Eleanor of Aquitaine is intelligent and beautiful, her immense wealth desired by kings. Her fathers dying wish places the young heiress under the guardianship of King Louis VI of France, who marries her to his monkish son. The pious French Court considers her education and intellect shameful. She is accused of emulating men, regarded as her betters. It is emphasised she is there to breed, look decorative, and keep her eloquent mouth shut. Eleanor longs to break free. The opportunity arises to lead an army on the Second Crusade. Eleanor grasps the chance and rides to the Holy Land accompanying Louis, now king. In Antioch, the young Queen discovers unexpected love and a prophesy. Her disastrous marriage to Louis is annulled at her request. Single, Eleanor attracts unwanted adventurers. Ambushed, she evades capture realising she must remarry. She weds young Henry Plantagenet, attractive and no monk, beginning a mighty dynasty.
Helen Rayson-Hill trained as an infant teacher, and taught in country Victoria, Melbourne and the UK. Later, she became a drama teacher following a long interest in the theatre. After a family transfer to Brisbane, she was appointed Queensland Manager of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust. On returning to Melbourne, Helen held a position at the Victorian Arts Centre in the Membership and Fundraising and Development Department. For two years she was an adjudicator for the Victorian Drama League. Helen has also performed both on the stage in Melbourne and Brisbane and on television in Neighbours on Channel 10 and Somethings in the Air on the Australian ABC network. Writing has always been an interest of Helens and she is a member of the Writers Circle at Melbournes Lyceum Club. She has written plays for her drama students as well as sketches for amateur theatre. Helen has long been interested in Medieval history, especially in the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine. After many years of research, inspired originally by the play The Lion in Winter by James Goldman, Helen was motivated to write about Eleanors amazing life. Consequently, Eleanor, the Firebrand Queen became the first in a planned series of historical novels about this Medieval feminist.
