1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910788670203321

Autore

Bianchini Janna

Titolo

The Queen's hand : power and authority in the reign of Berenguela of Castile / / Janna Bianchini

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Philadelphia : , : University of Pennsylvania Press, , 2012

©2012

ISBN

1-283-89872-1

0-8122-0626-6

Edizione

[1st ed.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (363 pages)

Collana

The Middle Ages series

Disciplina

946/.302092

B

Soggetti

Queens - Spain - Castile

Women - History - Middle Ages, 500-1500

Castile (Spain) History Henry I, 1214-1217

Castile (Spain) History Ferdinand III, 1217-1252

Spain Kings and rulers Biography

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. [329]-342) and index.

Nota di contenuto

Front matter -- CONTENTS -- A Note on Names -- Introduction -- Chapter 1. Infanta and Heir, 1180-1197 -- Chapter 2. Queen of Leo´n, 1197-1204 -- Chapter 3. The Unwed Queen, 1204-1214 -- Chapter 4. A Failed Regency, 1214-1217 -- Chapter 5. Queen of Castile, 1217-1230 -- Chapter 6. The Leonese Succession, 1230 -- Chapter 7. Queen of Castile and Leo´n, 1230-1246 -- Conclusions -- List of Abbreviations -- Notes -- Selected Bibliography -- Index -- Acknowledgments

Sommario/riassunto

Her name is undoubtedly less familiar than that of her grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, or that of her famous conqueror son, Fernando III, yet during her lifetime, Berenguela of Castile (1180-1246) was one of the most powerful women in Europe. As queen-consort of Alfonso IX of León, she acquired the troubled boundary lands between the kingdoms of Castile and León and forged alliances with powerful nobles on both sides. Even after her marriage was dissolved, she continued to strengthen these connections as a member of her father's court. On her



brother's death, she inherited the Castilian throne outright-and then, remarkably, elevated her son to kingship at the same time. Using her assiduously cultivated alliances, Berenguela ruled alongside Fernando and set into motion the strategy that in 1230 would result in his acquisition of the crown of León-and the permanent union of Castile and León. In The Queen's Hand, Janna Bianchini explores Berenguela's extraordinary lifelong partnership with her son and examines the means through which she was able to build and exercise power. Bianchini contends that recognition of Berenguela as a powerful reigning queen by nobles, bishops, ambassadors, and popes shows the key participation of royal women in the western Iberian monarchy. Demonstrating how royal women could wield enormous authority both within and outside their kingdoms, Bianchini reclaims Berenguela's place as one of the most important figures of the Iberian Middle Ages.