Eleanor was raised in Europe's most culture court, Courtly Love and she was very highly educated for a woman of her time. She read and spoke Latin and knew music and literature well. She took great pleasure in riding, hawking, and hunting. Her brother, William died as a baby thus making Elenor the heiress to the richest province of France, Aquitaine. Her father William X died on a pilgrimage to Spain on Good Friday in 1137. Eleanor was 15 years of age and was now the Duchess of Aquitaine. She was all of a sudden the most eligible heiress of Europe.

William did not want his daughter to be kidnapped for her inheritance so he wrote in his will that is daughter would marry Louis VII of France. They did so on 22 Jul 1137. Her holdings were not merged with France until their son would become king. However, they only had daughters and Eleanor retained her holdings.

King Henry was madly in love with his Queen Eleanor and gave her whatever she wanted. She was free spirited and this was very upsetting to him.

Eleanor insisted on being the feudal leader of the soldiers from her duchy during the Crusades. The Crusade was a disaster because Louis was not a good military leader as he had trouble making informed and logical tactical decision. He could not maintain discipline and moral among his troops.

The marriage of Eleanor and Louis was in trouble. While on their home from the crusade they passed Rome. While there Pope Eugene III tried to reconcile their marriage. Eleanor conceived their daughter Alix. However, the marriage was annulled in 1152 on ground of consanguinity (close relationship). She retained all of her holdings.

Eleanor married Henry Plantagenet, Count of Anjou and Duke of Normandy on 18 May 1152. She was 11 years older than he. She bore Henry five sons and three daughter over the following 13 years. She was angry with Henry's extramarital affairs. Their son William and Henry's illegitimate son, Geoffrey were born just months apart. He had other illegitimate children over the years.

Eleanor stayed involved as she had with Louis. She developed trade agreements with Constantinople and ports of trade in the Holy Lands. Around 1170 she created the Court of Love and some of her codes and practices were written by Andreas Capellanus.

During the next number of years of struggles Henry found another Love and had Eleanor put in prison.

Henry died in 1189 at which time Eleanor helped her son Richard I obtain the throne. He released her from prison and she ruled England while Richard was off on another Crusade. Richard was captured and his mother obtained his ransom when she went to Germany.

Eleanor was still living when Richard I died and she saw her son John 'Lackland' ascend the throne. John was the youngest of her children.

Eleanor died at Mirabell Castle, Tarn-Et-Garonne, France on 31 Mar 1204. She was entombed near Henry II in Fontevrault Abbey in Fontevrault, France.