Eleanor of England (1269-1298)
Encyclopedia
Eleanor of England was the eldest surviving daughter of Edward I of England
and his first wife, Eleanor of Castile
. What evidence exists for her early years suggests that while her parents were absent on Crusade between 1270 and 1274, she became very close to her grandmother, Eleanor of Provence
, with whom she continued to spend a good deal of time even after the king and queen returned to England.
(died 18 June 1291). Alfonso's parents were under papal interdict, however, because of their claims to the throne of Sicily, which were contrary to the papal donation of the Sicilian throne to Charles of Anjou, and despite the Aragonese ruler's repeated pleas that Edward I send his daughter to them for marriage, Edward refused to send her as long as the interdict remained in place. In 1282 he declined one such request by saying that his wife and mother felt the girl, who had just turned 13, was too young to be married, and that they wanted to wait another two years before sending her to Aragon. Alphonso died before the marriage could take place.
Eleanor subsequently married the French nobleman, Henry III, Count of Bar
on September 20, 1293, as a means of allying Bar and England against the Kings of France. Eleanor and Henry had at least two children:
Eleanor was credited with a daughter, Eleanor, who married a Welshman named Llywelyn ap Owain; King Henry VII, the first Tudor king of England, was recorded later as their descendant. Whilst no contemporary evidence for this daughter exists, except several later recorded pedigree by the college of Arms, caution is excised as it is possible Tudor historians may have invented her to give Henry VII additional royal blood on his father's side. Eleanor s existence was not disputed by the Tudor and Welsh genealogists at the time.
Eleanor's marriage to Count Henry III made Philip IV of France distrustful of him, and he was made prisoner by the French within a few years after the marriage. Eleanor then lived in Ghent, where she was supported by her father, but appears to have returned to England by the beginning of 1298. She was buried in Westminster Abbey
. Her husband survived her until 1302.
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
and his first wife, Eleanor of Castile
Eleanor of Castile
Eleanor of Castile was the first queen consort of Edward I of England. She was also Countess of Ponthieu in her own right from 1279 until her death in 1290, succeeding her mother and ruling together with her husband.-Birth:...
. What evidence exists for her early years suggests that while her parents were absent on Crusade between 1270 and 1274, she became very close to her grandmother, Eleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Henry III of England from 1236 until his death in 1272....
, with whom she continued to spend a good deal of time even after the king and queen returned to England.
Biography
For a long period Eleanor was betrothed to King Alfonso III of AragonAlfonso III of Aragon
Alfonso III , called the Liberal or the Free , was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1285...
(died 18 June 1291). Alfonso's parents were under papal interdict, however, because of their claims to the throne of Sicily, which were contrary to the papal donation of the Sicilian throne to Charles of Anjou, and despite the Aragonese ruler's repeated pleas that Edward I send his daughter to them for marriage, Edward refused to send her as long as the interdict remained in place. In 1282 he declined one such request by saying that his wife and mother felt the girl, who had just turned 13, was too young to be married, and that they wanted to wait another two years before sending her to Aragon. Alphonso died before the marriage could take place.
Eleanor subsequently married the French nobleman, Henry III, Count of Bar
Henry III, Count of Bar
Henry III of Bar was Count of Bar from 1291 to 1302. He was son of Thibault II of Bar and Jeanne de Toucy.- Life :...
on September 20, 1293, as a means of allying Bar and England against the Kings of France. Eleanor and Henry had at least two children:
- Edward I of Bar (1294–1336), who succeeded Henry III as Count of Bar
- Joan (1295–1361)
- Eleanor (1296–1340) (?)
Eleanor was credited with a daughter, Eleanor, who married a Welshman named Llywelyn ap Owain; King Henry VII, the first Tudor king of England, was recorded later as their descendant. Whilst no contemporary evidence for this daughter exists, except several later recorded pedigree by the college of Arms, caution is excised as it is possible Tudor historians may have invented her to give Henry VII additional royal blood on his father's side. Eleanor s existence was not disputed by the Tudor and Welsh genealogists at the time.
Eleanor's marriage to Count Henry III made Philip IV of France distrustful of him, and he was made prisoner by the French within a few years after the marriage. Eleanor then lived in Ghent, where she was supported by her father, but appears to have returned to England by the beginning of 1298. She was buried in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. Her husband survived her until 1302.