Court life for a queen of France at that time was, however, stultifyingly routine. Eleanor found that she was expected to be no more than a decorative asset to her husband, the mother of his heirs and the arbiter of good taste and modesty.

Alison Weir
About This Quote

Eleanor of Aquitaine's marriage to Louis VII, the king of France, was supposed to be a mutual agreement between two people who loved each other. However, Eleanor felt that she had married for love, not position. And although she was the queen of France, her life was much different than what she had hoped for. She was not allowed to have any part in the running of the kingdom.

She was expected to be no more than a decorative asset to her husband, the mother of his heirs and the arbiter of good taste and modesty. Eleanor often found her husband's behavior toward his wife "stultifyingly routine." He expected her to do nothing more than be decorative and stay silent.

Source: Eleanor Of Aquitaine: A Life

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