05: Eleanor of Aquitaine | Queens that Changed the World

Duration: 46'50''

Synopsis

Born in 1122, Eleanor of Aquitaine was the only ever Queen of both France and England, and became the most powerful woman in western Europe.

Further Information

More clips from Queens that Changed the World

01: Elizabeth I | Queens that Changed the World

01: Elizabeth I | Queens that Changed the World

Channel 4 | 2023 | 46'43''

Elizabeth I pacified a divided nation, and foiled multiple plots against her. English culture flourished under her reign, and...

02: Queen Anne | Queens that Changed the World

02: Queen Anne | Queens that Changed the World

Channel 4 | 2023 | 46'47''

Queen Anne took the throne in 1702. As the last Stuart monarch and the first queen of Great Britain, she united Scotland and E...

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03: Victoria | Queens that Changed the World

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Victoria reigned in a time of huge change. She was the first queen to be among her public, and led the way for modern royals.

04: Hatshepsut | Queens that Changed the World

04: Hatshepsut | Queens that Changed the World

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Hatshepsut, the female King, developed trade, oversaw pioneering architecture and brought wealth and artistry to Ancient Egypt.

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06: Boudica | Queens that Changed the World

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Boudica and her army razed Roman cities to the ground. Although she was eventually defeated, her image and legacy live on.

More resources about Medieval monarchy and governance

01: Matilda and Eleanor | She-Wolves: England's Early Queens

01: Matilda and Eleanor | She-Wolves: England's Early Queens

BBC Four | 2012 | 59'10''

How Matilda almost became the first woman to be crowned queen of England in her own right, and how Eleanor of Aq...

01: Instruments of Invasion | Castles: Britain's Fortified History

01: Instruments of Invasion | Castles: Britain's Fortified History

BBC Four | 2014 | 58'59''

Sam Willis shows how the castle arrived as an instrument of invasion with the Normans but became a weapon ...

S01E03: Dynasty | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

S01E03: Dynasty | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

BBC Two | 2000 | 56'48''

Henry II built a great medieval empire - which was then torn apart by his scheming family.

The murder of Thomas Becket | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

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BBC Two | 2008 | 6'02''

Simon Schama discusses the circumstances in which Thomas Becket was murdered.

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BBC Two | 2014 | 30'00''

Professor Robert Bartlett explores the Plantagenets, England's longest ruling dynasty, in this version of the BBC Two series made especi...

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01: The Devil's Blood | The Plantagenets

BBC Two | 2014 | 59'34''

Professor Robert Bartlett tells the story of England's longest-ruling royal dynasty. Henry II forges a mighty empire encompassing En...

02: An English Empire | The Plantagenets

02: An English Empire | The Plantagenets

BBC Two | 2014 | 59'20''

A clear sense of English nationhood emerges and parliament is born.

03: The Death of Kings | The Plantagenets

03: The Death of Kings | The Plantagenets

BBC Two | 2014 | 58'33''

In the last century of their rule, four Plantagenet kings are deposed and murdered.

Medieval Realms: 02: The Power of the Church | History File

Medieval Realms: 02: The Power of the Church | History File

BBC Two | 1994 | 19'02''

The murder of Thomas Becket stands as a symbol of the tensions between church and state in 12th Century England. ...

Medieval Realms: 03: Magna Carta | History File

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BBC Two | 1994 | 19'06''

1215: the barons rebel against Bad King John, but was he solely to blame? Programme shows how power in medieval England was d...

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01: The Normans and their Castles (Dover Castle) | Castle

Channel 4 | 2003 | 49'14''

Marc Morris consults the Bayeux Tapestry and archaeological evidence to discover how castles evolved over a 600-yea...

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BBC Parliament | 2017 | 59'17''

This edition visits Harlech Castle in North Wales, the focus of the most bitter Anglo-Welsh conflict.

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BBC One | 2004 | 29'18''

Nick Knowles takes a romp through history in an attempt to separate fact from fiction in the story of historical hero Robin Hood. In fact, did ...

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03: The Battle of Wales | Battlefield Britain

BBC Two | 2004 | 58'49''

Peter and Dan Snow revisit the battles that shaped our nation. They tell the story of when the Welsh, led by rebel leader Owain...

Medieval Realms: 01: The Norman Conquest | History File

Medieval Realms: 01: The Norman Conquest | History File

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For his part in the Norman Conquest, Alan the Red was rewarded with vast estates all over England. Programme visits A...

01: Murder At Canterbury | Cathedral

01: Murder At Canterbury | Cathedral

BBC Two | 2005 | 58'41''

Documentary drama series reconstructing the momentous events that shaped the building of Britain's cathedrals. Canterbury was Britain's ...

02: Age of Worship | Seven Ages of Britain

02: Age of Worship | Seven Ages of Britain

BBC HD | 2010 | 59'22''

This episode looks at the Middle Ages, from the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170 to the death of Richard II in 1400.

S01E04: Nations | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

S01E04: Nations | A History of Britain by Simon Schama

BBC Two | 2000 | 59'01''

The story of Edward I - the Hammer of the Scots - whose attempts to force English rule on Scotland and Wales strengthe...

The Last Journey of the Magna Carta King

The Last Journey of the Magna Carta King

BBC One | 2015 | 59'03''

Dr Ben Robinson retraces the dramatic last days of King John, famous for the creation of Magna Carta, and uncovers the legend of his...

04: The Age of the Castle as a Home (Bodiam Castle) | Castle

04: The Age of the Castle as a Home (Bodiam Castle) | Castle

Channel 4 | 2003 | 49'24''

Presenter Marc Morris enters into the Middle Ages, where castles were no longer just mighty strongholds but had ...