Queens: Women in Power Through History
Queens ranges from the ancient world to the present day, telling the stories of women who ruled, from murderous former courtesan Wu Zetian in seventh-century China to Elizabeth I, England’s “Virgin Queen”.
 
In a world historically dominated by male rulers, the women who sat on thrones of their own shine brightly. Some queens and empresses were born to greatness, while others fought their way to power. In sixth-century Constantinople, Empress Theodora, who had been a street performer before catching the eye of Emperor Justinian, extended rights for women, passing laws that allowed them to divorce and own property, and made rape a crime punishable by death. In twelfth-century Europe, Eleanor of Aquitaine first married the king of France and then the king of England. At the Mughal court in Lahore in the early seventeenth century, Nur Jahan, wife of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, was the political powerhouse behind the throne. In more recent history, the book explores the reigns of Catherine the Great, revealing how a minor German aristocrat came to rule and expand the Russian Empire; Queen Victoria, whose family dominated the world in the early twentieth century; and her more recent descendent, Elizabeth II, the longest-ruling queen in history. Carefully researched, superbly entertaining, and illustrated throughout, Queens highlights the true personalities and real lives of the women who became monarchs and empresses.
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Queens: Women in Power Through History
Queens ranges from the ancient world to the present day, telling the stories of women who ruled, from murderous former courtesan Wu Zetian in seventh-century China to Elizabeth I, England’s “Virgin Queen”.
 
In a world historically dominated by male rulers, the women who sat on thrones of their own shine brightly. Some queens and empresses were born to greatness, while others fought their way to power. In sixth-century Constantinople, Empress Theodora, who had been a street performer before catching the eye of Emperor Justinian, extended rights for women, passing laws that allowed them to divorce and own property, and made rape a crime punishable by death. In twelfth-century Europe, Eleanor of Aquitaine first married the king of France and then the king of England. At the Mughal court in Lahore in the early seventeenth century, Nur Jahan, wife of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, was the political powerhouse behind the throne. In more recent history, the book explores the reigns of Catherine the Great, revealing how a minor German aristocrat came to rule and expand the Russian Empire; Queen Victoria, whose family dominated the world in the early twentieth century; and her more recent descendent, Elizabeth II, the longest-ruling queen in history. Carefully researched, superbly entertaining, and illustrated throughout, Queens highlights the true personalities and real lives of the women who became monarchs and empresses.
29.99 In Stock
Queens: Women in Power Through History

Queens: Women in Power Through History

by Phyllis G Jestice
Queens: Women in Power Through History

Queens: Women in Power Through History

by Phyllis G Jestice

Hardcover

$29.99 
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Overview

Queens ranges from the ancient world to the present day, telling the stories of women who ruled, from murderous former courtesan Wu Zetian in seventh-century China to Elizabeth I, England’s “Virgin Queen”.
 
In a world historically dominated by male rulers, the women who sat on thrones of their own shine brightly. Some queens and empresses were born to greatness, while others fought their way to power. In sixth-century Constantinople, Empress Theodora, who had been a street performer before catching the eye of Emperor Justinian, extended rights for women, passing laws that allowed them to divorce and own property, and made rape a crime punishable by death. In twelfth-century Europe, Eleanor of Aquitaine first married the king of France and then the king of England. At the Mughal court in Lahore in the early seventeenth century, Nur Jahan, wife of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, was the political powerhouse behind the throne. In more recent history, the book explores the reigns of Catherine the Great, revealing how a minor German aristocrat came to rule and expand the Russian Empire; Queen Victoria, whose family dominated the world in the early twentieth century; and her more recent descendent, Elizabeth II, the longest-ruling queen in history. Carefully researched, superbly entertaining, and illustrated throughout, Queens highlights the true personalities and real lives of the women who became monarchs and empresses.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781838862275
Publisher: Amber Books
Publication date: 11/15/2022
Pages: 224
Product dimensions: 7.40(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice is a medieval historian and chair of the Department of History at the College of Charleston. She has contributed to The Encyclopedia of Warfare, Fighting Techniques of the Medieval World, Battles of the Medieval World, Battles of the Crusades, and is the author of The Timeline of Medieval Warfare and Medieval Knight.

Table of Contents

Introduction 6

Chapter 1 Powerful Women of the Ancient World 28

Chapter 2 Power and Influence in the Early Middle Ages 60

Chapter 3 Female Sovereignty in the High Middle Ages 92

Chapter 4 Ruling Women in the Age of Exploration 124

Chapter 5 Queenly Powers in the Early Modern Era 156

Chapter 6 Modern Challenges for Monarchies 188

Index 220

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