Historical Context: Eleanor and her older sister, Marguerite, queen of France attempt to enlist Edward's support for their claims in Provence against their brother-in-law, Charles of Anjou. Charles' wife, Eleanor's youngest sister, Beatrice, who died in 1267, had been her father's heir in Provence, but the other sisters had claims to parts of the land. Eleanor never realized her claims, but neither did she yield them, and she passed them on to the children of her son Edmund.
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Eleanor of Provence
Born: 1223, Aix-en-Provence, ENGLAND
Died: 26 Jun 1291, Amesbury, ENGLAND
Father: Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence
Mother: Beatrice of Savoy
Spouse: Henry III, King of EnglandEleanor of Provence was born in Aix-en-Provence about 1223. She was the daughter of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence (1198-1245) and Beatrice of Savoy (1206–1266). Eleanor’s maternal grandparents were Tomasso, Count of Savoy and his second wife Marguerite of Geneva. Like her mother, grandmother, and sisters, Eleanor was renowned for her beauty.
Matthew Paris, a Benedictine monk and English chronicler, describes her as being “already twelve” when she arrived in England for her marriage to King Henry III.
Eleanor married to Henry on January 14, 1236. She had never seen him prior to the wedding at Canterbury Cathedral and had never set foot in his impoverished kingdom.
Eleanor and Henry had five children: Edward I, Margaret, Beatrice, Edmund and Katherine.
Eleanor seems to have been especially devoted to her eldest son, Edward. Her youngest child, Katharine, seems to have had a degenerative disease that rendered her deaf. When Katherine died at age three, both her royal parents suffered overwhelming grief.
Her influence with the King and her unpopularity with the English barons created friction during Henry's reign. Eleanor was devoted to her husband's cause and was intimately involved in Henry's battles. These included excursions to France to fight for the Continental lands the French and English had been squabbling about for decades.At home, Henry and Eleanor had rebellious barons to contend with. When Henry was captured by his own barons and forced to agree to their terms for reforms, Eleanor went to France and raised a formidable army to free her husband. But her invasion fleet was wrecked before it reached England. Her son Edward (later Edward I), as combative as his mother, fought off the rebels and rescued his father.
On July 13, 1263, she was sailing down the Thames on a barge when her barge was attacked by citizens of London. In fear for her life, Eleanor was rescued by Thomas FitzThomas, the mayor of London, and took refuge at the bishop of London's home.
Eleanor was strong-willed, ambitious and practical. Children of King Henry III and Eleanor of Provence
Name Birth Date Death Date Spouse Edward I
King of England17 Jun 1239 7 July 1307 (1) Eleanor of Castile
(1) Marguerite of FranceMargaret
Queen of Scots29 Sep 1240 26 Feb 1275 King Alexander III
of ScotlandBeatrice
Duchess of Brittany25 June 1242 24 Mar 1275 John II
Duke of BrittanyEdmund "Crouchback"
1st Earl of Leicester/Lancaster16 Jan 1245 05 Jun 1296 (1) Lady Aveline de Forz
(2) Blanche of ArtoisKatharine 25 Nov 1253 03 May 1257 In 1272 King Henry died. Eleanor had been his loyal marriage partner for 36 years. Upon his death, their son Edward, 33 years old, became Edward I, King of England. She stayed on in England as Dowager Queen, and raised several of her grandchildren, including Edward's son, Henry, and daughter, Eleanor, and Beatrice's son, John. When her grandson Henry died in her care in 1274, Eleanor mourned him and his heart was buried at the priory at Guildford she founded in his memory. Eleanor retired to a convent but remained in touch with her son and her sister, Marguerite.
Only after fourteen years did she take off her crown and don the veil at the nunnery of Amesbury. There she lived a quiet, pious life until her death.Eleanor died in 1291 in Amesbury, England, at the age of 68. Eleanor of Provence was beautiful, resourceful, clever, but ultimately unpopular.
Letters written by Eleanor:
To: Henry III Date: 1244 - 45 Historical Context: Boniface of Savoy, Eleanor's uncle, appointed three years earlier Archbishop of Canterbury, arrived in England in 1244 and was immediately involved in a dispute with the king over the election of the Bishop of Chichester. The king had urged someone (Robert Passelewe) on the chapter who was found by Boniface's appointed representatives to be unsuitable. Boniface had not only rejected him, but had suggested some one else whom the chapter elected and the archbishop confirmed. Henry was furious, but was apparently mollified by the queen's letter taking his side, and was persuaded by her that his man was more valuable in his current secular position.
To her most excellent and reverend lord, Henry, by the grace of God illustrious king of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Normandy, Aquitaine, and count of Anjou, his most humble consort and most devoted Eleanor, by that same grace queen of England, greetings and owed subjection with all reverence.
We make known to your lordship that by the grace of God we and our children are healthy and well, which we want you to know with all the affection of heart and spirit; and we impart to your majesty that the elect of Canterbury sent us his messengers with letters on a day past and let us know by them that he had learned from certain people that we had been moved against him over the episcopacy of Chichester, and he asked that we be neither angry about it, nor turned against him. We let him know through messengers and our letters that it was no wonder if we were moved against him since he had offended you over this, nor could he gain our benevolence in any way as long as he suffered your indignation.
Having heard and understood these things, he came to us in person, telling us that he would satisfy your will over said matters and all others, as far as he could. We persuaded him that he must satisfy your will if he wished to quiet our indignation; since while discord lasted between you and him, our wrath or indignation against him would not in any way abate. We therefore beg your most excellent lordship with all the affection we can, that you deign to let us know your state, may God make it prosperous and happy, and the pleasure of your will over this, quickly, if it please you.
May your excellence always be well in the Lord.
