Granddaughter of the first known troubadour (William IX of Aquitaine), queen of France and then of England, mother of eleven children including two kings, Eleanor of Aquitaine (1124-1204) was the greatest patron of 12th century courtly poetry.
Historians have long attributed to Eleanor of Aquitaine an important role as a patron of the arts, particularly with the troubadours, having been trained following the example of his father and grandfather. This vision has recently been radically questioned by K. M. Broadhurst.