Death of Eleanor of Provence

 

 On this day - 25/26th June 1291 

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 Death of Eleanor of Provence - Queen Consort of King Henry III of England 

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 Eleanor of Provence was born in 1223 at Aix-en-Provence.
She was the second daughter of Raymond Berenguer IV, Count of Provence and Beatrice of Savoy.

On 14th January 1236, Eleanor married King Henry III at Canterbury Cathedral.

Henry was twenty-eight years old, and Eleanor just twelve.

 Eleanor was famed for her beauty.

She was dark-haired with fine dark eyes and was renowned for her learning and her skill at writing poetry.

Henry was overjoyed with his new wife, and the couple became devoted to each other.

Eleanor's influence with the King and her imperious manner, did not endear her to the English.
This led to her unpopularity with the English barons, and created friction during Henry's reign.

 On one occasion, Eleanor's barge was attacked as she sailed down the River Thames, by angry citizens.

They pelted her with stones, mud, rotten eggs and vegetables.

She was rescued by Thomas Fitzthomas, the Mayor of London, and took refuge at the bishop of London's home.

 On 17th June 1239, their first son, the future Edward I, was born.

Their youngest daughter Katherine was born deaf and mute, and sadly died aged three, on 3rd May 1257.

After Katherine's death, both Henry and Eleanor were said to be heartbroken, with Eleanor becoming sick with grief.

 King Henry III died, after thirty-six years of marriage, in 1272.

He was succeeded by Eleanor's son Edward I, who was to become one of the greatest of the Plantagenet Kings.

Eleanor survived her husband by almost twenty years.

 As the dowager queen, Eleanor remained in England, helping to bring up several of her grandchildren.

When her grandson Henry died in her care in 1274, Eleanor founded the priory at Guildford in his memory, and later retired to a convent.

 Eleanor died on 25/26th June 1291, at Amesbury.
Her heart was taken to London where it was buried at the Franciscan Priory.

Eleanor's body was buried in the Abbey of St Mary and St Melor, Amesbury.

Sadly, the exact site of her grave at the abbey is unknown - making her the only English queen without a marked grave.

The Tudor Intruders (and more)
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 Source - englishmonarchs/plantagenet

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 Eleanor of Provence, Queen Consort of Henry III of England, printed by Henry G. Bohn, London, 1856.