Women and Economic Power in Premodern Royal Courts

Published by ARC, Amsterdam University Press 2020

Women and Economic Power in Premodern Royal Courts

Edited by: Cathleen Sarti

In the series Gender and Power in the Premodern World

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781641892735

Overview
Contents

About this book

Premodern kings and queens had splendid courts to show their God-given power. But where did the money for these come from? Following the money trail back often leads to unexpectedly savvy women who knew how to deal with money, and how to manage huge estates, treasuries, or accounts. This volume focuses on the economic and financial dimensions of the premodern royal court, and especially on the women using money as an instrument of power. Methodological and theoretical reflections on an economic history of royal courts frame case studies from medieval England to early modern Denmark and the Holy Roman Empire. Empresses and queens, but also mistresses and favourites are discussed, including considerations of their spheres of influence, their financial strategies and means, and their successes and failures.

Author information

Cathleen Sarti teaches Early Modern History at the University of Mainz. She publishes about political culture in Northern Europe.

Reviews

Sarah Ifft Decker:

{B]y expanding the conversation about women’s power at royal courts to encompass economic power, the volume makes a valuable contribution to both royal studies and gender studies. In particular, it offers new avenues for connections and comparisons between women of different social strata in ways that discussions of queens’ political power usually do not.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
CONTENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	vi
Acknowledgements Publicly Available Download PDF	viii
Introduction: Women and Economic Power in Premodern Royal Courts Cathleen Sarti Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
1. The Medieval English Queen as Landholder: Some Reflections on Sources and Methodology Michele Seah and Katia Wright Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	9
2. Financial Power of Empresses and Princess Consorts of the Holy Roman Empire Charlotte Backerra and Cathérine Ludwig-Ockenfels Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	35
3. “Edward III’s Gold-Digging Mistress”: Alice Perrers, Gender, and Financial Power at the English Royal Court, 1360– 1377 Laura Tompkins Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	59
4. Counselling the Danish King: Sigbrit Villoms as Financial Mastermind for Christian II, 1513– 1523 Cathleen Sarti Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	73
Afterword: “Power Is Money”? Reflections on Money, Power, Sex, and Gender in Premodern Royal Courts Elena Woodacre Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	87
Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	93
Index of Persons and Topics Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	99

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: ARC, Amsterdam University Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 108
Illustrations
- Illustrations: 3
- Tables: 3
Keywords: Royal Studies; Financial Power; Economy of Courts; Gender History; Premodern Rule

eBook

Published: August 31, 2020
ISBN: 9781641892735