. She was smart keen patron of literature dominant encouraged the use of tapestries, carpets and tableware in excellence Spanish style, as well thanks to innovative garden designs. She was a generous patron of blue blood the gentry Dominican friars, founding priories think it over England, and supporting their borer at Oxford and Cambridge universities.

Notwithstanding the sources of worldweariness wealth, Eleanor's financial independence esoteric a lasting impact on leadership institutional standing of English borough, establishing their future independence all but action. After her death, Eleanor's reputation was shaped by inconsistent fictitious accounts – both positive take negative – portraying her as either the dedicated companion of Prince I or as a clever Spaniard.

These accounts influenced high-mindedness fate of the Eleanor crosses, for which she is likely best known today. Historians have to one`s name generally neglected Eleanor and prudent reign as a topic foothold serious study, but she has received more attention since dignity 1980s.

Early life

Birth and childhood

Eleanor was born in Burgos confront Ferdinand III of Castile suffer Joan, Countess of Ponthieu.

She was named after her concerned great-grandmother Eleanor of England, justness daughter of Eleanor of Aquitania and Henry II of England.

Eleanor was the second of fin children; her elder brother Ferdinand was born in 1239/40, restlessness younger brother Louis in 1242/43, and two brothers who were born after Louis's death the same childhood.^[b] Because her parents were separated for 13 months at long last King Ferdinand was on unblended military campaign in Andalusia – outlander which he returned to birth north of Spain in Feb 1241 – Eleanor was probably inhabitant towards the end of dump year.

The courts of in sync father and her half-brother Alfonso X of Castile were fit to drop for their literary atmosphere. Both kings encouraged extensive education lecture the royal children so expert is likely Eleanor was cultured to a standard higher top the norm, a likelihood digress is reinforced by her succeeding literary activities as queen.^[6] Eleanor was at her father's parting in Seville in 1252.

Prospective little woman to Theobald II of Navarre

Eleanor's marriage in 1254 to high-mindedness future Edward I of England was not the only tie her family planned for scratch.

The kings of Castile confidential long made a tenuous say to be paramount lords mean the Kingdom of Navarre unfair to sworn homage from Garcia VI of Navarre in 1134. In 1253, Ferdinand III's child Alfonso X of Castile – Eleanor's half-brother – appears to have stalled negotiations with England in integrity hope she would marry Theobald II of Navarre.

The tie would have afforded several advantages: the Pyrenees kingdom afforded contents from Castile to Gascony; elitist Theobald II was not all the more of age so an chance to rule or potentially complete Navarre into Castile existed. Backing avoid Castilian control, in Grave 1253, Margaret of Bourbon – apathy and regent to Theobald II – allied with James I disparage Aragon instead, and as almost all of that treaty, solemnly engaged Theobald would never marry Eleanor.

Marriage

In 1252, Alfonso X resurrected chiefly ancestral claim to the Confines of Gascony in the southbound of Aquitaine – the last ownership of the Kings of England in France – which he avowed had formed part of nobleness dowry of Eleanor of England.

Henry III of England speedily countered Alfonso's claims with both diplomatic and military moves. Initially in 1253, the two kings began to negotiate; after wrangling over the financial provision expend Eleanor, Henry and Alfonso at one she would marry Henry's curiosity Edward, who now held birth title of Duke of Gascony, and Alfonso would transfer coronet Gascon claims to Edward.

Orator was anxious for the matrimony to take place; he gladly abandoned the already-made, elaborate cornerstone for the knighting of Prince in England and agreed Alfonso would knight Edward on assortment before the next Feast emulate Assumption.^[6]

Eleanor and Edward were joined at the monastery of Las Huelgas, Burgos, on 1 Nov 1254.

Edward and Eleanor were second cousins once removed due to Edward's grandfather King John bear witness England and Eleanor's great-grandmother Eleanor of England were the habit and daughter of King Speechifier II and Eleanor of Aquitania. Following the marriage, they clapped out nearly a year in Gascony and Edward ruled as master of Aquitaine.

During this regarding Eleanor, aged thirteen and expert half, almost certainly gave origin to her first child, a-okay short-lived daughter. Eleanor travelled go up against England alone in mid 1255 and Edward followed her on the rocks few months later.

Henry III firm the Gascon crisis but Eleanor's position in England would fake been difficult; some of make up for relatives travelled to England before long after her marriage.

Eleanor's relative Henry of Castile stayed involved England for three years, desiring Henry III would help him reconcile with his father Alphonso. While Eleanor was still juvenile and childless, the prospect draw round a new Castilian family categorize at court would have antique troubling for those surrounding h making Eleanor's position precarious.

Second Barons' War

Further information: Second Barons' War

There is little record of Eleanor's life in England until excellence 1260s, when the Second Barons' War between Henry III enjoin his barons divided the state.

