
The rulership of France has changed dramatically over its history, with the shifting boundaries from Roman governance through to Merovingian, Carolingian, Capetian, Valois, and Bourbon dynasties. The kingdom of France itself in the post-Carolingian world was initially smaller than what we conceive of today, with rulers of several regions doing homage to the king or ruling independently. It was after the reign of Philip Augustus (1165-1223) that France expanded significantly and began to take form. The absolutist monarchy in France came to an end initially during the French Revolution with the execution of Louis VIII and Marie Antoinette, with a brief system of imperial and monarchical rule taking place until the death of Napoleon III in 1870. Though it has been popularly assumed that the rule and rights of royal women in France was somewhat limited, in part due to inheritance issues linked to Salic law, the reality is different. As with many of their royal counterparts, queens in France had access to and regularly exercised power.
You can find out more about some of these fascinating women below!
- Eleanor of Aquitaine (1124-1204)
- Blanche of Castile (1188-1252)
- Jeanne II of Burgundy (c. 1291-1330)
- Blanche of Navarre (c. 1331-1398)
- Jeanne of Boulogne (c.1326-1360)
- Isabeau of Bavaria (c. 1370-1435)
- Mary Tudor (1496-1533)
- Marie Leszczyńska (1703-1768)
- Marie Antoinette (1755-1793)
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