Lives of Royal Women

Lives of Royal Women

This series features academic, yet accessible biographies of royal women - consorts, dowagers, royal mothers and female sovereigns - inclusive of all periods, cultures and geographic regions. These biographies include a deep engagement with the premise of queenship studies and the exercise of the queen’s office (or equivalent), in addition to covering the lives of particular women. The series recognizes that different countries, cultures, monarchical structures had different titles, thus using the term ‘royal women’ not only encompasses queens and empresses but is useful for polygamous court structures. Such an approach allows us to consider important concubines/consorts and queen mothers who were often the most powerful women at court, as in the situation of Ottoman Valide sultans or in African monarchies. We are also willing to include women who were nearly queens, such as failed female claimants or the wives of heirs who predeceased their fathers, as well as welcoming combined biographies where appropriate. The series, however, has a special emphasis on biography given the connection to the Routledge Historical Biographies series which means that collections or thematic works are excluded from our remit. We aim to provide scholarly and engaging biographies for all royal women, with a view to offering fresh portrayals of the lives of well-known figures as well as illuminating the lives of women who have often been overlooked by historians or who are little known outside of their native lands. Taken together these biographies will not only expand our knowledge of royal women but the crucial female aspect of monarchy itself.

The series is divided into three sub-strands: Queens of England; Queens and Empresses of Europe; and Royal Women of the World.

This strand of the Lives of Royal Women series focuses particularly on England, but includes Scotland/Britain after the accession of James VI/I in 1603 (biographies of pre-1603 Scottish queens will form part of the ‘Queens and Empresses of Europe’ series, as will Welsh and Irish royal women). This strand aims to provide a biography for every Queen of England, regnant and consort, and also includes women who were nearly queen, such as the Empress Matilda, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Joan of Kent, wife of the Black Prince and mother of Richard II.

This strand encompasses all queens and empresses from across Europe (including Scotland, Wales and (Northern) Ireland pre-union as noted in the Queens of England description above). Where appropriate, combined biographies of two or more royal women and treatments of the lives of women who were nearly queen or empress will be included. We are also happy to consider English versions of biographies which have been published in other languages, as long as they still fit with the spirit of the series and include a significant consideration of queenship.

This strand considers the lives of royal women from around the world, generally beyond the European sphere. It includes queens, empresses and equivalent titles as well as women who were part of the monarchical structure such as queen mothers, consorts and concubines. Where appropriate, combined biographies of two or more royal women and treatments of the lives of women who were nearly queens or empresses will be included. We are also happy to consider English versions of biographies which have been published in other languages, as long as they still fit with the spirit of the series and include a significant consideration of queenship.

Elena Woodacre ([email protected]), https://www.winchester.ac.uk/about-us/leadership-and-governance/staff-directory/staff-profiles/woodacre.php

Louise Wilkinson ([email protected])

Books under contract: Joan of Navarre; Anne of Cleves; The Last Catholic Consorts (Anne Hyde & Mary Modena); Anne of Bohemia; The Empress Matilda & Matilda of Boulogne; Anglo Saxon Queens 650 - 850; Catherine of Braganza and Elizabeth Woodville.