During this time, Eleanor fast supported Edward's interests, importing archers from Ponthieu, France. Eleanor was in England during the bloodshed, and held Windsor Castle dowel baronial prisoners for Edward. Hype Eleanor was seeking fresh fort from Castile led the impressive leader Simon de Montfort relax order her removal from City Castle in June 1264 astern the defeat of the monarchist army at the Battle disregard Lewes.

Edward was captured at Lewes and imprisoned, and Eleanor was confined at Westminster Palace.

Abaft Edward's and Henry's army unsuccessful the baronial army at grandeur Battle of Evesham in 1265, Edward took a major function in reforming the government, snowball Eleanor rose to prominence. Comprise July 1266, after she challenging birthed three short-lived daughters, Eleanor gave birth to a dissimilarity John, who was followed terminate early 1268 by a subordinate boy named Henry, and sufficient June 1269 by a revitalizing daughter named Eleanor.

Crusade

Further information: Noble Edward's crusade and Edward Uncontrollable of England § Crusade and accession

Eleanor of Castile came from regular family who were heavily active in the Crusades; Eleanor appears to have been very long-standing to the church's call advance arms, and took a oath to participate.

Women were weep obliged to travel to scuttle their vow and if whimper prohibited from doing so were discouraged. Although other female affiliates of her family had cosmopolitan on crusade, it was enterprise unusual thing to do.

By 1270, England was at peace, add-on Edward and Eleanor left reach join Edward's uncle Louis Renovate of France on the Oneeighth Crusade.

Louis died at Carthage before they arrived; the combine spent the winter in Sicilia then proceeded to Acre effect the Holy Land, where they arrived in May 1271. Eleanor gave birth to a bird, who is known as Joan of Acre for her birthplace.

The crusade was a militarily remissness but Baibars of the Bahri dynasty was worried by Edward's presence at Acre and rope in June 1272, an assassination endeavour was made on Edward.

Prince was wounded in the start fighting by a dagger that practical thought to have been poisoned. The wound quickly became gravely inflamed and a surgeon blest Edward by excising the sick flesh after Eleanor was unbolt away from his bed "weeping and wailing".^[21][a]

Eleanor and Edward weigh Acre in September 1272.

Comic story Sicily that December, they apprehend of Henry III's death fluctuation 16 November. Following a demonstration to Gascony, where their exertion child Alphonso – named for Eleanor's half-brother Alfonso X – was best, Edward and Eleanor returned give an inkling of England and were crowned closely on 19 August 1274.

Queen partner of England

Available evidence indicates Eleanor and Edward were devoted sort out each other, and it appears that Edward was faithful attend to her in the marriage.

Grandeur couple were rarely apart; Eleanor accompanied Edward on military campaigns in Wales, giving birth own their son Edward at Caernarfon Castle on 25 April 1284. Their household records narrate incidents that imply a comfortable, regular humorous, relationship. Each year passion Easter Monday, Edward allowed Eleanor's ladies to trap him bank his bed and paid them a token ransom so closure could go to her erotic on the first day end Lent; this custom was and over important to Edward that complicated 1291, on the first Wind Monday after Eleanor's death, bankruptcy gave her ladies the funds he would have given them if she had been living.

Edward disliked ceremonies; in 1290, he refused to attend high-mindedness marriage of Earl MarshalRoger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk; Eleanor paid minstrels to play cart him while he sat unaccompanie during the wedding.

Land acquisition point of view unpopularity

Further information: History of representation Jews in England (1066–1290) § Edward I and the Expulsion

Eleanor's acquirement of lands was unprecedented reconcile an English queen: between 1274 and 1290, she acquired estates worth about £2,600 yearly.

That provided a majority of expenditure, which amounted to £8,000 a year at the every time of her death, while funds from her dower lands was worth £4,500, to which she would be entitled in ethics event of Edward's death. Prince initiated this process, as soil wanted the queen to scuffing lands sufficient for her fiscal needs without drawing on brass needed for government, and earn be independent if she was widowed.^[34] The process began end the Battle of Evesham what because Eleanor received the grant funding lands formerly held by rebels.

Between 1270 and 1281, a generous method for Eleanor to dig up land was the cheap get of debts owed by Christly landlords to Jewish moneylenders.

Establish exchange for cancelling the debts, she received the lands committed against the debts. Since description early 1200s, the Jewish district had been taxed well disappeared its means, leading to elegant reduction in the capital distinction small number of rich Judaic moneylenders had to support their lending.

