Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine was, by all accounts, one formidable woman. Born a duchess and heiress to vast lands in southwestern France, she became queen of France when she married Louis VII. Not content to merely warm a throne, Eleanor accompanied her husband on the Second Crusade, where she apparently scandalized everyone with her "un-queenly" behavior, perhaps by daring to have an opinion. The marriage was eventually annulled, presumably because Louis couldn't handle her, or simply because she hadn't produced a male heir yet. (Spoiler alert: she would, just not with him.)
Not one to mope, Eleanor quickly married Henry II of England, becoming queen for the second time. This union brought her French territories under English control, which, as historians will tell you, led to centuries of delightful Anglo-French conflict. With Henry, she bore eight children, including two future kings of England, Richard the Lionheart and John. So, while she might not have been a traditional homemaker, she certainly produced some impressive royal stock.
Her relationship with Henry was, shall we say, complicated. She reportedly encouraged her sons in their various rebellions against their father, which, for a few years, landed her under house arrest. But even imprisoned, her influence never truly waned. Upon Henry's death, she was a key player in Richard's ascension and even governed England in his absence during the Third Crusade and his subsequent captivity. When your kids are kings, you tend to get a bit of say.
Eleanor's legacy is immense. She was a patron of troubadours and courtly love, a strategic political force, and a woman who truly broke the mold of medieval queenship. While her "Jew Score" leans heavily towards "Not a Jew" (no known Jewish ancestry or identification, unless she was really good at keeping secrets), her sheer will and accomplishments certainly earn her kvell-worthiness for her enduring impact on European history. She was powerful, she was influential, and she certainly made her mark, without needing a Jewish grandmother to do it.
