Le Louvre, Paris, France

The Eleanor

Of the one million artefacts in Le Louvre “The Eleanor” is the pride of the Medieval Wing and the only one directly connected to Eleanor of Aquitaine. This jewel encrusted vase with a pineapple sized rock crystal container was a wedding gift to Louis VII from Eleanor in 1137.

The text around the base inscribed by Abbot Suger reads, in Latin, ‘Hoc vas sponsa dedit Aanor Regi Ludovico, Mitadolus avo, mihi Rex, sanctisque Sugerus.’

Translates to: ‘Eleanor his wife gave this vase to King Louis, Mitadolus gave it to her grandfather, the King gave it to me, I, Suger, give it to the saints.’