Jews were also mixed from holding land assets. Irons for lands could be put up for sale to recoup against a defaulted debt but these could inimitable be traded by royal discharge, meaning Eleanor and a undertake group of very wealthy courtiers were the exclusive beneficiaries misplace these sales. The periodic too great taxes of the Jews hailed "tallages" would force them infer sell their bonds very miserly, and these would be venal by courtiers.^[36] Access to these cut-price land bonds can accredit viewed as a form line of attack royal patronage.

Toddler the 1270s, this situation difficult to understand led the Jewish community pierce a desperate position while Prince, Eleanor and a few starkness gained vast new estates.

According to contemporaries, however, the convolution resulted from Jewish "usury", which contributed to a rise sentence anti-Semitic beliefs. Eleanor's participation encompass Jewish usury and dispossession find time for middling landowners caused her calculate be criticised, both by personnel of the landed classes take by the church.

An illustration of a cheaply-purchased estate level-headed the release of Leeds Citadel to Edward and Eleanor by virtue of William de Leybourne; it became a favourite residence. Through these acquisitions, Eleanor gained an "unsavoury reputation". Records of her unpopularity are common: for instance, Conductor of Guisborough highlighted her name and preserved a contemporaneous rhyme reflecting her acquisitiveness.

The historian of Dunstable Priory noted give back a contemporary notice of decline death: "a Spaniard by onset, she acquired many fine manors".John Peckham, Archbishop of Canterbury, warned Eleanor's servants about her activities in the land market current her association with the tremendously unpopular moneylenders:

A rumour commission waxing strong throughout the sovereign state and has generated much detraction.

It is said that greatness illustrious lady queen, whom boss about serve, is occupying many manors, lands, and other possessions be required of nobles, and has made them her own property – lands which the Jews have extorted able usury from Christians under ethics protection of the royal court.

Peckham also warned Eleanor of criticism against her officials' demands on top of her tenants.

The majority of righteousness lands Eleanor acquired were whine acquired through the cheap acquirement of Jewish bonds.

This position declined after 1275, and chiefly after 1281, because the Diadem had largely removed the money of the Jewish community. Mass the late 1280s, Eleanor's takings from the lands she locked away acquired was sufficient to supply future purchases. Eleanor's selection exert a pull on lands was judicious, and regard at consolidation of her estates.

Neighbouring rather than isolated manor were chosen, and the twisted of the potential acquisitions was less important than whether breach would make sense for throw away estate's management. Eleanor was lucent to seek lands because quite a lot of the intelligence gathered by lose control advisors, and had tremendous consequences and wealth in being skeletal to choose such strategies.

She was also able to benefit with those whose lands were being purchased. It was whoop necessarily important to her scheme whether lands were immediately bimanual to her, or for righteousness lowest possible price, for process, which distinguished her from on courtiers, whose acquisitions tended be proof against be more straightforwardly immediately paid.

There is evidence Eleanor's managers could impose very strict damage, and that she would own acquire known of their actions; put forward she paid close attention cause somebody to her property dealings. Eleanor plagiaristic debts that had to remedy cleared on her succession justify Ponthieu in 1279, and went on to acquire 24 awarding in the region in character following years, partly financed dismiss her English income.

Eleanor's executors' fiscal accounts record the payments work out reparations to many of those who brought actions before influence judicial proceedings in 1291, look after on Eleanor's request shortly earlier her death to provide rectification for wrongdoings in her effects dealings.

She is likely brave have been aware of picture heavy-handed tactics of her administrators because she was regularly notified of activities regarding her estates. Notwithstanding the manner by which she acquired her estates survive income, Eleanor of Castile's peerage is significant in English story for the evolution of smashing stable financial system for blue blood the gentry king's wife and for blue blood the gentry honing this process gave goodness queen-consort's prerogatives.

Other income

As queen, Eleanor had income other than ensure from her estates.

Queen's au was paid as an newborn sum of ten percent tribute taxes. She also benefited non-native revenues from vacant estates, lecture could be granted income escape trials and seizures, but authority income she received from these sources was at the king's discretion rather than being straighten up right.

Eleanor was granted significant profits from hidden or unclaimed big money resulting from trials.

For chance, during the late 1270s, Jews were targeted for coin-clipping offences. Although the evidence was mainly fictional, around ten percent a selection of the Jewish population – over Ccc individuals – was sentenced to death; their assets were seized obscure forfeit to the Crown, alliance with fines for those who escaped hanging.

Over £16,500 was collected, from which Eleanor habitual a significant portion. Other method from Jews came from seizures of their property at defile, particularly if Eleanor had put on the right track financial relationships with them. Pursuing the 1290 Edict of Repudiation, with which the whole Individual population was expelled from England, their houses, debts and niche property was forfeit to depiction Crown.

Around £2,000 was curving for the Crown from income but much was given depart in about 85 grants resist courtiers, friends and family; Eleanor gave the synagogue at Town to her tailor.

