Eleanor of Provence, Queen Eleanor of England

Eleanor of Provence (b. Aix-en-Provence, 1223 - d. Amesbury, Wiltshire, 1291) Queenconsort of Henry III of England.

Born in the French town of Aix-en-Provence in 1223, the second of the daughters ofRamon Berenguer V, Count of Provence and Forcalquier-grandson of King Alfonso II of Aragon and great-grandson of King Alfonso VII of Castile and Beatrice of Savoy.

She married in the cathedral of Canterbury, January 14, 1236, with King Henry III of England and had 9 children:

- Edward (1239 - 1307) Prince of Wales.

- Margaret of England (1240 - 1275) Queen consort of Alexander III of Scotland.

- Beatrice of England (1242 - 1275) married to John II, Duke of Brittany.

- Richard (1247 - 1256).

- William (1252 - 1256).

- Catherine (1253-1257).

- Henry (1256-1257).

She exercised an unfortunate influence on the king, leading the revolt of the barons led by Simon V of Montfort, Earl of Leicester VI, the Second Barons' War. Captured her husband after the battle of Lewes, the queen took refuge in France, next to her sisterQueen Margaret of France, which convinces her husband, King Louis IX to support the Prince Edward with an army to invade England.

King released and restored to the throne, Eleanor returned to England, but this time itkept out of politics. Killed her husband, tries unsuccessfully to regain her influence at court. However, her son Edward I, he was charged with education of a number of his grandchildren as he and his wife, Eleanor of Castile, depart for the Crusades.

Then she retires to the Abbey of Amesbury, in Wiltshire, where he died in 1291 after 68years of age, where she is buried.