When Yvette found a line to Eleanor of Aquitaine (1124-1204), Queen of France and England, in online trees, she quickly realized the existing research did not meet standards. She set about verifying the line one generation at a time, to meet the Genealogical Proof Standard. In this presentation, she will take you on her journey, sharing the skills, methods, and documents she used to verify her royal line back to the 1100s.
Discount code: aquitaine25 (valid at Familytreewebinars.com)
Valid through: August 26, 2025
Tracing one’s ancestry back through the centuries is a feat in itself, but applying the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) across thirty generations to link modern-day descendants to a medieval queen is nothing short of extraordinary. In her webinar Was Eleanor of Aquitaine My Ancestor? Applying the GPS Across 30 Generations, professional genealogist Yvette Hoitink takes viewers on a journey from contemporary Dutch records all the way back to the twelfth century, where Eleanor of Aquitaine reigned as both Queen of France and Queen of England. Through this ambitious case study, Hoitink not only illustrates the possibilities of rigorous methodology in medieval genealogy but also demonstrates how persistence, education, and creativity can overcome daunting historical gaps.
Step-by-step verification with the GPS: Hoitink emphasizes the importance of proving each parent-child link one generation at a time, using a variety of records—from civil registration and church registers to charters and heraldic evidence. This incremental approach prevents shaky assumptions and provides a strong foundation for extending research into more complex medieval contexts.
Overcoming historical and methodological challenges: The presentation showcases the unique obstacles of medieval research: privacy laws in modern records, gaps in early sources, records written in Latin, Middle Dutch, or Middle French, and the scarcity of maternal references in chronicles. Hoitink’s solution was a combination of meticulous analysis, wide reading, and acquiring advanced skills in paleography, heraldry, and diplomatics through a master’s program—demonstrating that lifelong learning is often essential to break through difficult genealogical barriers.
Discoveries that reshape family history: Along the way, Hoitink uncovered fascinating documents, such as a seventeenth-century receipt for a wedding dress and medieval seals that signified illegitimacy. Her work also corrected earlier hypotheses about key ancestors, proving connections that others had only speculated upon. Ultimately, she was able to establish a documented line from her Dutch ancestors through the Counts of Brabant and Flanders back to Marie of France, daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine, with an estimated 79% probability of biological descent.
This webinar is also an inspiring reminder that remarkable connections lie hidden in the past, waiting to be uncovered with the right tools and dedication. Hoitink’s project provides a model for how genealogists at any level can approach complex problems: one generation at a time, guided by standards, and supported by community and education.
To fully appreciate the depth of Hoitink’s research—and to see her examples of original charters, chronicles, and illuminated manuscripts—viewing the complete webinar is highly recommended. The accompanying syllabus includes references, resources, and links that will help genealogists refine their own skills and explore whether their family lines might one day connect to royalty as well.
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Hi Yvette, Well done. Excellent presentation and research
WE ARE DISTANT COUSINS !!!
Our MRCA is John II Duke of Brabant.
For you the 24th generation, for me the 21st generation.
It is new for me to know that I am a descendant of Eleanor of Aquitaine too.
Fabulous talk! Thank you Yvette! I look forward to reading the entire blog series. 🙂
Wonderful presentation. So well presented and inspiring
Love that she didn’t read bullets off a slide we could read ourselves. Pace was excellent.Organization logical. I’m 84 and have been dabbling in genealogy over 50 years. My mom’s family was in New York since 1635 and intermarried with Huguenot, Dutch, Walloon, etc. families. I’ve gone back to Eleanor and Charlemagne, but without so much certainty and really appreciate the effort Marie has expended. Brava!
What a fascinating webinar. Yvette was clearly determined to follow her ancestors until she found royalty. I am certainly not at that stage in my genealogy journey but it was amazing to see how far Yvette was able to go with her knowledge and expertise. Thank you
Yvette’s presentation was very professionally with so much detail without being boring. I was particularly interested as I. too, have traced back to Eleanor of Aquitaine and now have an path to make the proofs
This was a truly fascinating presentation, especially since I had not read any of her blog posts, so was not even familiar with the effort put in so far. I thought that many of the older documents shown were true gems. I already know that I have some royal lines, as a descendant of many who settled here in the 1600s in Virginia, New York, and various states in the Northeast, but I doubt I would have the patience or sufficient mobility to undertake a similar effort to prove each generation.
Fantastic presentation by Yvette on her work and her dedication to fulfill the GPS throughout her research. Congratulations on proving your line and thanks for inspiring others to follow and connect to your work. I’ve followed your blog series for years and have eagerly been waiting for new posts and results. Very well done! Thank you also for making all this available and making the very enjoyable and pedagogical presentation!