Aénor de Châtellerault
Mother of Eleanor of Aquitaine / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Aénor of Châtellerault (also known as Aénor de Rochefoucauld), Duchess of Aquitaine, (born c. 1103 in Châtellerault, died March 1130 in Talmont) was the mother of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who became one of the most powerful women of her generation in Europe.
Aénor de Châtellerault | |
---|---|
Duchess consort of Aquitaine | |
Tenure | 10 February 1126 - March 1130 |
Born | c. 1103 Châtellerault |
Died | March 1130 Talmont |
Burial | Abbaye Saint-Vincent de Nieul-sur-l'Autise |
Spouse | William X of Aquitaine |
Issue | Eleanor of Aquitaine Petronilla of Aquitaine William Aigret |
House | Châtellerault |
Father | Aimery I, Viscount of Châtellerault |
Mother | Dangereuse de l'Isle Bouchard |
Aénor was a daughter of Aimery I, Viscount of Châtellerault, and his wife, Dangereuse de L' Isle Bouchard (d. 1151). Most likely named after her paternal grandmother, Aénor was the first born daughter of the couple but the third born child. She had two older brothers, Hugh and Raoul, and two younger sisters, Amable and Aois.
Her mother was willingly "abducted" by her future father-in-law, William IX of Aquitaine and became his mistress until his death in 1127. From her mother's second relationship Aénor would have three half-siblings: Henri, Adelaide, and Sybille.
In 1121, Aénor married William X of Aquitaine,[1] the son of her mother's lover. The marriage, arranged before her mother's elopement,[2] might at the time have been seen as a mesalliance, as Aénor came from a much lesser noble house, with her father being only a very minor vassal of the House of Poitiers, and her mother's scandalous reputation.
Not much is known about Aénor and William's relationship, but considering that they had three children fairly close together and that William in a charter referred to Aénor as his "dear wife",[3] it seems that they at least were on fairly good terms. Aénor is also attested to have prompted her husband to give out donations and grants to religious institutions.[3]
They had three children:
- Eleanor of Aquitaine, Duchess of Aquitaine, and wife of both Louis VII of France and Henry II of England.[1]
- Petronilla of Aquitaine, wife of Raoul I, Count of Vermandois.
- William Aigret (who died at the age of four with his mother at Talmont-sur-Gironde)