With so many empire stories of the history of the world women
is always part of the epic change and diplomacy of the empires of the world
since the start of civilization. The story of the house of Plantagenets will
have a huge political and diplomatic interaction with the Normans. What interest me the most in the book of Dan
Jones is the portrayal of the life of Eleonor and Henry. Specifically in this
blog article I’m giving more respect to the life and works of Eleonor who
married Henry despite of his first marriage in France. During the days of
Eleonor it is also the days when the transition of the justice system by
capital punishment or hanging in public still observed. It is also in this years
that invasion by kingdoms and the wide
spread of Christendom made the society of the world specifically Europe to used
religious practices as a pattern for justice and moral laws. But it did not prosper rather it created more
conflict and war of empires in Europe.
But the life of Eleonor made France and England into the main empires in
dispute during the time of Eleonor of Aquitaine. Her leadership and involvement
in the second crusade made her famous in the military and naval activities in
Europe. Her marriage with the King of France Louis the VII of France is
annulled and later getting married with the duke of Normandy King Henry the 2nd
of England. The controversial marriage
of Eleonor and Henry gave not only England and France in the highlights of the
people in both countries but the entire Europe’s world of politics and
diplomacy. Part of the smartness of
Eleonor both in his first and second marriage is her background in
education. Because of his father’s
influence and motivation to go to school. She learned arithmetic, science, and
arts to exactly prepare her in the many challenges in her political career.
Thus,
during the crusade Eleanor is very active in recruiting many royal ladies to
join the crusade. I always respect the
discrete motives of Eleonor in the power of both France and England that during
her time her marriage to Henry made both of them even more powerful. If you
consider both Eleonor and Henry elope and get married that in the whole story
of the Plantagenets family tree you can even question to yourself is Eleanor and
Henry in love or just for political purposes.
During the time of David and Bathsheba in previous blog that I give more
inferences in the motives of Bathsheba towards David.
The women power is more discrete and more lethal same as true
with Eleonor. But as to the thesis of this blog Eleonor is always a sweet
temptation not only to her physical features but also her intellect and gracefulness
in dealing with diplomacy.
While reading
the Plantagenets I can imagine the fictional story of the game of thrones by Martin
that politics inside the pillars of the thrones of Plantagenets love is to
politics and politics is to love. But as
to the case of Henry and Eleonor their secret love affair are the moments that
we can argue and infer that love still stays even in the middle of politics and
world affairs. The fruit of their love affair
with Henry are their babies Edward, Matilda and the others. If we consider the move of Henry when they
elope with Eleonor it is like the time when the love of Bathsheba and David are
secretly burning in their hearts. The
move of Henry to kidnap Eleonor is a move that any political protocol will
disagree. Thus, we can compare the case
of Eleonor and her love with Henry that in the case of the people of France it
is but a move of disloyalty but in the case of Henry it is a move that any
diplomatic protocol can’t surpass.
But
the positive side of their marriage made the Henry more powerful in
Europe. After their marriage the title
of Henry became the Henry the conqueror.
It is but possible that what fueled the conqueror heart of Henry is from
the love of Eleonor. Same with David in
the case of Bathsheba. Women are the
driver of men’s heart and also the breaker of men’s heart. In the case of the empires long time ago love
and politics are but a question if it is true love or politics. Famous stories
like the prince of thieves that Robin Hood is more romantic when he is
attracted with the princess. Thus, we
can argue the given notion that love is more important than politics or politics
is more important than love. In our
modern governments today love of politics and country are the sacrifices of
your personal love to the once you personally love but lucky to Eleonor she
both love the power that she will have in England and the King of England
Henry. On the contrary more conflicts with France came later when King Henry had
political and military encounter with France.
If you read the history of France and England you cannot see any good
life of both countries but rather historic wars of empires that inspire the readers
of today. But we can also look at the previous
of marriage of Eleanor to the King of France that the extreme possibility of
love and revenge will occur during the high times of the conflict of the two
empires. Thus, I would say love is both
lethal and productive in the case of the many empires in Europe. Just like the case of Helen of Troy, the beauty
of Helen cause romance and war in the region of the Mediterranean. So with Eleonor, beauty is a sweet
temptation.
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