Eleanor and Edward

Try to imagine you are a ten-year-old girl living in Spain when you find yourself engaged to be married. Before your eleventh birthday, you become the wife of a young man only 5 years older than yourself from another country.

This was the beginning of the love story between Eleanor of Castile and Edward I from the House of Plantagenet in England. In 1254, the couple married at the monastery of Santa Maria la Real de Huelgas in Spain.

Eleanor was born Leonor Princess of Spain daughter of Saint Ferdinand, King of Castile and Leon and his second wife, Joan, Countess of Ponthieu. Edward better known as Edward I King of England was the son of King Henry III of Winchester and Eleanor of Provence.

Yes, the two royal children from different countries were forced into a marriage arranged by their parents for political reasons. Most would think this not a great way to start a marriage but in fact, the young couple grew to love each other deeply.

During the turbulent years of their marriage, the couple delivered over 14 children (although several died young) and the young Prince Edward spent much of the time traveling. Princes Eleanor traveled with her husband often even giving birth to several children away from their homeland.

When Edward became King of England in 1272, supporters of the crown were not happy with the young 'foreign' woman becoming their queen but she did. Eleanor also became the first woman in England to own land. Edward encouraged this so if anything happened his wife would still have property and security.

One of the longest lasting mementos of the love affair between Eleanor and Edward came about after Eleanor's death. Edward had been in the north on a campaign and Eleanor who was already ill traveled to meet her husband. She died before reaching him and he rushed to her deathbed.

Eleanor's body was prepared for the journey to London where she to be buried at Westminster Abbey. The trip took 13 days and 12 nights - each night the entourage accompanying the queen's body would stop for the night.

To honor his wife's memory King Edward had crosses erected at each of the sites where the funeral procession stopped for the night. Those crosses are known as the 'Eleanor Crosses' and while only three still stand you can find plaques, remnants, or monuments at the other locations today. (See map above for locations)

Note from the author: If my research is correct Eleanor and Edward were a set of my 23rd great-grandparents on my father's side (George Austin Wright). Possibly this is where my romantic nature as well as my long legs came from. Edward's nickname was 'Longshanks' so named for his tall stature and long legs.