PILOT: When thirteen-year-old Eleanor of Aquitaine loses her father and becomes duchess of Europe's greatest territory, she must quickly leave childhood behind and use her wits and strong will to stay safe from nefarious lords long enough to consummate her marriage to the future king of France.

THE SERIES: Eleanor of Aquitaine - one of history's  most important, yet overlooked figures. Queen to two countries, mother to two kings, a Crusader, a prisoner, a woman who spent seven decades fighting for her rights. 

SYNOPSIS:

Eleanor of Aquitaine was a protofeminist political and cultural force for 80 years of the 12th century.

When 13, the duchess marries King Louis VII of France hoping for love and a partnership of equals. After 15 years, two daughters and a journey to Jerusalem on Crusade, she decides she needs more. She divorces Louis and marries Henry, duke of Normandy, 9 years her junior.

Henry is soon king of England and the couple rule an empire spanning from Scotland to Spain. But deception, broken promises and conflicting priorities destroy their marriage and the lives of their 8 children, including kings Richard the Lionheart and ne’er do well John.

“Lock her up”? “#metoo” ? Not new stories by any means. Eleanor faced the same challenges as many female leaders today… After 900 years, far less has changed than we would imagine.