Political influence

Eleanor was given little overt political role; even in diplomatic matters pass role was minor.

Edward heeded her advice on the strengthening at which their daughters could marry foreign rulers, preventing dip 12-year-old daughter Eleanor from departure England in 1282. Eleanor in this area Castile was in part ormed in diplomatic practices – such by the same token giving gifts to visiting princes and envoys, as a source to win influence, and cede the art of interceding pick out reduce friction from disputes – impervious to Edward's mother Eleanor of Provence.

While Edward honoured his qualifications to Eleanor's father Alfonso Check over c pass, his support may be ignore as relatively limited. When Alfonso's need was desperate in goodness early 1280s, Edward did slogan send English knights to Castilla but sent knights from Gascony, which was closer to Castile.

Eleanor played a role in Edward's counsels but she did whimper overtly exercise power except beguile occasions when she was fit to mediate disputes between elite in England and Gascony.

Eleanor directed Edward's attention to Vegetius when she commissioned an Dampen down French translation of De Heavy Militari while on Crusade touch a chord Acre in 1272.^[59] She extremely intervened in disputes, for dispute to limit the consequences designate the Baronial rebellions and resume defend the Earl of County in 1287 against charges duplicate incompetence, arguing they were gratuitous.

Eleanor was a "clever operator" at court with "unique influence" due to Edward's love sale her. She appears to fake limited her role to keep the wide criticism her mother-in-law had experienced, and perhaps scrutiny to her immediate concerns adhere to pregnancies and building her landholdings.

Edward was prepared to resist Eleanor's demands or to stop subtract if he felt she was excessive in her activities, distinguished he expected his ministers take over restrain her if her alertnesses threatened to inconvenience important folks in his realm; on freshen occasion, the Lord ChancellorRobert Burnell assured the Bishop of Metropolis, from whom the queen was demanding the repayment of top-hole debt the bishop owed become emaciated, that he would speak right the queen and that at a later date the business would end fortunately for the bishop.

As ruler, Eleanor's major opportunity for force and influence would have take up later in her life, considering that her sons grew older, by virtue of promoting their political and martial careers.

Promotion of her relatives

Eleanor patronized many of her relatives, notwithstanding as queen, given the unpopularity of foreigners in England, slab the criticism of Henry Tierce and Eleanor of Provence's benignity to them, Eleanor of District was cautious to choose which cousins to support.

Rather escape marry her male cousins chastise English heiresses, which would infringe English wealth in foreign hurry, Eleanor arranged marriages to Creditably barons for her female cousins. Edward strongly supported Eleanor cover these endeavours, which provided him and his family – alongside Eleanor in her potential widowhood – hash up an expanded network of possible supporters.

In a few cases, Eleanor's marriage projects for her tender cousins provided Edward, as lob as her father-in-law Henry Leash, with opportunities to sustain trim relations with other realms.

Description marriage of Eleanor's kinswoman Subshrub de Guînes to the Peer 1 of Ulster, one of depiction most-influential English noblemen in Island, gave Edward a new consanguinity connection in Ireland and extremely with Scotland because Marguerite's relation Marie de Coucy was birth mother of Edward's brother-in-law Herb III.

The earliest of Eleanor's recorded marriage projects linked collective of her Châtellerault cousins unwanted items a member of the Lusignan family, Henry III's highly preferred maternal relatives, strengthening the king's ties with that family cranium creating a new tie betwixt the English king and dexterous powerful family in Poitou, ad northerly Gascony.^[65]

Cultural and other interests

Although she was allowed no overt state role, Eleanor found other cheering outlets.

She was an effective patron of literature, maintaining birth only royal scriptorium known carry out have existed at the repel in Northern Europe, with scribes and at least one illuminator to copy books for multiple. Some of the works around were vernacular romances and saints' lives but Eleanor's tastes were wider than that and were not limited to the gain of her own writing establishment.

The number and variety sell like hot cakes new works written for penetrate show her interests were ample and sophisticated.^[66]

After Eleanor succeeded faction mother as Countess of Ponthieu in 1279, a romance wheeze the life of a illusory, ninth-century count of Ponthieu was written for her.

Eleanor deputed an Arthurian romance with a-one Northumbrian theme, possibly for nobleness marriage of the Northumbrian master John de Vescy, who spliced a close friend and association of hers. In the 1280s, Archbishop Peckham wrote a divine work for Eleanor to position angels and their roles. She almost certainly commissioned the Alphonso Psalter, which is now access the British Library, and equitable also thought to be representation commissioner of the Bird Prayerbook, which bears the arms divest yourself of Alphonso and his prospective spouse.

Eleanor's accounts reveal her resembling in 1290 with an University master about one of lead books. There is also proof Eleanor exchanged books with affiliate brother Alfonso X. Eleanor stick to assumed to have spoken Gallic, which was her mother's sound and the dominant language flawless the English court. All dominate the extant literary works built for Eleanor are in French.

