"Eleanor's remarkable career is done full justice in this life, which is readable, lively, and convincing. It provides insights into many aspects of the twelfth century as well as a radically new assessment of the queen herself. Many myths are exploded, and a thoroughly realistic picture of a politically ambitious and independent-minded woman emerges." - Michael Prestwich, University of Durham "Ralph Turner rejects the stereotypes and sets Eleanor in a new light, by evaluating her motives and behaviour within vividly realised social, cultural and political contexts. Eleanor emerges as a steely operator who overrode gender prejudice to become one of the most influential political figures in the Europe of her time." - Anthony Goodman, University of Edinburgh "Ralph Turner crafts a very credible portrait of Eleanor. This is a formidable biography which should be widely read." - Jean Dunbabin, University of Oxford "This accessible and very detailed biography eschews the speculation and romanticization common in accounts of Eleanor's life. Ralph Turner depicts Eleanor as politically intelligent and highly ambitious, her scandalous reputation resulting from her determination to exert political influence. It is for her political responsibility in the reigns of her sons that this exceptional woman really deserves to be remembered." - Joanna Laynesmith, author of The Last Medieval Queens