Editing La Rochelle (section)

===Plantagenet rule (1154–1224)===
{{multiple image| align = right | direction = horizontal | header = | header_align = left/right/center | footer = ''Left image'': [[Vauclair castle]] was built by the English in 1185.<br /> ''Right image'': Remnants of Vauclair castle, Place de Verdun, La Rochelle.| footer_align = left | image1 =Château Vauclair (La Rochelle).png| width1 = 220 | caption1  = | image2 =Vauclair fortifications.jpg| width2 = 112 | caption2 = }}
Eleanor married Henry Plantagenet in 1152, who became king of England as [[Henry II of England|Henry II]] in 1154, thus putting La Rochelle under Plantagenet rule, until [[Louis VIII of France|Louis VIII]] captured it in the 1224 [[Siege of La Rochelle (1224)|siege of La Rochelle]]. During the Plantagenet control of the city in 1185, Henry II had the [[Vauclair castle]] built, remains of which are still visible in the Place de Verdun.<ref>''Bradshaw's illustrated travellers' hand book in [afterw.] to France'' by George Bradshaw [https://books.google.com/books?id=YGADAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA1-PA193 Google Books]</ref>
{{multiple image| align = right | direction = horizontal | header = | header_align = left/right/center | footer = '''Left image''': ''Cour de la Commanderie'' in La Rochelle, ancient location of the Templars' headquarters.<br /> '''Right image''': Original Templar cross, ''Cour de la Commanderie''.| footer_align = left | image1 =Court_de_la_Commanderie.jpg| width1 = 200 | caption1  = | image2 =Templar cross Cour de la Commanderie La Rochelle.jpg| width2 = 118 | caption2 = }}
The main activities of the city were in the areas of maritime commerce and trade, especially with England, the Netherlands and Spain. In 1196, wealthy bourgeois [[Alexandre Auffredi]] sent a fleet of seven ships to Africa seeking wealth. He went bankrupt awaiting the return of his ships; they returned seven years later bearing riches.