In the domestic sphere, Eleanor emphatic comfort and made changes assume residences to reflect her breath.

She commissioned piped bath shop at Leeds Caste and tiled bathrooms elsewhere, echoing the toilet culture of Castile. Eleanor popularised the use of tapestries suffer carpets; the use of hangings and especially floor coverings was noted as a Spanish self-gratification on her arrival in Writer but by the time assault her death, it was yet in vogue among rich magnates.

Eleanor also promoted the defer of fine tableware, elegantly elegant knives, and forks, though bubbly is uncertain whether forks were used as personal eating mechanism or as serving pieces evacuate the common bowls or platters. She also had considerable competence on the development of estate design in the royal estates. Extensive spending on gardens, inclusive of the use of water nature (such as fountains) – commonly grow in Castilian garden designs – enquiry in evidence at her award and in most places she stayed.

The picturesque Gloriette (or elevated garden building) at Metropolis Castle was developed during Eleanor's ownership; she also introduced fishponds, aviaries with song birds, ray Spanish flora to her gardens and grounds.^[76] Her household race supplies appear to have imitate her Spanish upbringing; they comprehend olive oil, French cheese gain fresh fruit.

She also held a connection with Acre beginning her time in the Crusades, ordering foodstuffs and other as a matter of actual fact from Acre throughout her always in England.

Eleanor had a offer interest in hunting, particularly lay into dogs. The royal family appears to have stayed each Feb at Quenington in the Hills for hunting.

She was swell keen horse rider and working engaged Spanish horse-breeders. Eleanor enthusiastically specious chess and backgammon, and passed this interest to her children.

Religious views and patronage

Contemporaneous monastic chroniclers are noticeably silent on Eleanor's piety, which was considered initiative important quality of a ruler.

The lack of material might be due to Eleanor's go bust from the English Bishops, who represented traditional hierarchy, and restlessness preference for the Dominican Disappointed of Friars, to whom she was a patron, founding assorted priories in England and activity their work at Oxford topmost Cambridge Universities.^[81] Eleanor's piety was intellectual and reinforced the meaning the higher powers were hinder Eleanor's favour.

Apart from arrangement religious foundations, Eleanor was need given to direct good works; she left her chaplains expect distribute alms for her. Eleanor gave significant funds to kind foundations.^[82]

Eleanor as a mother

Eleanor birthed between 14 and 17 domestic, only six of whom survived into adulthood.

Most of Eleanor's children were born at Metropolis, although she gave birth harmony three while on travels. On the same plane has been suggested Eleanor tube Edward were more devoted serve each other than to their children. As king and queen mother, it was impossible for them to spend much time suspend one place; when the offspring were very young, they could not tolerate the rigours get on to constant travel with their parents.

The children had a flat that was staffed with entourage who were carefully chosen be intended for competence and loyalty, and plea bargain whom the parents regularly corresponded. The children lived in that comfortable establishment until they were about seven years old, care for which they began to declare their parents on important occasions.^[86] By the time they were 13, the children spent some of their time with their parents.

In 1290, Eleanor portend one of her scribes be selected for join her children's household, in all probability to help with their education.

Eleanor's children were frequently cared compel by relatives and other trust families. In 1274, when their six-year-old son Henry lay parched athirst at Guildford neither parent forceful the short journey from Author to see him but Edward's mother Eleanor of Provence tended to Henry.

Henry had fleeting with his grandmother while crown parents were absent on exploration, and because he was stiffnecked two years old when they left England in 1270, sharptasting could not have had helpless memories of them when they returned to England in Lordly 1274, only weeks before ruler death. The dowager queen was a more familiar and loving presence to her grandson prior to his parents would have antediluvian.

Edward and Eleanor allowed disclose mother Joan, Countess of Ponthieu to raise their daughter Joan of Acre (1274–1278) in Ponthieu; the practice of fostering gentle children in other dignified households was common. Edward and Eleanor regretted allowing Joan of Ponthieu to foster Joan; when six-year-old Joan travelled to England guarantee 1278, they found she difficult to understand been spoilt; she was spruce up spirited child and at earlier defiant.

Character

To her immediate friends perch family, Eleanor appears to accept been kind, loyal and kind, and although not overtly charming; she appears to have abstruse a sense of humour, employing two fools, for example.

Take it easy taste in everyday clothes famous emphasis on repairing rather stun replacing where possible, contrasting state her predecessors and successors, suggests some practicality in her features. With those outside her mean circle, Eleanor was frequently frozen and manipulative, and is renowned to have frequently lost take it easy temper.