To: Henry III Date: 14 Feb 1254 Historical Context: Eleanor, as the king's regent, and his brother, as her chief advisor, write to the king who is in Gascony to put down a rebellion to tell him what their negotiations with clergy and barons for aid have so far accomplished, and to ask what he wants from a planned parliament.
To her most excellent lord, lord Henry, by grace of God illustrious king of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Normandy, Aquitaine, and count of Anjou, his most devoted consort Eleanor, by that same grace queen of England, and his devoted and faithful Richard, count of Cornwall, greetings with all reverence and honor.
Your reverend lordship should know that the lords count Marshal and John of Balliol, who had been held up at sea by contrary winds for twelve days, came to us in England on the Wednesday after the purification of the blessed Mary just past. And we had discussed your subsidy with the prelates and magnates of your kingdom of England, both before the arrival of said count and John, in the fortnight of St. Hilary just past, and again after their arrival ... The archbishops and bishops responded that if the king of Castile attacked you in Gascony, each of them would assist you with his own goods, so that you would owe them perpetual thanks, but they could do nothing about what their clergy would do to help without their assent, and they do not believe their clergy can be induced to supply any help at all unless the tithe of the clergy granted by you for the crusade in the first year which should start now, is altogether relaxed by your letters patent, and the collection of that same crusade tithe for the two following years is postponed until two years before your passage to the Holy Land. And they would diligently urge the clergy subject to them to assist you according to this form of the tithe of their benefices, if said king of Castile attacked you in Gascony, and will discuss it with them. But when the bearers of the presents left, no subsidy from said clergy had yet been granted.
Moreover, as we said elsewhere, if the king of Castile attacks you in Gascony, all the counts and powerful barons of your kingdom will cross the sea to you in Gascony with all their force; but we do not believe that any aid in your endeavor can be obtained from the other laymen who will not cross over to you unless you write to those holding your place [your lieutenants] in England that the freedoms of your Magna Charta must be strictly observed and this must be strictly ordered by your letters to all the viscounts of your kingdom, and publicly proclaimed through each county of that kingdom, so they may be roused to help you willingly in the projected aid, since many complain that the tenets of said charter are not observed by your viscounts and other bailiffs as they ought to be.
May your lordship know, therefore, that we shall treat with the clerics and laymen at Westminster a fortnight after Easter about said aid, begging your lordship to write back your will about what we have mentioned as swiftly as you can. You will find us prepared and devoted to seeking said help in your endeavor, according to our powers, and to doing and procuring everything else that looks to your advantage and the increase of your honor.
To: King Edward I [Her son] Date: 1279 Historical Context: Eleanor's youngest sister, Beatrice, who died in 1267, had been her father's heir in Provence, but the other sisters had claims to parts of the land and Eleanor here asks her son to argue her claim with the emperor. Eleanor never realized her claims, but neither did she yield them, and she passed them on to the children of her son Edmund. The proposed marriage was between Charles Martel, grandson of Charles of Anjou, king of Sicily, and the daughter of Rudolf of Hapsburg, king of the Germans. The letter is in French.
Eleanor, by the grace of God queen of England, to our dear son Edward, by that same grace king of England, greetings and our blessing.
You should know, sweet son, that we have heard there is a marriage in the making between the son of the king of Sicily and the daughter of the king of Germany. If this alliance is made, we might well be upset in the right we have to a quarter of Provence, which would be a great harm to us, and that harm would be yours as well as ours. Therefore we pray and request that you write particularly to the foresaid king that, since Provence is held of the empire and its dignity requires that he render justice to us for it, he should consider the right we have and give it to us. We particularly ask this of you and commend you to God.
To: King Edward I [Her son] Date: 1280 Eleanor, by the grace of God queen of England, to our very dear son the king, greetings and our blessing.
Know that my lady of France, our sister, has sent to us that in the urgent matter of Provence, which touches us and our shares of Provence, she sees clearly that there is no action, only words. She has let you know, as we understand, that she intends to act forcefully and pursue vigorously what has been denied her without reason. We would like to know what answer you make to her and pray you to send it to us so that we may be advised to answer according to your instruction. Let us know your condition and your pleasure.
To: King Edward I [Her son] Date: 1280 Historical Context: Eleanor and her older sister, Marguerite, queen of France attempt to enlist Edward's support for their claims in Provence against their brother-in-law, Charles of Anjou. In this instance, Eleanor has had the letter written for her son and sends it for his approval.
Eleanor, by the grace of God, Queen of England, to our dear son the King, greetings and our blessing.
We need your entreaty to the king of France that he help us to achieve our right in the matter that concerns us in the land of Provence.
We have had a letter made on your part which we send you and entreat you to hear it and, if it pleases you, to put your seal on it; and if not, have it emended to your pleasure and send it quickly to your aunt, my Lady of France.
And we also entreat you to send, by letter, to master Bonet your clerk, to show and advance this case in the court of France, as best he can.
We commend you to God.
SOURCES:
Eleanor of Provence, King Edward I, King Henry III, King John
http://en.wikipedia.orgCharlemagne's Descendants to George Washington
http://www.kareldegrote.nl/charlemagne/George_Washington.htmMargaret Butler & Sir Lawrence Washington
to King Edward I of England
http://www.thepeerage.com/p17991.htm#i179904ROYAL DESCENT
The Lanier Family Connection to the Washington Family
The Connection to King Edward I of England
http://jimserver.net/genealogy/royal_desc.htmlThe Ancestry of George Washington
Sons of Liberty Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution
http://www.revolutionarywararchives.org/washancestry.htmlPolish History, Heraldry and Genealogy
The Lineage of George Washington
http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/lineageGW.htmlSampson LANIER & Elizabeth WASHINGTON
http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~asbellm/genealogy/fam01284.htmIf you have photos or additional information, please contact me.
