The Rise of Female Kings in Europe, 1300–1800, by William Monter.

Abstract

The Rise of Female Kings in Europe, 1300-1800, by William Monter. New Haven, Connecticut, Yale University Press, 2012. xviii, 272 pp. $30 US (cloth). Titled provocatively, The Rise of Female Kings in Europe, 1300-1800, William Monter's latest book, seeks to fill a historiographical gap concerning medieval and early modern European female rulers, with special reference to rights of women to exercise political authority. The framework of Monter's book is structured, therefore, around issues of matrimony and inheritance, and of legitimacy and authority in lives of thirty female rulers from Jeanne II, who became head of tiny kingdom of Navarre in 1328, to Catherine II the Great, who ruled Russia for more than thirty years up until her death in 1796. In five centuries within his scope, author defines and describes an evolutionary pattern in way female rulers came to affirm their rights and authority. Relying heavily on secondary literature, Monter's analysis proves to be pertinent thanks also to examination of well-chosen primary sources and paintings, but above all thanks to use of numismatics. Indeed, study of medals and coins highlights degree of autonomy gained by female rulers across time, and importance of consort's function, rendered through gendered symbols, contributes a fresh and unusual perspective to Monter's approach in this book. Monter has organised thirty female rulers of his sample, not only into chronological order, but also according to their sovereign status and actual practice of legitimacy, underlining their peculiarities and similarities. The first category, female heirs to crown but with their husbands taking throne, 1300-1550, constitutes a group of women politically subordinated to their spouses, despite their inherited legal right to govern. Most of these female rulers had to hand over their power to their consort following a joint coronation. Once both sovereigns were invested with ruling powers, main task and expectation for female ruler was to produce an heir, while her husband had to take primary responsibility to govern his wife's territory, especially in relation to military affairs. Monter calls this pattern Navarrese solution--from example set by Jeanne I of Navarre early in fourteenth century--and one which occurred most frequently thereafter. The author underlines fact that some experiences worked out better than others; Isabel I of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, for instance, are an example of successful joint rule. The second category highlights experiences of eight European female regents, from 1500 to 1630, governing in name of their sons in their minority or in name of an absent relative, who were not subordinate to a husband, and therefore had greater autonomy. Monter underlines fact that greatest achievement of this group of female rulers was to serve as references and, cultural pioneers for its female sovereigns during their gradual transition away from Navarrese-style royal heiresses to women ruling by (p. 121). The third division comprises six heiresses who, between 1550 and 1700, effectively distanced themselves from Navarrese-style and placed curbs on their husbands' authority, or who did not marry at all (Elizabeth I and Christina I), thus avoiding joint rule issue. …