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Eleanor of Arborea

Eleanor, or Eleonor, of Arborea (1347–1404) was a Sardinian giudicessa (ruler or "judge") and the island's most renowned heroine.

Born in Oristano, Eleanor was the daughter of Mariano IV of Arborea, who had become in 1346 giudice of Arborea, on the west coast of Sardinia, and his wife Timbora de Roccaberti. It has been said that their family belonged to the clan of Visconti. The House of Arborea, whose power extended over about one third of Sardinia, was the only independent part of the island at that point of history. During her childhood, she was raised with a natural tendency towards war and weapons.

Her father married Eleanor to Brancaleone Doria, a Sardinian nobleman, in order to strengthen local alliances. Mariano died in 1376 and was succeeded by his son Ugone (Hugh III of Arborea). In March 1383 there was a republican uprising in Arborea and Ugone was murdered. Eleanor defeated the rebels and became regent to her infant son Frederick, who as next male heir became the official monarch of Arborea.

The four realms of the Giudicati.

For the next four years Arborea was at war with Aragon, which lost much of its possessions to Eleanor and was trying to reclaim the island, as the Aragonese king James II had a century earlier been promised its lordship by the Pope. Arborea obtained almost all of the island during this war. After rallying Sardinian forces, Eleanor was able to negotiate a favourable treaty. Her eldest son Federigo died during this war, and was succeeded by her younger son, Mariano V. An alliance was formed with Genoa, and Arborea maintained its independence until 1410 (1409?).

Eleanor composed the Carta de Logu, a body of laws which came into force in April 1395. They were considered to be far in advance of the laws of other countries, the penalty for most crimes being a fine, and the property rights of women were preserved. These laws remained in force in Sardinia until Italian unification in 1861.

Eleanor was particularly interested in ornithology. As a friend of birds, she was the first to legislate protection to a certain species of bird (Greifvogel). Based on this, the Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae) was named after her.

• Barbara and Richard Mearns - Biographies for Birdwatchers ISBN 0-12-487422-3