Power Piety And Patronage In Late Medieval Queenship

Review: Power, Piety, and Patronage in late Medieval Queenship offers interesting insight into the life of an exceptional woman, who had an understanding of the politics of power far superior to that of most men of her time. -- The Feminist Review In this richly textured and superbly researched book, Silleras-Fernandez convincingly shows the important political role of medieval queens in the Crown of Aragon and, by implication, in the rest of western Europe.

This book offers a compelling, original, and insightful account of the intersection of lineage, marital affection, institutional history, and power. In doing so Silleras-Fernandez provides a much needed and timely contribution to our understanding of the life and activities of medieval queens in the Crown of Aragon and elsewhere in the medieval West. --Teofilo F.

Ruiz, Professor of History, UCLA An intriguing account of the career of a late medieval queen of Aragon who was arguably a more capable partner in rulership than her husband the king. Maria de Luna was faced with uprisings, invasions, financial difficulties, and other challenges. Through extensive use of original documents this book reveals Maria's personal and political life and shows that she was a redoubtable ruler.

The result is a fascinating biography, one that helps us understand what it meant to be a queen in a chaotic world. --Paul Freedman, Yale University This monograph, written in a highly readable style, excels in its use of a wealth of archival resources including royal letters, account books, municipal and ecclesiastic documents.

With the publication of Power, Piety, and Patronage in late Medieval Queenship, Silleras-Fernandez has introduced a newtheoretical frame into the growing discipline of medieval queenship studies. --Dawn Bratsch-Prince, Professor of Spanish and Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Iowa State University