inside the royal intrigue

I have been a fan of British history for as long as I can recall.  I’ve always loved the intrigue, plotting, pageantry, and Machiavellian maneuvering of the royals.  It’s an endless source of inspiration for me that at a time when women had no power, there were powerful women like Eleanor of Aquitaine - who came in like a fireball and reshaped history.  In an era when women received very little consideration or respect, Eleanor of Aquitaine demanded and commanded it.  She remains one of the most fascinating women in history.

I specifically have a love of the Plantagenets and Tudors.  In The Lion in Winter we have Henry II, the very first Plantagenet king.  Henry was never supposed to be a king, in fact, he wasn’t even English.  He was French.  He was also one of the nerviest men in history!  With many more direct descendants ahead of him, he convinced King Stephen of England to name him as his adopted son and successor, while having Stephen’s own son pay him homage and renounce his own (more valid claim) to the throne.

Eleanor was a wealthy and powerful heiress, the duchess of the Aquitaine.  You’ll hear a lot in the play about the Aquitaine.  That is because it was a massive source of wealth, power and influence.  The revenue that the crown received from the Aquitaine alone was worth more than what they received from any other source.  Eleanor was incredibly popular with the people and remained so until her death.  She was rich, beautiful, intelligent, and powerful.

Eleanor was the Queen of France prior to marrying Henry.  Her marriage to King Louis was annulled when they had no male heir.  Three different men tried to capture and forcibly marry Eleanor after the annulment; she avoided all three.  She then did something wholly unexpected: she proposed to Henry, which was unheard of.  Even though Eleanor was a great prize, it still speaks highly of Henry that he chose to marry a woman that had already been married, who was significantly older than him and who in all ways was not a conventional woman of this era.  When they married, they began a dynasty.  They were essentially the first royal “Power Couple.”

Though their marriage began quite happily, it began to decay when their older sons rebelled against Henry and Eleanor chose to join them.  This forever left a rift between them and gave Henry no choice but to imprison Eleanor.  Henry was surprisingly a very forgiving ruler for that era.  While he took precautions to ensure his safety, he treated his constantly scheming sons and wife with respect and some grace.  After Eleanor was imprisoned, he fell in love with Alais of the Vexin, a French princess in her own right who grew up in Henry’s court and was betrothed to Richard.  Affairs among kings were commonplace in this era but, despite the perception that Alais was just another conquest, she and Henry fell deeply in love and remained a loving and loyal couple for many years. 

While a work of dramatic invention, The Lion in Winter is historically accurate in terms of these figures, their relationships, and general court life of this era.  The Christmas Court gathering of 1183 did occur, and while the passions and events may seem larger than life to us, this was the reality the royals faced day in and out.  It seems an exhausting life to have lived, where everyone had to play for power, influence, legacy and just plain personal safety.  

I’ve always been drawn to the lessons we learn from history.  In this play we see moments that are incredibly modern, moments that speak to how the nature of mankind stays the same, and moments that suggest that matters of power and yearning will always remain the same. 

I hope you will smile in recognition of these wonderfully human and complex characters, ponder at the unchanging brutality of politics, and laugh at the thought that underneath our foibles and battles we are all still seeking that elusive sense of belonging, purpose and love.

Jocelyn Adamski

Director

The Lion In Winter