#Matilda of Saxony

[angevinyaoiz]

Matilda, Eleanor, and Joanna - retrospring request for the Angevin daughters

[baublecoded]

“It was perhaps appropriate, as a memorial to his mother, that the year after the empress’s death Henry sent his eldest daughter, Matilda, to be married to Henry the Lion, duke of Saxony and Bavaria, thereby preserving the links between the English Crown and the German states.

But with four brothers, this Matilda was not likely to be recalled from Germany to fight for England. In Henry II’s plans, that honor belonged to his eldest son and namesake. In 1162, and 1163 young Henry had already received the homage of the English barons, the Scottish king, and the prince of Wales.

His father’s plan to have him crowned rex designatus had stalled thanks to the quarrel with Becket, because only the archbishop of Canterbury could crown an English king. Nevertheless, King Henry made it clear that he wished the boy to grow up to rule over the entire Plantagenet patrimony: England, Normandy, and Anjou.”

— Dan Jones, The Plantagenets. The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England

[nanshe-of-nina]

Favorite History Books || The Daughters of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Comparative Study of Twelfth-Century Royal Women by Colette Bowie ★★★★☆

This study compares and contrasts the experiences of the three daughters of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. The exogamous marriages of Matilda, Leonor, and Joanna, which created dynastic links between the Angevin realm and Saxony, Castile, Sicily and Toulouse, served to further the political and diplomatic ambitions of their parents and spouses. It might be expected that their choices in religious patronage and dynastic commemoration would follow the customs and patterns of their marital families, yet the patronage and commemorative programmes of Matilda, Leonor, and Joanna provide evidence of possible influence from their natal family which suggests a coherent sense of family consciousness. To discern why this might be the case, an examination of the childhoods of these women has been undertaken (Part I), to establish what emotional ties to their natal family may have been formed at this impressionable time. In Part II, the political motivations for their marriages are analysed, demonstrating the importance of these dynastic alliances, as well as highlighting cultural differences and similarities between the courts of Saxony, Castile, Sicily, and the Angevin realm. Dowry and dower portions (Part III) are important indicators of the power and strength of both their natal and marital families, and give an idea of the access to economic resources which could provide financial means for patronage. Having established possible emotional ties to their natal family, and the actual material resources at their disposal, the book moves on to an examination of the patronage and dynastic commemorations of Matilda, Leonor and Joanna (Parts IV-V), in order to discern patterns or parallels. Their possible involvement in the burgeoning cult of Thomas Becket, their patronage of Fontevrault Abbey, the names they gave to their children, and finally the ways in which they and their immediate families were buried, suggest that all three women were, to varying degrees, able to transplant Angevin family customs to their marital lands. The resulting study, the first of its kind to consider these women in an intergenerational dynastic context, advances the hypothesis that there may have been stronger emotional ties within the Angevin family than has previously been allowed for.

[palecleverdoll]

Wives and Daughters of Holy Roman Emperors: Age at First Marriage

I have only included women whose birth dates and dates of marriage are known within at least 1-2 years, therefore, this is not a comprehensive list.

This list does not include women who died before their husbands were crowned Emperor. It spans between the beginning of the reign of Otto I (962 CE) and the end of the reign of Francis II (1806 CE).

The average age at first marriage among these women was 17. The sample size was 91 women. The youngest bride, Bianca Maria Sforza, was just 2 years old when she wed her first husband, who was himself 9. The oldest bride, Constance of Sicily, was 32 years old.

Adelaide of Italy, wife of Otto I, HRE: age 15 when she married Lothair II, King of Italy, in 947 CE

Liutgarde of Saxony, daughter of Otto I, HRE: age 15 when she married Conrad the Red, Duke of Lorraine, in 947 CE

Theophanu, wife of Otto II, HRE: age 17 when she married Otto in 972 CE

Cunigunde of Luxembourg, wife of Henry II, HRE: age 24 when she married Henry in 999 CE

Gisela of Swabia, wife of Conrad II, HRE: age 12 when she married Brun I of Brunswick in 1002 CE

Agnes of Poitou, wife of Henry III, HRE: age 18 when she married Henry in 1043 CE

Matilda of Germany, daughter of Henry III, HRE: age 11 when she married Rudolf of Rheinfelden in 1059 CE

