Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of the Troubadours [Paperback]

Jean Markale (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 23, 2007

A comprehensive view of the mythical and historic significance of the great medieval queen

• Explains that courtly love was not a platonic and intellectual affectation but an initiatic process of male transcendence akin to Tantra

• Shows that Eleanor’s embodiment of divine power undermined the pattern of patriarchy

• Reveals how Eleanor inspired the powerful influence of the Arthurian cycle’s figures

Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204) has been long noted for her political and cultural achievements that profoundly shaped twelfth-century Europe. Culturally, beyond her role as wife of kings Louis VII of France and Henry II of England and mother of kings Richard and John, she inspired the huge diffusion of the Arthurian cycle and the Celtic myths underpinning it. Without Eleanor, figures such as Merlin, Arthur, and Guinevere (for whom Eleanor served as model) would never have assumed the enormous symbolic value they now possess. Politically, she embodied divine power that ended the dark age of patriarchy, playing a crucial role not only in the development of the Plantagenet Empire, but also in the granting of charters to merchants and craftsmen that led to the birth of the modern middle class.

But her greatest influence, still shaping modern sensibilities, was her role as the symbol of courtly love, which was not a mere diversion of the aristocracy but a process of male initiation and transcendence that bore a close resemblance to Indian Tantra. While the Virgin Mary was restoring a feminine face to medieval religious life, Eleanor embodied the adulterous queen who incarnates sovereignty--the woman who shares authority with the men who act in her name, but only after that power has been transmitted to them through an initiatory process leading to sexual union.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“In a work of masterly scholarship, Jean Markale presents a fascinating portrait of a woman: history and myth intermingle as Eleanor, queen of France and England, is revealed as the embodiment of Guinevere and queen of the troubadours at her court of love.”
(Jill Line, author of Shakespeare and the Ideal of Love  )

"Collections strong in medieval studies, both at the high school and college level, will find this a different kind of biographical coverage which examines the spiritual representation of Eleanor of Aquitaine." (
The Bookwatch, The Midwest Book Review, Feb 2008 )

"This absorbing book charts the historical image of the medieval queen to the mythological and never does it bore. Indeed, a wonderful take on the ascent of feminism told through the quill of a true storyteller." (
Payal Patel, Feminist Review, Jan 2008 )

" . . . for women who have sought a true queen who puts our childhood Disney princesses to shame, Eleanor is that queen." (
Smokey Trudeau, Sage Woman, No. 74, May 2008
)

"I must admit that though I love history it often leaves me in the dust because so many timelines overlap. Jean Markale's biography of the 'Queen of the Troubadours' is concise and orderly, and illuminates an incredible figure in history. By mixing historical fact with theory, questioning some unclear points and offering his own speculation (and making it clear that it is speculation) Markale manages to keep the reader engaged, on track, and encourages readers to philosophize on presented theories if so inclined." (
Nicole S. Kapise, The Pagan Review, May 2008 )

From the Back Cover

BIOGRAPHY / MEDIEVAL STUDIES

“In a work of masterly scholarship, Jean Markale presents a fascinating portrait of a woman: history and myth intermingle as Eleanor, queen of France and England, is revealed as the embodiment of Guinevere and queen of the troubadours at her court of love.”
--Jill Line, author of Shakespeare and the Ideal of Love

Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204) has been long noted for her political and cultural achievements that profoundly shaped twelfth-century Europe. Culturally, beyond her role as wife of kings Louis VII of France and Henry II of England and mother of kings Richard and John, she inspired the huge diffusion of the Arthurian cycle and the Celtic myths underpinning it. Without Eleanor, figures such as Merlin, Arthur, and Guinevere (for whom Eleanor served as model) would never have assumed the enormous symbolic value they now possess. Politically, she embodied divine power that ended the dark age of patriarchy, playing a crucial role not only in the development of the Plantagenet empire but also in the granting of charters to merchants and craftsmen that led to the birth of the modern middle class.

Yet her greatest influence, still shaping modern sensibilities, was her role as the symbol of courtly love, which was not a mere diversion of the aristocracy but a process of male initiation and transcendence that bears a close resemblance to Indian Tantra. While the Virgin Mary was restoring a feminine face to medieval religious life, Eleanor embodied the adulterous queen who incarnates sovereignty--the woman who shares authority with the men who act in her name, but only after that power has been transmitted to them through an initiatory process leading to sexual union.

Poet, philosopher, historian, and storyteller, JEAN MARKALE has spent a lifetime researching pre-Christian and medieval culture and spirituality. He is the author of more than forty books, including Montségur and the Mystery of the Cathars, The Church of Mary Magdalene, The Druids, The Celts, Merlin, and Women of the Celts. A former specialist in Celtic studies at the Sorbonne, he lives in the Brittany region of France.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Inner Traditions (October 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594771952
• ISBN-13: 978-1594771958
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #454,168 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > New Age > Goddesses

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource, well written, July 13, 2008

By 

medievalcrusadesbabe "ebabsedasurclaveidem" (Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of the Troubadours (Paperback)

Jean Markale presents us with a very in depth look at Eleanor of Aquitaine, mother of King Richard the Lionhearted and King John and wife to both the King of France, Louis VII and the King of England, Henry II.

