Recently I had finished reading two books connected to the lifestyle of Medieval Europe.
The first one was the autobiography of Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, who married two kings and mothered three. She was the heiress to the Duchy of Aquitane at the age of 15, and then became Queen Consort to Louis VII of France before marrying Henry of Normandy, whom later became Henry II of England. Her sons include Henry the Young, King Richard the Lionheart and King John.
I find Eleanor fascinating. For a woman born in Europe during those days, she was surprisingly powerful and influential. Of course, not many records were made of Eleanor's involvement of many historical events of her time, but there have been shadow of hints that she did, in fact, played more parts than just the average Queen and Mother to the heir. She certainly had be patronized by a Bishop for interfering with her first husband's government, and was claimed to have sent her sons to war against her second. Her role flourished when King Richard ascended the throne, ruling England in his name when he rode to the Crusades.
The second book I read was a fictional one, but surprisingly close to the time of Eleanor and Henry's England. The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of the building of a Cathedral, of which in 12th century Europe was the most magnificent building of all, greater even than Castles. The building if this cathedral, which was situated in Kingsbridge, brought about the various, intertwining tale many characters, all so different and yet so very similar.
The book also tells the background story of what medieval England was like that time- corrupted priests, greedy noblemen, vengeful commoners. Peasants who starved during winters and childbrides who grew to fear and loathe their husbands. The superstitious fear of witches and the desperate belief to stand on one's own principle. And then there is the actual historical event of the murder of Thomas Becket, then the Archbishop of Canterbury. The constant feud between Stephen of Blois with his half sister Empress Maud and her son Henry of Normandy (which, to my delight, was familiar from Eleanor's book) also coloured the background, effecting the progress of the cathedral every once in a while.
I am particularly drawn to the character Aliena, who was a haughty daughter of a nobleman and later fell from grace by the young man she had rejected. But somehow she always bounced back, no matter how much William Hamleigh tried to destroy her, she held her head of defiantly until she found her true happiness.