Judith of Swabia, daughter of Henry III, HRE: age 9 when she married Solomon, King of Hungary in 1063 CE

Bertha of Savoy, wife of Henry IV, HRE: age 15 when she married Henry in 1066 CE

Agnes of Waiblingen, daughter of Henry IV, HRE: age 14 when she married Frederick I, Duke of Swabia in 1086 CE

Empress Matilda, wife of Henry V, HRE: age 12 when she married Henry in 1114 CE

Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy, wife of Frederick I, HRE: age 13 when she married Frederick in 1156 CE

Beatrice, daughter of Frederick I, HRE: age 10 when she married Guillaume II, Count of Chalon in 1173 CE

Constance, Queen of Sicily, wife of Henry IV, HRE: age 32 when she married Henry IV in 1186 CE

Beatrice of Swabia, first wife of Otto IV, HRE: age 14 when she married Otto in 1212 CE

Maria of Brabant, second wife of Otto IV, HRE: age 24 when she married Otto in 1214 CE

Constance of Aragon, first wife of Frederick II, HRE: age 19 when she married Emeric of Hungary in 1198 CE

Isabella II of Jerusalem, second wife of Frederick II, HRE: age 13 when she married Frederick in 1225 CE

Isabella of England, third wife of Frederick II, HRE: age 21 when she married Frederick in 1235 CE

Margaret of Sicily, daughter of Frederick II, HRE: age 14 when she married Albert II, Margrave of Meissen in 1255 CE

Anna of Hohenstaufen, daughter of Frederick II, HRE: age 14 when she married John III Doukas Vatatzes in 1244 CE

Marie of Luxembourg, daughter of Henry VII, HRE: age 18 when she married Charles IV of France in 1322 CE

Beatrice of Luxembourg, daughter of Henry VII, HRE: age 13 when she married Charles I of Hungary in 1318 CE

Margaret II, Countess of Hainaut, wife of Louis IV, HRE: age 13 when she married Louis in 1324 CE

Matilda of Bavaria, daughter of Louis IV, HRE: age 10 when she married Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen in 1323 CE

Beatrice of Bavaria, daughter of Louis IV, HRE: age 12 when she married Eric XII of Sweden in 1356 CE

Anna von Schweidnitz, wife of Charles IV, HRE: age 14 when she married Charles in 1353 CE

Elizabeth of Pomerania, wife of Charles IV, HRE: age 16 when she married Charles in 1378 CE

Margaret of Bohemia, daughter of Charles IV, HRE: age 7 when she married Louis I of Hungary in 1342 CE

Catherine of Bohemia, daughter of Charles IV, HRE: age 14 when she married Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria in 1356 CE

Elisabeth of Bohemia, daughter of Charles IV, HRE: age 8 when she married Albert III, Duke of Austria in 1366 CE

Anne of Bohemia, daughter of Charles IV, HRE: age 16 when she married Richard II of England in 1382 CE

Margaret of Bohemia, daughter of Charles IV, HRE: age 8 when she married John III, Burgrave of Nuremburg in 1381 CE

Barbara of Cilli, wife of Sigismund, HRE: age 13 when she married Sigismund in 1405 CE

Elizabeth of Luxembourg, daughter of Sigismund, HRE: age 13 when she married Albert II of Germany in 1422 CE

Eleanor of Portugal, wife of Frederick III, HRE: age 18 when she married Frederick in 1452 CE

Kunigunde of Austria, daughter of Frederick III, HRE: age 22 when she married Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria in 1487 CE

Bianca Maria Sforza, wife of Maximilian I, HRE: age 2 when she married Philibert I, Duke of Savoy in 1474 CE

Margaret of Austria, daughter of Maximilian I, HRE: age 17 when she married John, Prince of Asturias in 1497 CE

Barbara von Rattal, daughter of Maximilian I, HRE: age 15 when she married Siegmund von Dietrichstein in 1515 CE

Dorothea of Austria, daughter of Maximilian I, HRE: age 22 when she married Johan I of East Frisia in 1538 CE

Isabella of Portugal, wife of Charles V, HRE: age 23 when she married Charles in 1526 CE

Maria of Austria, daughter of Charles V, HRE: age 20 when she married Maximilian II, HRE in 1548 CE

Joanna of Austria, daughter of Charles V, HRE: age 17 when she married John Manuel, Prince of Portugal in 1552 CE

