| Fontevraud Abbey |
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Fontevraud Abbey (or '''Fontevrault Abbey''') is located in the village of Fontevraud-l'Abbaye , near Chinon , in Anjou , France . It was constructed between 1110 and 1119 and founded by Robert Of Arbrissel who had just created a new order. HISTORY The abbey was a dual order, having both monks and nuns on the same site and the order became an international success. There were several "Fontevrist" abbeys set up in England. The founder, Robert Of Arbrissel , declared that the leader of the order should always be a woman and appointed Petronille de Chemillé as the first abbess. She was succeeded by Matilda of Anjou, the aunt of Henry II of England. This was the start of a position that attracted many rich and noble Abbess es over the years, including members of the French Bourbon royal family. Louise Bourbon left her crest on many of the alterations she made during her term of office. In the early years the Plantagenet s were large benefactors of the Abbey and while King Henry II 's aunt was Abbess, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine became a nun there. During the French Revolution , the order was dissolved. The last abbess died in poverty in Paris. The Abbey later became a prison, from 1804 to 1963 . In 1963, it was given to the French Ministry Of Culture . FEATURES The Abbey contains the tombs of Eleanor Of Aquitaine , her husband King Henry II Of England , their son King Richard I Of England , their daughter Joan , their grandson Raymond VII Of Toulouse , and Isabella Of Angoulême , wife of their son King John . MISCELLANEOUS Jean Genet wrote about his experiences as a thirty-year-old prisoner at Fontevrault in his semi-autobiographical novel, '' Miracle De La Rose ''. EXTERNAL LINKS
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