Created for Music 242: Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University on
February 11,1997Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the most significant historical figures of the middle ages. In 1137, at the age of fifteen, she inherited the duchy of Aquitaine, which comprised nearly one-third of France; this ensured her a unique existence as a politically powerful woman of the middle ages. By the time of her death in 1204, she was a former queen of France functioning as regent queen of England, and had firmly established the blood line of the future English monarchy through her children. This historical importance is profound; yet, underlying her vast political influence was a social one of innumerable value to Western Art. Her lifelong patronage of the troubadour music of her home region directly resulted in the introduction of this oldest known genre of medieval secular music throughout France, and to a lesser extent, the Norman court of England. In addition, she indirectly influenced the formation of the next influentional secular genre, the music of the trouveres.
Eleanor's grandfather, William IX of Aquitaine, was in fact the first known toubadour in history. He was the first influential supporter of this aristocratic music, which had probably been developing in the southern regions of France for some time and was based around the area's vernacular, the langue d'oc. Eleanor's father, William X, continued to patronize the art and poetry of the troubadours, and instilled a love for the music in his daughter (Hoppin, Medieval Music, pg. 284). The year of her inheritance, she was married to Louis VII, king of France. Though displaced to Paris, she continued to support the troubadour tradition by receiving them at her court. Hers is the most significant example of a patron's demand for the artists; indeed, the general popularity of the music throughout regional aristocratic circles helped the spread of the budding art form, as the performers traveled to different courts to meet the demand. Though the troubadour tradition easily spread to meet the boundries of southern France, in the northern regions of France, where the langue d'oil was spoken, the expansion of this movement was limited. The influence of the style, however, eventually managed to transcend the language barrier, and by the 1160's, the practice of the troubadour style in the langue d'oil had begun, and would soon develop into a distinct class of its own, the trouvere music. In this way, Eleanor's patronage of her native music helped ignite a chain reaction that developed one style and started another.
The growing influence of vernacular music in France would have eventually made its way to England if left to its pace; Eleanor's second political marriage greatly speeded up the process. By 1152, marital strain between her and Louis, who did not speak her native langue d'oc, resulted in the annulment of their marriage. The duchy of Aquitaine hers once again, she married Henry Pantagenet, a rival to Louis, and count of Anjou in Normandy. Two years later he became king of England, and the Queen wasted no time in importing troubadours to her new court. Again, the Norman dialect of the langue d'oil of aristocratic England impeded the expansion of the troubadour movement, though the influence of the music was kept alive through Eleanor's patronage. Many troubadours passed through her courts, including the well known Bernart de Ventadorn . This contact with troubadour music influenced English music once a more modern dialect of English emerged in the thirteenth century. In addition to indirectly influencing the English music scene, Eleanor passed the tradition of patronage on to her children. Her son, Richard the Lion-Hearted, was a troubadour himself, and her two daughters from Louis, Marie and Aelis helped to spread the music of the trouveres throughout northern France once the troubadour movement started to fall out of favor in the thirteenth century. In 1169, estranged from Henry, Eleanor returned to her homeland court of Poitiers in Aquitaine where she continued to support the music of her homeland.
Eleanor's impact as a patron of troubadour music was an essential
accomplishment of her life, yet much of her musical influence is displaced
by her political importance as a keystone figure in the medieval history of
France and England; this is evident upon review of any historical text
concerning her, including information on the Internet. However, a few of
the references posted below contain short acknowledgments to her
contribution to the secular music of her era and region.
 Pertinent facts about Eleanor of Aquitaine. Richard the Lion-Hearted A brief profile of the troubadour son of Eleanor. Bernart de Ventadorn A profile of the famous troubadour that payed a visit to Eleanor's court in Normandy and possibly to her English seat as well. Verse example of Bernart de Ventadorn Verse by the troubadour Bernart de Ventadorn praising Eleanor of Aquitaine.](http://gray.music.rhodes.edu:80/musichtmls/MHDocs/MHPix/tree.gif){kind=link}