Margaret of Parma, daughter of Charles V, HRE: age 14 when she married Alessandro de’ Medici, Duke of Florence, in 1536 CE

Elizabeth of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 16 when she married Sigismund II Augustus of Poland in 1543 CE

Anna of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 17 when she married Albert V, Duke of Bavaria in 1546 CE

Maria of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 15 when she married William of Julich-Cleves-Berg in 1546 CE

Catherine of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 16 when she married Francesco III Gonzaga in 1559 CE

Eleanor of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 27 when she married William I, Duke of Mantua in 1561 CE

Barbara of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 26 when she married Alfonso II d’Este in 1565 CE

Joanna of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 18 when she married Francesco I de’ Medici in 1565 CE

Anna of Austria, daughter of Maximilian II, HRE: age 21 when she married Philip II of Spain in 1570 CE

Elisabeth of Austria, daughter of Maximilian II, HRE: age 16 when she married Charles IX of France in 1570 CE

Anna of Tyrol, wife of Matthias, HRE: age 26 when she married Matthias in 1611 CE

Eleonora Gonzaga the Elder, wife of Ferdinand II, HRE: age 24 when she married Ferdinand in 1622 CE

Maria Anna of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand II, HRE: age 25 when she married Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria in 1635 CE

Cecilia Renata of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand II, HRE: age 26 when she married Władysław IV of Poland in 1637 CE

Maria Anna of Spain, wife of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 25 when she married Ferdinand in 1631 CE

Maria Leopoldine of Austria, wife of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 16 when she married Ferdinand in 1648 CE

Eleonora Gonzaga the Younger, wife of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 21 when she married Ferdinand in 1651 CE

Mariana of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 15 when she married Philip IV of Spain in 1649 CE

Eleonore of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 17 when she married Michael I of Poland in 1670 CE

Maria Anna Josepha of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 24 when she married Johann Wilhelm II, Elector Palatine in 1678 CE

Margaret Theresa of Spain, wife of Leopold I, HRE: age 15 when she married Leopold in 1666 CE

Claudia Felicitas of Spain, wife of Leopold I, HRE: age 20 when she married Leopold in 1673 CE

Eleonore Magdalene of Neuberg, wife of Leopold I, HRE: age 21 when she married Leopold in 1676 CE

Maria Antonia of Austria, daughter of Leopold I, HRE: age 16 when she married Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria in 1685 CE

Maria Anna of Austria, daughter of Leopold I, HRE: age 25 when she married John V of Portugal in 1708 CE

Wilhelmine Amalie of Brunswick, wife of Joseph I, HRE: age 26 when she married Joseph in 1699 CE

Maria Josepha of Austria, daughter of Joseph I, HRE: age 20 when she married Augustus III of Poland in 1719 CE

Maria Amalia of Austria, daughter of Joseph I, HRE: age 21 when she married Charles VII, HRE in 1722 CE

Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick, wife of Charles VI, HRE: age 17 when she married Charles in 1708 CE

Maria Theresa of Austria, daughter of Charles VI, HRE: age 19 when she married Francis I, HRE in 1736 CE

Maria Anna of Austria, daughter of Charles VI, HRE: age 26 when she married Charles Alexander of Lorraine in 1744 CE

Maria Antonia of Bavaria, daughter of Charles VII, HRE: age 23 when she married Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony in 1747 CE

Maria Anna Josepha of Bavaria, daughter of Charles VII, HRE: age 20 when she married Louis George of Baden-Baden in 1755 CE

Maria Josepha of Bavaria, daughter of Charles VII, HRE: age 26 when she married Joseph II, HRE in 1765 CE

Maria Christina, daughter of Francis I, HRE: age 24 when she married Albert Casimir, Duke of Teschen in 1766 CE

Maria Amalia, daughter of Francis I, HRE: age 23 when she married Ferdinand I, Duke of Parma in 1769 CE

Maria Carolina, daughter of Francis I, HRE: age 16 when she married Ferdinand IV & III of Sicily in 1768 CE

Maria Antonia, daughter of Francis I, HRE: age 14 when she married Louis XVI of France in 1770 CE

Maria Josepha of Bavaria, wife of Joseph II, HRE: age 26 when she married Joseph in 1765 CE

