Louis VII killed and Eleanor of Aquitaine captured by Muslims during Second Crusade, 1148

ixweimar

Let's say that during the crushing defeat at Damascus in 1148, the Muslims succeed in annihilating the trapped Crusader Army(as they came within a whisker of doing), killing the French "Monk-King" in battle and capturing his famous queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Now, what do the Muslims do to a captured Eleanor? A ransom would be the most obvious option, yet it's not clear how her uncle Raymond of Poitiers will be able to raise Eleanor' ransom he is authorized to pay for among the disparate Crusader states. Or if the Muslims do decide to keep Eleanor in long-term captivity similarly to Leopold V and Eleanor's son, Richard Lionheart, for political leverage over the Crusaders, does this trigger yet another Crusade "to save the honor of the flower of Europe from Muslims hands"(actually, to forcibly marry Eleanor and seize her lands)?

Also, what would be the political effects in France? Louis and Eleanor only have a single daughter, Marie (b. 1145) at this point, and Salic Law has not been solidified in France yet(and would not be until the Hundred Years' War). As for Aquitaine, no doubt that Eleanor's captivity will cause a massive power vacuum, especially since her sister and potential regent, Petronilla, is discredited following her marriage to Raoul of Vermandois.
 
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AkhenatenOrRamses

Interesting POD. While there is indeed no Salic Law at this time in French history, the idea of France's monarch being a three year old girl will not sit well with either the French court or the leading nobles. I could see a faction looking to get Louis' next available brother Henry, then an monk and in OTL future archbishop of Reims, to resign from the clergy and take the throne with an earlier version of Salic law being used as the justification.

Regardless of whether Marie becomes the reigning Queen of France or not, every nobleman in the realm will seek to betroth her to their heir as at the very least she'll likely rule the Aquitaine inheritance.
 

ike225

AkhenatenOrRamses said:
Interesting POD. While there is indeed no Salic Law at this time in French history, the idea of France's monarch being a three year old girl will not sit well with either the French court or the leading nobles. I could see a faction looking to get Louis' next available brother Henry, then an monk and in OTL future archbishop of Reims, to resign from the clergy and take the throne with an earlier version of Salic law being used as the justification.

Regardless of whether Marie becomes the reigning Queen of France or not, every nobleman in the realm will seek to betroth her to their heir as at the very least she'll likely rule the Aquitaine inheritance.
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The problem is that Henry is already tonsured and is by '48 a monk in Clairvaux.
The most likely candidate would be the younger brother, Count Robert of Dreux
 

ixweimar

AkhenatenOrRamses said:
Interesting POD. While there is indeed no Salic Law at this time in French history, the idea of France's monarch being a three year old girl will not sit well with either the French court or the leading nobles. I could see a faction looking to get Louis' next available brother Henry, then an monk and in OTL future archbishop of Reims, to resign from the clergy and take the throne with an earlier version of Salic law being used as the justification.
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ike225 said:
The problem is that Henry is already tonsured and is by '48 a monk in Clairvaux.
The most likely candidate would be the younger brother, Count Robert of Dreux
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If Marie does indeed become Queen of France, could she be betrothed to Empress Matilda's son Henry of Anjou(Eleanor of Aquitaine's husband in OTL)?
AkhenatenOrRamses said:
Regardless of whether Marie becomes the reigning Queen of France or not, every nobleman in the realm will seek to betroth her to their heir as at the very least she'll likely rule the Aquitaine inheritance.
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How would Eleanor fare under Muslim captivity and what would be her fate in such a scenario? And what would be the Crusaders'(especially her uncle Raymond's) reaction to the Queen Mother of France and Duchess of Aquitaine getting captured by the Muslims?
 

AkhenatenOrRamses

ixweimar said:
If Marie does indeed become Queen of France, could she be betrothed to Empress Matilda's son Henry of Anjou(Eleanor of Aquitaine's husband in OTL)?

How would Eleanor fare under Muslim captivity and what would be her fate in such a scenario? And what would be the Crusaders'(especially her uncle Raymond's) reaction to the Queen Mother of France and Duchess of Aquitaine getting captured by the Muslims?
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I don't think Henry would wait as long as it takes for Marie to get to age 12 or whatever everyone deems her eligible for marriage. More likely he'd get a marriage alliance with Scotland.

As for Eleanor there'd probably be a ransom that'd be paid for her eventually, possibly with Raymond's help.
 

ixweimar

AkhenatenOrRamses said:
I don't think Henry would wait as long as it takes for Marie to get to age 12 or whatever everyone deems her eligible for marriage. More likely he'd get a marriage alliance with Scotland.

As for Eleanor there'd probably be a ransom that'd be paid for her eventually, possibly with Raymond's help.
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What would be Eleanor's next course in life as a 24-year old widow of the King of France. Does she remain in the Holy Land with her uncle Raymond(medieval widows sometimes moved in with their blood relatives). Does she take the veil in Aquitaine? Or do the French tolerate the Queen Mother as Regent for their Queen Marie?

Would Eleanor even re-marry, considering how any sons she has of her second marriage will put her daughter Marie's inheritance of Aquitaine at risk?
 
kasumigenx

kasumigenx

ixweimar said:
Why not Henry of Anjou himself? Such a union would unite the crowns of England and France.
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Geoffrey or William is ideal if she inherits Aquitaine only, but if she inherits everything, she can marry Henry of Anjou, but Henry of Anjou needs to wait for the marriage to be consumated.
 
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