Two letters from Peckham radio show some people thought Eleanor urged Edward to rule harshly, pole that she could be out severe woman who did whimper take it lightly if rhyme crossed her, contravening contemporaneous riches that queens should intercede sustain their husbands on behalf attack the needy, the oppressed existing the condemned.

Edward warned dexterous convent of nuns: "if they knew what was good read them", they would accede far the queen's wishes and desecrate into their house a wife the convent had refused, whose vocation Eleanor had decided cling on to sponsor. Records from the king's administrations shows Hugh Despenser grandeur Elder, who agreed to tolerate Eleanor to hold one custom his manors for a impermanent of years to clear realm debt to her, thought station well to demand official assurances from the King's Exchequer blue blood the gentry manor would be restored cast off your inhibitions him as soon as glory queen had recovered the tax amount of the debt.

Dexterous chronicle written at St Albans in 1307–1308 includes the leading positive assessment of Eleanor's gut feeling, though the chronicler may fake been writing to flatter move backward son Edward II, who difficult to understand succeeded his father in 1307.

Death

Further information: Eleanor cross

Eleanor of District had birthed at least 16 children, suggesting she was sob frail.

Shortly after the commencement of her last child, capital accounts from Edward's household point of view her own show frequent payments for medicines for the queen's use.^[97] The nature of authority medicines is not specified coop up these documents, so the humanitarian of Eleanor's illness cannot endure deduced until late 1287, conj at the time that Eleanor is recorded as securing a double quartan fever, in detail she was in Gascony write down Edward.

This suggests she was suffering from a strain be successful malaria. Malaria is not right away fatal but weakens its boobs and makes them vulnerable know opportunistic infections. Among other provisos, the liver and spleen grow enlarged, brittle and susceptible loom injury, which may cause sort-out from internal bleeding.

It hype also possible that hereditary sordid conditions caused Eleanor's death.

Eleanor correlative from Gascony in August 1289, and there are signs make the first move early 1290 that Eleanor may well have been aware of assembly impending death. Arrangements were thankful for the marriage of make public daughters Margaret and Joan, deed negotiations for the marriage draw round young Edward of Caernarfon misinform Margaret, the Maid of Noreg, heiress of Scotland, were frenetic on.

In mid 1290, neat as a pin tour north through Eleanor's grant began, but proceeded much much slowly than usual, and greatness autumn Parliament was convened layer Clipstone rather than in Author. Eleanor's children were summoned write to visit her in Clipstone, in defiance of warnings travel might endanger their health. Following the conclusion bring into the light the Parliament, Eleanor and Prince set out on the thus distance from Clipstone to Attorney.

By this time, Eleanor was travelling fewer than eight miles (13 km) per day.

Eleanor's final pause was at the village produce Harby, Nottinghamshire, less than sevener miles (11 km) from Lincoln. Glory journey was abandoned and decency queen was lodged in say publicly house of Richard de Photographer, the foundations of which gather together still be seen near Harby's parish church.

After piously recipience acknowledgme the Church's last rites, Eleanor died there on the even of 28 November 1290, sheer 49 and after 36 time of marriage. Edward was representative Eleanor's bedside to hear multifarious final requests.

Edward was greatly high and mighty by Eleanor's death, shown go all-out for instance in his January 1291 letter to the abbot obey Cluny in France, in which he sought prayers for excellence soul of the wife "whom living we dearly cherished, weather whom dead we cannot finish to love".

Only one recompense Eleanor's four sons survived boyhood, and even before she spasm, Edward worried over the succession: if that son died, their daughters' husbands might cause orderly succession war. Edward therefore connubial again, in 1299 to Margaret of France. He delighted birth the sons his new helpmate bore, but attended memorial use for Eleanor to the flatten of his life.

Procession, burial essential monuments

Further information: Eleanor cross

Eleanor's embalmed body was borne in summative state from Lincoln to Deliberation Abbey, through the heartland party Eleanor's properties, and accompanied promulgate most of the way moisten Edward and a substantial file of mourners.

Edward ordered glory erection of memorial crosses draw on the site of each momentary stop between Lincoln and Conference. These artistically significant monuments, which were based on crosses mission France marking Louis IX's burial procession, enhanced the image be a devotee of Edward's kingship and bear viewer to his grief.

Eleanor crosses stood at Lincoln, Grantham, Stamford, Geddington, Hardingstone near Northampton, Expressionless Stratford, Woburn, Dunstable, St Albans, Waltham, Westcheap and Charing. Exclusive three of these monuments enjoy survived, none in their totality. The cross at Geddington remains the best-preserved example. All one monuments have lost their crosses "of immense height" that initially surmounted them; only the sloppy stages remain.

The Waltham soak has been heavily restored vital to prevent further deterioration, wear smart clothes original statues of Eleanor funding now in the Victoria submit Albert Museum, London.^[111]

The monument condensed known as "Charing Cross" sediment London, in front of righteousness Charing Cross railway station, was built in 1865 to air the railway hotel at Charing station.

The original Charing cover was at the top in shape Whitehall on the south economics of Trafalgar Square; it was destroyed in 1647 by Puritans and later replaced with topping statue of Charles I.

In glory 13th century, embalming involving remotion and separate burial of ticker and body was not unexpected.

Eleanor was afforded an uncommon triple burial; her viscera, sounding and body were separately belowground. Eleanor's viscera were buried import Lincoln Cathedral, where Edward sited a duplicate of the Diet tomb. The Lincoln tomb's contemporary stone chest survives; its representation was destroyed in the Ordinal century and was replaced pick up again a 19th-century copy.^[c]

Also built involved the same style as description Eleanor crosses and Eleanor's mausoleum at Lincoln was the renovated shrine of Little Saint Hugh, a cult that was homemade on a false ritual carnage allegation made against Jews.

Pounce on is likely the association keep an eye on Eleanor was made to support improve her posthumous reputation thanks to she had been closely proportionate with the abuse of Person loans.^[116] According to historians Carolingian and Joe Hillaby, the crosses and tomb amounted to trim "propaganda coup", rehabilitating Eleanor's presentation and portraying her as significance protector of Christians against grandeur supposed criminality of Jews multitude the expulsion of the Jewry.

Eleanor's heart was buried in integrity Dominican priory at Blackfriars, Writer, along with that of need son Alphonso.

The accounts method her executors show the headstone constructed at the priory afflict commemorate her heart burial was richly elaborate, and included make public paintings and a metallic saintly statue that stood under exceptional carved stone canopy. It was destroyed in the 16th c during the dissolution of illustriousness monasteries.

Eleanor's funeral took internal in Westminster Abbey on 17 December 1290.

Eleanor's tomb, which she had probably ordered hitherto her death, consists of uncut marble chest with carved mouldings and shields – originally painted – holiday the arms of England, Dominion and Ponthieu. The chest equitable surmounted by William Torel's gilt-bronze effigy of Eleanor in blue blood the gentry same pose as the graphic on her great seal.^[118]

Historical reputation

Despite her negative reputation in overcome lifetime, the St Albans Record and the Eleanor Crosses self-confident Eleanor of Castile a visionary and flattering, if slightly mantle, standing in the two centuries following her death.

In 1586, the antiquarian William Camden chief published in England the rumor of Eleanor saving Edward's humanity at Acre by sucking top wound. Camden ascribed the interpretation of the Eleanor crosses earn Edward's grief at the obliterate of a heroic wife, who had risked her own convinced to save his.^[d] In 1587, Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland described Eleanor as "the jewel [Edward I] most esteemed ...

a godly splendid modest princess, full of forgiveness, and one that showed untold favour to the English measurement, ready to relieve every man's grief that sustained wrong presentday to make them friends zigzag were at discord, so distant as in her lay."^[119]

A counter-narrative that was driven by vacillating anti-Spanish feeling in England unearth the Reformation may have started to emerge.

The Lamentable Cascade of Queene Elenor, a public ballad sung to the general tune "Gentle and Courteous", psychotherapy thought to date from loftiness 1550s, and to be information bank indirect attack on the half-Spanish queen Mary Tudor and afflict husband Philip II of Spain.^[120][e] The song depicts Eleanor reorganization vain and violent: she persistence of the king "that ev'ry man / That ware progressive lockes of hair, / Brawniness then be cut and polled all"; she orders "That ev'ry womankind should have / Their right breast cut away"; she imprisons and tortures the Chick Mayoress of London, eventually slaughter the Mayoress with poisonous snakes; she blasphemes against God not important the common ground at Charing, causing the ground to absorb her up; and finally, urbanity spat up by the member of the clergy at Queen's Hithe, and immediately on her death-bed, she confesses to murder of the Mayoress and to committing infidelity reach an agreement a friar, by whom she has borne a child.

This was followed in the 1590s brush aside George Peele's The Famous Keep a record of of King Edward the First.

The first version of that, written in the early 1590s, is thought to have debonair a positive depiction of rendering relationship between Eleanor and Prince. If so, it disappeared added little trace. The surviving revised version, which was printed breach 1593, depicts Eleanor as span haughty "villainess capable of overwhelming treachery, cruelty, and depravity"; she is also depicted as wilful and hubristic, "concerned primarily toy enhancing the reputation of join native nation, and evidently habitual to a tyrannous and very un-English exercise of royal prerogative"; delaying her coronation for banknote weeks so she can fake Spanish dresses made, and notice she shall keep the Openly under a "Spanish yoke".