Maria Luisa of Spain, wife of Leopold II, HRE: age 19 when she married Leopold in 1764 CE

Maria Theresa of Austria, daughter of Leopold II, HRE: age 20 when she married Anthony of Saxony in 1787 CE

Maria Clementina of Austria, daughter of Leopold II, HRE: age 20 when she married Francis I of Sicily in 1797 CE

Maria Theresa of Naples, wife of Francis II, HRE: age 18 when she married Francis in 1790 CE

Marie Louise, daughter of Francis II, HRE: age 19 when she married Napoleon I of France in 1810 CE

Maria Leopoldina, daughter of Francis II, HRE: age 20 when she married Pedro I of Brazil and IV of Portugal in 1817 CE

Clementina, daughter of Francis II, HRE: age 18 when she married Leopold of Salerno in 1816 CE Marie Caroline, daughter of Francis II, HRE: age 18 when she married Frederick Augustus of Saxony in 1819 CE

[maniculum]

Welcome to another Scorpion Sunday! This one is from the "Psalter of Henry the Lion". The British Library lists it as having been commissioned by the aforementioned Henry the Lion, duke of Saxony and Bavaria, and produced by the monk Heriman of Helmarshausen sometime between 1168 and 1189.

Side note about Henry the Lion, for people like me who know medieval English history better than medieval German history: Henry's wife was Matilda of England, daughter of the famous Eleanor of Aquitaine. This Matilda is not to be confused with the Empress Matilda who led one side of the bloody English civil war known as the Anarchy -- that would be her paternal grandmother and namesake. (I know this because I googled "Henry the Lion", saw he was married to "Matilda of England", and thought, "ooh, is she that Matilda?" No, but she's named after her.)

You can see from the picture that the scorpion is in some sort of arch-shaped frame -- that's because this is from a calendar page. (Which is why we know that this is a scorpion -- it's the Zodiac animal for the month.) It's actually a pretty fancy calendar, gold lettering on colored parchment. Looks like this:

That's some expensive stuff. Spoiled by the look of that scorpion, though, so let's get back to it.

Note the twisty tail on this scorpion -- this might be another example of people misinterpreting Pliny the Elder's description and trying to draw a knotted tail. It's an off-putting shade of pink, which might be an artifact of the dyed parchment, but has an unpleasant aesthetic effect. It also doesn't have legs, so I can't give it full points for being a small scuttling beaſtie, but since I gave the last one with just claws half-credit, a precedent has been set.

Points:

Small Scuttling Beaſtie? ½

Pincers? ✔

Exoskeleton or Shell? ✘

Visible Stinger? ✘

Limbs? 2

The vibes are bad. The pink color, the long tail, and the big eyes make this thing look like a fetus or embryo of some sort. This is not a completed animal. I thought about giving it a straight zero, but it's not so much a nightmare-beast as just... pathetic and gross. I feel bad describing an animal that way, but it's not real, so whatever. 1/5.

Total score:

2.7 / 10

Ew.

---

Side note, this artist doesn't know what a crab is either:

I was going to question how that happened -- sure, this is from central Germany, so not exactly coastal, but surely you have crabs? However, a quick Google indicates that the only freshwater crab species in Germany is an invasive species accidentally introduced from Asia in the early 20th century. So... okay. Maybe our man Heriman of Helmarshausen didn't travel much and had never seen a crab. Which is why he's drawn a fish with claws and a spiky face.

[justadram]

What sort of dowry, if they did it, do you think a princess like Myrcella would be given in asoiaf? If it helps I was looking at real life history and King johns daughter Eleanor Plantagenet had a dowry of 10 manors and 200 pounds per year for a marriage to an Earl in 1200’s. Catherine of Aragon had a 200,000-ducat dowry in early 1500’s to marry a king. King Henry 2nds daughter Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony had £4500 for a dowry in late 1100’s. But how would that translate to asoiaf?

I don’t think it requires much translation. It’s much the same. We know of “contemporary” dowries in Westeros, and they consist of lands, gifts, and/or money. Walda is chosen amongst the other Frey girls because Walder Frey promised the bride’s weight in silver as a dowry, for example. Jaime tells Edmure if his wife’s baby is a girl, the Lannisters will give her a good dowry, which I could imagine being Lannister gold. Um, if we go back to a pre-conquest princess, Princess Argella Durrandon was supposed to come with a dowry of all lands east of the God’s Eye as her dowry. Chunks of land, coin.

