By Brandon M. Bender Emma of Normandy has not received nearly as much attention as she deserves. She lived through the reigns of seven kings of England; some chose to work with her and some against her, but she was never permanently removed from the political sphere. Emma’s career could have ended on several occasions,Continue reading “Emma of Normandy: A Resilient Queen”
Category Archives: Research Post
Illegitimate daughters exercising power in the twelfth century: The case of Urraca the Asturian
By Lucía Gomez In the medieval era, the twelfth century appears as one of special importance for the analysis of female power. In Castile, the effective exercise of power by women of the royal family was facilitated, strengthening their position as queens, consorts, sisters, daughters, mediators, advisors, and even intercessors before the king. This isContinue reading “Illegitimate daughters exercising power in the twelfth century: The case of Urraca the Asturian“
Queen Mary I’s Accession
By Valerie Schutte On 19 July 1553, Mary I became England’s first queen regnant. Yet, it was not an easy road for her to get there. She was the only living heir of her parents, King Henry VIII and Queen Catherine of Aragon, at the time of her birth on 18 February 1516. ButContinue reading “Queen Mary I’s Accession”
Gold and Diamond: A Brief Look at the Jubilees of Queen Victoria
By Amy-Jane Humphries On 2nd June 2022, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth marked the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. It is the first time that a British monarch has reached this milestone. Elizabeth II has the distinction of being both the longest reigning monarch in British history and the longest reigning queenContinue reading “Gold and Diamond: A Brief Look at the Jubilees of Queen Victoria”
Global Queenship in Disney’s Pocahontas (1995) and Moana (2016)
By Amy Saunders and Johanna Strong **Please note that this post includes discussion of racial slurs, including historical terms our followers may find offensive.** Disney has long been synonymous with princesses, but rarely have their films meaningfully approached the topic of female rule as a theme. When they do, in films such as Pocahontas (1995)Continue reading “Global Queenship in Disney’s Pocahontas (1995) and Moana (2016)”
The Queen of Canada: Dominating the Dominion or a Dated Role?
By Jessica Storoschuk With Victoria Day (celebrated in Canada on the Monday closest to May 24, the anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth) and a royal visit for the Platinum Jubilee wrapped up, the question of the monarchy in Canada is becoming increasingly prominent. Canada, with Victoria and Elizabeth II, has had a queen as sovereignContinue reading “The Queen of Canada: Dominating the Dominion or a Dated Role?”
Le sacre des reines/The sacrament of queens
By Louise Gay Sacrare: to dedicate to a deity; to dedicate, as a curse, to a divinity. The Latin verb derives from sacer (-cra, -crum), formerly sacros, which designates what belongs to the world of the divine, opposed to what is specific to everyday human life (the profanum). The transition from one to the otherContinue reading “Le sacre des reines/The sacrament of queens”
Mary II and Asian luxury goods
By Amy Lim For a few short years in the 1690s, Mary II’s Water Gallery at Hampton Court was the most sophisticated and influential interior in England. Created from a Tudor water gate on the banks of the river Thames, the queen used it as a retreat from the dust and noise of Sir ChristopherContinue reading “Mary II and Asian luxury goods”
No Reign: Mary, Queen of Scots on Screen
By Jessica Storoschuk Mary, Queen of Scots has remained a popular historical figure in the centuries since her death and remains so to this day. She has appeared in countless television shows and feature films, both as a protagonist and as a secondary character. Despite leading Scotland in a politically turbulent period (both internally andContinue reading “No Reign: Mary, Queen of Scots on Screen”
Studying Medieval Queens and (In)fertility
By Emma Trivett Being a mother was a crucial role for medieval queens, and maternity continues to be a central theme in queenship studies. Scholars of queenship have explored how queens were able to exercise authority and influence through their role as mothers and, recently, Kristen Geaman and Theresa Earenfight have drawn attention to howContinue reading “Studying Medieval Queens and (In)fertility”
Team Queens 