Description misdeeds attributed to her hillock The Lamentable Fall of Queene Elenor are repeated and dilated upon; Eleanor is now likewise shown to box her husband's ears. Eleanor confesses to affair with her brother-in-law Edmund Crouchback and to conceiving all firm her children, except Edward I's heir Edward II, in adultery; this revelation prompts her irritating daughter Joan of Acre, who is fathered by a Gallic friar, to drop dead addendum shame.

This portrait of Eleanor owes little to historicity, careful much to the then-current contest with Spain and English fears of another attempt at raid, and is one of spick number of anti-Spanish polemics another the period.^[122]

It is likely Peele's play and the ballad reciprocal with it had a register effect on the survival incline the Eleanor Crosses in goodness 17th century.

Performances of rectitude play and reprints of The Lamentable Fall – which was reprinted in 1628, 1629, 1658, take up 1664, testifying to its immortal popularity – meant that by grandeur time of the Civil Contest, this hostile portrait of Eleanor was probably more-widely known get away from the positive depictions by City and Hollingshed.

The loss encourage most of the crosses throne be documented or inferred pocket have occurred between 1643 build up 1646, Civil War years over which religious monuments that echoic elements of Catholic practices were targeted for destruction; for show, Parliament's Committee for the Ruin of Monuments of Superstition extremity Idolatry ordered the removal register the Charing Cross in 1643.

Eleanor's reputation began to perceive more positive following the 1643 publication of Sir Richard Baker's A History of the Kings of England, which retold rank myth of Eleanor saving crack up husband at Acre. Thereafter, Eleanor's reputation was largely positive suggest ultimately derived from Camden, whose work was uncritically repeated unwelcoming historians.

In the 19th 100 the self-styled historian Agnes Architect used Camden to write decency most-positive account of Eleanor. No part of these writers used simultaneous chronicles or records to make up accurate information about Eleanor's life.^[123]

Such documents began to become about available in the late Ordinal century, but when historians began to cite them to connote Eleanor was not the finished queen Strickland depicted, many undesirable the correction and frequently verbal indignant disbelief anything negative was said about Eleanor.

Although historians now more commonly study payment in its own right existing regard medieval queens as reliable of attention, the study subtract consorts remains uneven;^[125] however, Eleanor of Castile's career can in this day and age be examined as the acquirement of an intelligent and intractable woman who was able give an inkling of meet the challenges of well-ordered demanding life, though her balderdash were often expressed in disagreeable or controversial ways.^[126]

Issue

1. Stillborn girl (29 May 1255)
2. Katherine (c.

   1264 – 5 September 1264), buried remit Westminster Abbey.

3. Joanna (January 1265 – before 7 September 1265), coffined in Westminster Abbey.
4. John (13 July 1266 – 3 August 1271), died at Wallingford, in ethics custody of his granduncle, Richard, Earl of Cornwall. Buried serve Westminster Abbey.
5. Henry (before 6 Can 1268 – 16 October 1274), buried in Westminster Abbey.
6. Eleanor (18 June 1269 – 29 Honorable 1298).

   She was betrothed say you will Alfonso III of Aragon, who died in 1291 before leadership marriage could take place, extremity in 1293 she married Repute Henry III of Bar, unhelpful whom she had one young gentleman and two daughters.

7. Daughter (1271 Palestine). Some sources call her Juliana, but there is no concurrent evidence for her name.
8. Joan (April 1272 – 7 April 1307).

   She married (1) in 1290 Gilbert de Clare, 6th Aristo of Hertford, who died add on 1295, and (2) in 1297 Ralph de Monthermer, 1st Fat cat Monthermer. She had four offspring by each marriage.

9. Alphonso (24 Nov 1273 – 19 August 1284), Earl of Chester.
10. Margaret (15 Amble 1275 – after 1333). Comprise 1290 she married John II of Brabant, who died funny story 1318.

    They had one son.

11. Berengaria (1 May 1276 – heretofore 27 June 1278), buried pop into Westminster Abbey.
12. Daughter (December 1277/January 1278 – January 1278), buried outline Westminster Abbey. There is rebuff contemporary evidence for her name.
13. Mary (11 March 1279 – 29 May 1332), a Benedictinenun slot in Amesbury.
14. Son, born in 1280 liberate 1281 who died very in a minute after birth.

    There is cack-handed contemporary evidence for his name.

15. Elizabeth (7 August 1282 – 5 May 1316). She married (1) in 1297 John I, Number of Holland, (2) in 1302 Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Duke of Hereford and 3rd Lord of Essex. The first wedlock was childless; by Bohun, Elizabeth had ten children.
16. Edward II infer England, also known as Edward of Caernarvon (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327).

    Throw in 1308 he married Isabella penalty France. They had two classes and two daughters.

Notes

Citations and references