Eleanor of Provence (c. 1223 – 24 or 25 June 1291) was a French noblewoman who became Queen consort of England as the wife of King Henry III of England. Born in Aix-en-Provence, the second daughter of Raymond Berengar IV, Count of Provence, and Beatrice of Savoy, she was part of a family whose daughters all married kings: her elder sister Margaret of Provence became Queen of France, her younger sisters Sanchia of Provence Queen of Germany, and Beatrice of Provence Queen of Sicily.
In 1234, Henry III sought a bride from the County of Provence to strengthen alliances in southern France. Negotiations led to Eleanor's betrothal, and she married Henry III on 14 January 1236 at Canterbury Cathedral. At the time, she was about 12 or 13 years old, while Henry was 28. The couple was crowned together at Westminster Abbey on 20 January 1236. Despite initial fears of barrenness, Eleanor and Henry had five children who survived infancy: Edward I (born 1239), Margaret (born 1240, later Queen of Scotland), Beatrice (born 1242, later Countess of Richmond), Edmund Crouchback (born 1245, later 1st Earl of Lancaster), and a daughter Katherine (born 1253, died young). They also had two children who died in infancy.
As queen, Eleanor wielded significant political influence, particularly through her relatives from Provence and Savoy. She brought many Provençal nobles to the English court, including her uncles from the House of Savoy, such as Boniface of Savoy, who became Archbishop of Canterbury. This favoritism towards foreigners fueled resentment among the English barons, contributing to her unpopularity during the turbulent reign of Henry III. The Second Barons' War (1264–1267) exacerbated tensions; Eleanor raised troops in France to support her husband against Simon de Montfort, but her fleet was repelled by locals at the Battle of Chepstow in 1263. She fled to France during the war and returned after Edward's victory at the Battle of Evesham in 1265.
In 1253, while Henry III was in Gascony, Eleanor served as regent of England, demonstrating her administrative capabilities by managing the realm effectively and negotiating with the barons. She was known for her piety, founding religious houses like the Amesbury Priory in Wiltshire, to which she later retired. Eleanor had a cultural affinity for the troubadours, having grown up with their songs in Provence, and she collected romantic and historical manuscripts throughout her life.
Following Henry III's death on 16 November 1272, Eleanor withdrew from court politics. She played a role in arranging marriages for her children and grandchildren, including supporting Edward I's campaigns. In 1286, she took vows as a nun at Amesbury Priory, where she spent her final years in religious contemplation. Eleanor died on 24 or 25 June 1291 at Amesbury Priory and was buried in Westminster Abbey next to her husband.
Eleanor has been portrayed in historical fiction, including Jean Plaidy's The Queen From Provence (1979), Sherry Jones's Four Sisters, All Queens, Sophie Perinot's The Sister Queens, and Sharon Kay Penman's Falls the Shadow. She is also the subject of the song "Eleonore de Provence" by the band Leaves' Eyes.
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