The book is in three parts. The first part of the book is an in depth biography of the Queen, from her early youth thru her death. For those who would not be familiar with Eleanor, this section of the book is a must read. Mr. Markale does a wonderful job of making this a most interesting read, including all the references and all the stories that make this woman one of the most interesting historical figures of the time.

The second part of the book takes a look at the instance of her divorce from Louis VII of France. While there is much speculated about this, it is the single most important piece of history at the time. It set the stage for the events that followed.

There is much discussion here about what the duties of a Queen were at the time. The discussion follows the concept of "courtly love" or "fine amor" and also discusses the "indiscretions" that were alleged of Eleanor. There is evidence presented that there may have been many things going on at the courts at that time, and there is evidence to suggest that Eleanor was not only aware of it, but that she played it to her advantage. She was a maker of history, not just an observer.

The final part of the book looks at the phenomenon of the Troubadours of the time, and how they played an important role in not only creating the literature and developing the culture of that time, but also how they played a part in communication and how they were responsible for the myths that were developed. There is some very interesting discussion of how one story of Tristan and Iseult becomes the story of Arthur and Guinevere. And how all these stories are most likely about Eleanor herself, or at least inspired by her.

For the history alone this book is worth the read. Jean Markale is a wonderful weaver of story and history, and his style never bores. It is a credit to John Graham, the translator, that the material is kept as Mr. Markale intended; to weave the story, to look at the plots, subplots and court intrigues and yet still be interesting and involving the reader in the thoughts, the plot twists and assisting the reader to understand the conclusions that Mr. Markale draws. The last part, on the Troubadours, is an added bonus to the book looking at yet another aspect of the history at that time. It plays an important role as to how we see Eleanor today.

If you are into medieval history at all, you will not want to pass up this book and it's valuable content. Eleanor is a singular figure causes history to change at this point in time and her impact cannot be ignored. And the presentation by Mr. Markale is just the vehicle you need to make it interesting and enjoyable to read. medievalcrusadesbabe

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Eleanor of Aquitaine and the 'Divine Feminine', December 2, 2007

By 

Robert Fripp "RobertFripp.ca/" (Toronto, ON) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of the Troubadours (Paperback)

Jean Markale, a controversial French author retired to Celtic Brittany, has a background in writing about ancient, iconic feminine qualities. Markale's earlier titles suggest how he might approach Eleanor of Aquitaine. He had already written: 'Women of the Celts' (1987), 'The Great Goddess: Reverence of the Divine Feminine from the Paleolithic to the Present' (1999), and 'Cathedral of the Black Madonna: The Druids and the Mysteries of Chartres' (2004).

Regarding those mysteries of Chartres with its womb-like labyrinth and Black Madonna, Queen Blanche of Castile encouraged the funding-drive for Chartres' new cathedral: she also donated windows. Blanche was a grand-daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine whom the old queen personally selected and escorted across the Pyrenees to marry the heir to France. Young Blanche (12) and Eleanor (78) travelled north together from Burgos to Poitou in the spring of 1200. Months in private company with Eleanor must have helped to form and harden young Blanche's character. Markale knows the royal family lines through many centuries, and one suspects that he had been closing in on Eleanor as a subject for years before he wrote this book.

In her time Eleanor of Aquitaine embodied, and knew that she embodied, iconic feminine qualities (the 'feminine ideal'?) that Markale treats in 'Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of the Troubadours'. Modern society celebrated these qualities in, say, Jackie Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana. And Eleanor? In his third section, Markale shows how a troubadour press corps amplified Eleanor's persona. Here, with her coterie of troubadours, comes the twelfth century's "great goddess" and "reverence of the divine feminine." Markale may be controversial, but not necessarily wrong. He is entertaining and he captures the labyrinthine spiritual complexities of Eleanor's times.

Robert Fripp,
Author, Power of a Woman. Memoirs of...Eleanor of Aquitaine

P.S.: Why did Markale's English-language publisher use an image of a woman clad in fashions of the early 1500s to adorn the cover of this book? The illustration (she may be Eleanor of Spain) does nothing for a fine book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eleanor of Aquitaine has been noted for her political achievements, February 2, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of the Troubadours (Paperback)

Eleanor of Aquitaine has been noted for her political achievements - yet here the focus is on her spiritual influence, nature and side, which considers her as a figure restoring a feminine face to medieval religious life, representing female power and leadership. Collections strong in medieval studies, both at the high school and college level, will find this a different kind of biographical coverage which examines the spiritual representation of Eleanor of Aquitaine.