[ardenrosegarden]

Where John established chaplains and made gifts for the souls of his brothers Henry the Young King and Richard, similar arrangements for Geoffrey were almost non-existent. They appear to be limited to his inclusion amongst the royal relatives for whom chaplains were to pray at Lichfield, arrangements made not by John but by Bishop Geoffrey Muschamp in 1206. There may have been good reason for this lack of attention. Those for whom John made provision were anointed kings and queens who died within the Angevin lands. Geoffrey died in Paris. John does not seem to have provided for the souls of his sisters Matilda, who died in Saxony (1189), and Eleanor, who died in Castile (1214). Yet John could hardly have known these sisters, who left the Angevin lands in 1167 and 1170. He did know Geoffrey, whose final rebellion, unlike that of the Young King, was not in alliance with his brothers. His death was also to John’s advantage, increasing his chances of becoming king. John was in direct competition with the duke of Brittany’s son Arthur for the succession. He may have preferred not to commemorate Geoffrey.

This trend is further confirmed by naming patterns. In naming his legitimate children, John largely followed the example of his own parents, except that Geoffrey, a traditional Angevin name, was absent, as were two names with Anglo-Norman, Angevin, and (or) Aquitainian pedigree: William and Matilda.

-Paul Webster, King John and Religion

[inky-duchess]

Hi, Duchess! I was wondering if you knew of any German royals who married French ones?

Marie Antoinette & Louis XVI, Philippe duc d'Orleans & Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine, Gerberga of Saxony & Louis IV, Matilda of Frisia & Henri I, Isabeau of Bavaria & Charles VI, Elizabeth of Austria and Charles IX, Marie Louise of of Austria and Napoleon

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (March 14)

Matilda (also known as Matilda of Ringelheim), Queen of Germany and wife of King Henry I, was the daughter of Count Dietrich of Westphalia and Reinhild of Denmark.

She was born around 895 and was raised by her grandmother, the Abbess of Eufurt convent.

Matilda married Henry the Fowler, son of Duke Otto of Saxony, in the year 909.

He succeeded his father as Duke in the year 912. In 919, he succeeded King Conrad I to the German throne.

She was widowed in the year 936 and supported her son Henry's claim to his father's throne.

When her son Otto (the Great) was elected, she persuaded him to name Henry as Duke of Bavaria after he led an unsuccessful revolt.

St. Matilda was known for her considerable almsgiving. She was severely criticized by both Otto and Henry for what they considered as her extravagant gifts to charities.

As a result, she resigned her inheritance to her sons and retired to her country home.

She was later recalled to the court through the intercession of Otto's wife, Edith.

Matilda was welcomed back to the palace and her sons asked for her forgiveness.

In her final years, she devoted herself to the building of many churches, convents and monasteries.

She spent most of the declining years of her life at the convent she had built in Nordhausen.

She died at the monastery at Quedlinburg on 14 March 968 and was buried there with her late husband, Henry.

Matilda's two hagiographical biographies and The Deeds of the Saxons serve as authoritative sources about her life and work.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 2.2 (before 1920)

