Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine Quotes

“Why, she asks, ‘have I, the mistress of two kingdoms, the mother of two kings, reached the ignominy of a detested old age?”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“no clerk would address a Pope with the thinly veiled disappointment and disgust that drips from the letter.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“the frustration and anger that runs through the letter is very clearly Eleanor’s;”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“The duke was a cousin of Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, and Richard was sold into the custody of the emperor.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“After arranging a three-year truce with Saladin, Richard had left the east to make the journey home.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“It is feasible that at the age of sixty-eight, Eleanor had less interest in blazing a trail.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“The tangled mess in Sicily kept Richard tied up until May 1191. It is worth wondering whether that had not been Eleanor’s intention.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“Joan had been imprisoned by Tancred, and the first thing Richard did when he arrived was to force his sister’s release.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“there is no reason to doubt that Eleanor genuinely sought to ease the passage of her husband’s soul through the torments of purgatory,”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“Henry to sit on the ground.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“He arrived on horseback so clearly racked by sickness that Philip was moved to sympathy and offered his cloak for Henry to sit on the ground.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“which included William Marshal.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“Richard was ambushed by Henry’s rearguard,”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“he took 700 knights and rode away.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“and accused the cardinal of having ‘already smelt the sterling coin of the king of England’.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“The king raged that Rome had no place trying to tell him how to deal with a disobedient vassal and accused the cardinal of having ‘already smelt the sterling coin of the king of England’.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“He tried to make Richard unappealing to Philip to show Richard that he was being used.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“It was meant to create friction between Philip and Richard in the hope of forcing enough space between them to cause a breach.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“Roger of Howden understood that Henry made a mischievous counter-offer: Alix should marry John.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“Alix should marry John.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“primarily to facilitate the beginning of the crusading effort,”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“The papal legate sent to ensure an agreement was reached,”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“but he pointedly refused to explain what would actually happen on his death.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“but of knowing he was the last option,”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“Some of John’s later personality may have been the result not of being spoiled by his father,”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“and Eleanor sixty-three.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“Henry was fifty-two now”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“Gervase of Canterbury reported that Eleanor’s captivity was effectively ended.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“Henry used soft power rather than try to directly rule regions that he knew were beyond his reach.”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire

“The next miracle Becket offered to a king was not for Henry”
― Matthew Lewis, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire