Abstract For the past century or so, scholars believed that Eleanor of Aquitaine brought "courtly love" to the upper classes of Western Europe during the twelfth century. Yet, by all counts, courtly love seems to be in contradiction with what the records reveal about Eleanor, her worldview and her understanding of herself. Attempts to reconcile or explain this disjunction have only clouded the image of the historic Eleanor, creating confusion, and fomenting unnecessary debate. Although...