506 – Alaric II, eighth king of the Visigoths, promulgates the Breviary of Alaric (Breviarium Alaricianum or Lex Romana Visigothorum), a collection of "Roman law". 880 – Battle of Lüneburg Heath: King Louis III of France is defeated by the Norse Great Heathen Army at Lüneburg Heath in Saxony. 962 – Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor in nearly 40 years. 1032 – Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor becomes king of Burgundy. 1141 – The Battle of Lincoln, at which Stephen, King of England is defeated and captured by the allies of Empress Matilda. 1207 – Terra Mariana, eventually comprising present-day Latvia and Estonia, is established. 1428 – An intense earthquake struck the Principality of Catalonia, with the epicenter near Camprodon. Widespread destruction and heavy casualties reported. 1438 – Nine leaders of the Transylvanian peasant revolt are executed at Torda. 1461 – Wars of the Roses: The Battle of Mortimer's Cross results in the death of Owen Tudor. 1536 – Spaniard Pedro de Mendoza founds Buenos Aires, Argentina. 1645 – Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms: Battle of Inverlochy. 1653 – New Amsterdam (later renamed The City of New York) is incorporated. 1709 – Alexander Selkirk is rescued after being shipwrecked on a desert island, inspiring Daniel Defoe's adventure book Robinson Crusoe. 1814 – The last of the River Thames frost fairs comes to an end. 1848 – Mexican–American War: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed. 1850 – Brigham Young declares war on Timpanogos in the Battle at Fort Utah. 1868 – Pro-Imperial forces capture Osaka Castle from the Tokugawa shogunate and burn it to the ground. 1870 – The Seven Brothers (Seitsemän veljestä), a novel by Finnish author Aleksis Kivi, is published first time in several thin booklets. 1876 – The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs of Major League Baseball is formed. 1881 – The sentences of the trial of the warlocks of Chiloé are imparted. 1887 – In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the first Groundhog Day is observed. 1899 – The Australian Premiers' Conference held in Melbourne decides to locate Australia's capital city, Canberra, between Sydney and Melbourne. 1900 – Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Chicago and St. Louis, agree to form baseball's American League. 1901 – Funeral of Queen Victoria. 1909 – The Paris Film Congress opens, an attempt by European producers to form an equivalent to the MPCC cartel in the United States. 1913 – Grand Central Terminal opens in New York City.

[angevinyaoiz]

Matilda of Saxony/Bertran de Born/Count Richard

“I wish that Lady loved me, and the Lord of Poitou loved me too!”

[everydayshalloween]

Henry the Young King: Tillie, if you hit me with one more goddamned blue shell-

Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony: Get fucked, loser.

Richard I of England: HOW AM I STILL GOING THE WRONG WAY WHAT THE FU-

John, driving off the edge of a cliff for the 50th time: WHY CAN'T I TURN-

Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile, just happily playing Animal Crossing New Leaf while Geoffrey and Joan watch: :]

[ieisia]

Henry the Lion with his wife Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony being crowned as the Duke of Saxony

from Evangeliar Heinrichs des Löwen (1188)

[historicwomendaily]

the granddaughters of henry ii and eleanor of aquitaine

[medievalart]

Henry the Lion and Matilda of England

* Gospels of Henry the Lion (1188)

source: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

[leonorplantagenet]

The Patronage of the Cult of St Thomas Becket by Henry II’s Daughters | Matilda of Saxony, Leonor of England, Joan of England 

«The Anglo-Castilian connection in this period is also represented by the queen’s efforts to  cleanse  her father’s  memory  after the murder of Thomas Becket. Leonor had  married  Alfonso [VIII of Castile] only a few months before the murder of the archbishop of Canterbury in his own cathedral, events that left Christian Europe in shock. News of his brutal assassination caused immediate reaction all over  Europe and must  have  soon reached  the  Castilian court  and Leonor’s ears.  Her  father was  blamed  for the  prelate’s  murder and the mighty king  of  the  English  was brought  to  his knees  through  public repentance  and  expiation. But  soon  after Becket’s horrid death, Henry II’s expiation turned into veneration and so the martyr of Canterbury – canonised in 1173 – having been a victim of Plantagenet wrath was then becoming an object of Plantagenet piety and devotion.

Kay Brainerd Slocum has studied the spread of the cult in Europe due to the patronage of Henry’s daughters and  has  suggested that  the  queen of Castile «departing from  the  usual  practice, wished to establish her own very close connection, and that of her natal family, to the Canterbury martyr». The wonderfully coloured prayerbook of Henry of Saxony and Bavaria, married to Matilda of England, and the stunning mosaics of Monreale in Sicily, commissioned during the  queenship of her youngest sister, Joan, bear witness to  the agency  of  Henry II’s daughters in the promotion of Becket’s cult across the continent.

Leonor paid her dues in Castile and her contribution to the cult was manifest and resolute. The queen joined her father’s cry for divine forgiveness in the dedication of altars at the cathedrals of Sigüenza and Toledo and perhaps in the commission of wall paintings at a church in Soria».

Cerda, José Manuel: The Marriage of Alfonso VIII of Castile and Leonor Plantagenet: the first bond between Spain and England in the Middle Ages, in: Aurell, Martin (ed.): Les Stratégies matrimoniales (IXe-XIIIe siècle), Turnhout, Brepols, 2013, pp. 143-153, pp. 146-147.

Or: my favourite sisterly alliance.