Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine needed to marry in order to
protect the vast lands she inherited from her father. Duke
William (Eleanor's father) chose Louis Capet, the future
king of France, as Eleanor's husband. Not only would Louis
be king of France, but he would also be Duke of Aquitaine,
Gascony, and Poitiers upon marrying Eleanor. When Louis
arrives in Aquitaine, Eleanor's hopes for an ideal marriage
are instantly dashed. Eleanor learns that Louis grew up in
a monastery. The death of his older brother forced him to
relinquish his life in the cloisters for the sake of his
kingdom. Louis' overzealous piety quickly begins to
irritate Eleanor, whose gaiety and extravagance is seen as
intolerable frivolity to Louis.
Although Eleanor questions whether this somber young boy
meant to devote his life to the church can protect her
lands, she believes she can mold him into an effective
ruler. In fact, Eleanor realizes that she can use Louis'
gullibility to her advantage. After all, the great Duchess
of Aquitaine never intended to allow any man to rule over
her lands. Through careful manipulation, Eleanor is able
to rouse Louis into battle when her lands are threatened by
an unruly vassal. But when Eleanor convinces Louis that he
is a capable of another military victory, she discovers
that the king of France is not only incompetent in the
bedroom, but on the battlefield as well.
Eleanor's strained marriage to the French monarch results
in years of sexual frustration and solitude, since Louis'
fervent devotion to the church leaves little time for
producing an heir. When Louis is finally roused from his
religious stupor, he announces that he will undertake a
crusade to the Holy Land. Eleanor jubilantly agrees to
accompany her husband expecting a great adventure, but
their horrific experience on the crusade finally destroy
the marriage that Eleanor has secretly cursed for years.
As Eleanor realizes what she must do to release herself
from a marriage that will never benefit her or her people,
an unexpected opportunity leads Eleanor to her true destiny.
Anne O'Brien's vivid and engaging storytelling will remind
readers of Philippa Gregory. QUEEN DEFIANT, however, does
not deviate from historical facts. The author brings to
life a queen who lived 900 years ago by showing the depth
of her passion and loyalty to her lands. QUEEN DEFIANT
focuses on Eleanor's early years in France during her
disastrous marriage to King Louis VII. Anne O'Brien
presents Eleanor in the best possible light, but does not
gloss over Eleanor's well-known faults and scandals.
History buffs who are intrigued by Eleanor of Aquitaine
will devour this early portrait of one of England's most
fascinating queens.
A riveting novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine's early adult
years from the author of The Virgin Widow.
Orphaned at a young age, Eleanor, Duchess of
Aquitaine, seeks a strong husband to keep her hold on the
vast lands that have made her the most powerful heiress in
Europe. But her arranged marriage to Louis VII, King of
France, is made disastrous by Louis's weakness of will and
fanatical devotion to the Church. Eleanor defies her husband
by risking her life on an adventurous Crusade, and even
challenges the Pope himself. And in young, brilliant,
mercurial Henry d'Anjou, she finds her soul mate-the one man
who is audacious enough to claim her for his own and make
her Queen of England.
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