Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the most powerful figures of the medieval world: twice a queen, a crusader, a rebel and the architect of an empire. Through her marriages to Louis VII of France and Henry II of England, she helped create the vast Angevin Empire and reshape European politics. She led forces on the Second Crusade, rebelled against her husband and played a decisive role in the rise of her sons, including Richard the Lionheart and King John. Historian Dr Elena Janega, host of Gone Medieval , joins the podcast to explore Eleanor’s extraordinary life - from the vibrant court of Aquitaine and the failure of the Second Crusade, to her dramatic divorce, imprisonment, and enduring political influence. This episode reveals how Eleanor’s authority and intelligence held a volatile dynasty together until her death. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore. Listen to Richard the Lionheart. Apple: Spotify: Listen to The Greatest Knight That Ever Lived: William the Marshal. Apple: Spotify: We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at . You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Eleanor of Aquitaine is an episode from Dan Snow's HISTORY HIT by History Hit.

This episode is 54:00 long.

This episode was published on Apr 13, 2026.

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