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Offering a fascinating survey of European queenship from 1500-1800, with each chapter beginning with a discussion of the archetypal queens of Western, Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe, Charles Beem explores the particular nature of the regional forms and functions of queenship - including consorts, queens regnant, dowagers and female regents - while interrogating our understanding of the dynamic operations of queenship as a transnational phenomenon in European history. Incorporating detailed discussions of gender and material culture, this book encourages both instructors and student readers to engage in meaningful further research on queenship.
This is an excellent overview of an exciting area of historical research and is the perfect companion for undergraduate and postgraduate students of History with an interest in queens and queenship.
List of contents
1. Introduction to Early Modern Queenship.- 2. Mary Queen of Scots and British Queenship.- 3. Anne of Austria and Franco-Iberian Queenship.- 4. The Empress Maria Theresa and Queenship in the Holy Roman Empire.- 5. Bona Sforza and Baltic Queenship.- 6. Catherine II 'The Great' and Russian Queenship.
About the author
Charles Beem is Professor of History at the University of North Carolina, Pembroke, USA. He is the author of The Lioness Roared: The Problems of Female Rule in English History and, with Carol Levin, is series editor of the 'Queenship and Power' series.
Summary
Offering a fascinating survey of European queenship from 1500-1800, with each chapter beginning with a discussion of the archetypal queens of Western, Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe, Charles Beem explores the particular nature of the regional forms and functions of queenship – including consorts, queens regnant, dowagers and female regents – while interrogating our understanding of the dynamic operations of queenship as a transnational phenomenon in European history. Incorporating detailed discussions of gender and material culture, this book encourages both instructors and student readers to engage in meaningful further research on queenship.
This is an excellent overview of an exciting area of historical research and is the perfect companion for undergraduate and postgraduate students of History with an interest in queens and queenship.
Foreword
Offering a fascinating survey of European queenship from 1500-1800, each chapter of this ambitious yet accessible book discusses a well-known or archetypal queen across Western, Central and Eastern Europe, exploring the various forms and functions of queenship.
Additional text
Beem’s book, written in lively and accessible prose, is essential reading for scholars of early modern history. He argues convincingly that queens, from the famous Elizabeth I of England to the less familiar Bona Sforza of Poland, are fundamental to understanding monarchical absolutism.
