O Natalie Erica Forget, 1998
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POLITICS, POWER AND PRESTIGE: THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF MEDIEVAL ENGLISH QUEENS, 182 1- 1998 A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of Graduate Studies ot- The University of Guelph by NATALLE ERICA FORGET In partial fullitment of requirements for the degree of Master of Arts August, 1998 O Natalie Erica Forget, 1998 National Library 8iblioWque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington OttawaON K1AON4 Wwa ON KIA ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive pernettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibhothewe nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sefl reproduire, preter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfiche/fih, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format electronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriete du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantial extracts kom it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent &e imprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autoridon. ABSTRACT POLITICS, POWER AND PRESTIGE: THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF MEDIEVAL ENGLISH QUEENS, 182 2 - 1998 Natalie Erica Forget Advisor: University of Guelph, 1998 Dr. Elizabeth Ewm This thesis is an investigation of the histories of medieval English queens published tiom 1821 to 1998. The purpose of this study is to highlight how since its inception historians have interpreted these royal women as sigolficmt historical actors who wielded power and influence. First the circumstances surrounding how and why there emerged a popular interest in queens is determined. The nineteenth-centmy women who first penned the biographies of these royal women are acknowledged and the content of their histories explored By the turn of the twentieth century academic historians. the majority of them men, assumed dominance over the perpetuation of this subject by publishing short articles for journals and essays in full-length books. Finally the scholarshrp published during the last twenty years is examined in order to highlight how historians' interpretation and explanation of "queenly power" has developed. This broad historiographical analysis win help delineate periods of growth and pinpoint areas m need of greater development. This approach to the history of medieval English queens places past work m its proper place of significance to the development of this lengthy tradition. This understanding of the historiography is one modern historians have yet to acknowledge or incorporate in their scholarship today. 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The completion of this project would not have been possible without the assistance of a number of people. Fist I would like to thank my committees for their time and effort. A special thank you to Dr. Terry Crowley for his extensive cot-mxmts and enwuragemt that helped make this thesis into a much more polished work: to Dr. Elizabeth Ewan for sacrificing her Thanksgiving weekend making comctions; and Dr. Linda Mahood for her emotional support. Thanks also to Prof. Mary Rogers for her many suggestions and co~~lflbetltsalong the way. I would like to thank Dr. Cathy Wilson and Dr. Jamie SneU for their administrative support making a rocky road a little more tolerable. Thanks goes out to Barb Memtt and Sandy Howlett in the Department of History for the encouragement, patience and late lllght fitofferings. This thesis wold not have been possible without the financial support of the Department of History and Graduate Studies. I must also acknowledge the unending supply of strength, patience, encouragemnt and ice cream that my new husband, David Hodgms. supplied. A very special note of thanks goes out to my friend, confidant. and colIeague Karen Reybum who helped me through this degree every step of the way. And to her partner in crime, John Walsh, a sometime codtant, proofkeader, mind reader, and my personal sounding board, I am forever indebted to you both Fdy,to my parents Dr. and Mrs. Robert Forget, if not for your constant support and encouragement this project would not have been possible. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Medievalism Modemism and Feminine Awakening Chapter 3 'Lady Historians' The Biographers of Queens, l83B1 899 Chapter 4 History Men and The Historiography of Queens, 1900-1979 Chapter5 Queen~lnp~1980.1998 Chapter 6 Concbion Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Bibhgmphy This thesis is an analytical oveniew of the historiography of medieval English queens since 182 1. Such an investigation is the first of its kind to attempt a complete examination of the ways these queens have been portrayed by historians. Introduced m the nineteenth century, these histories focus myon how royal women accessed and exerted power in official as well as moficiai capacities. It is the contention of this thesis that a perception of "queenly power" has dominated the historiography over the last two centuries. By rescuing from obscurity the historiography published prior to 1980 this thesis acknowledges a continuity of interpretation that has delineated these royal womee This broad approach will also provide the subject of queens with a much needed coherence by recognizing the most important periods of historiographical development. The appearance of this thesis proves timely for it falls within the growing academic interest concerning women's involvement m reading, writing, and disseminating history. Of particular note is D. R. Wolfs examination of women's conmLbution to the development of history as a modem genre m England from 1500 to 1800.' Wolf argues that as women's interest in the past grew some historians "regendered" their work to encompass domestic or private matters m order to appeal to female readers.' This incorporation of the private sphere as a new area of inquiry broadened mainstream history 'D.R Wolf', ''A Feminine Past? Genre, and Historical Knowledge in England, 1500- 1800" American Historical Review ( 102 131 June 1997) 645-679. 2 by including areas m which worn were perceived to dominate. Women writers in the nineteenth century took this one step funher by replacing men with women as the dominant historical actors in popular biographies or memoirs. As Wolfelucidates, These works would set the tone for female historical interests m the first half of the new century, and the tensions signaled in them between the political and social, the public and the private, would continue to mark the "golden age" of historicat writing and the great age of the Victorian novel3 This conceptualization of women's invohrement in the emergence of history as a modem discipline provides a sound basis for the present work. This thesis acts as a continuation of Wolfs own work and his call for studies that examine women's involvement in writing history. This is achieved by forming a greater understanding of the trail bhmg way nineteenth-century women writers changed the way m which writers, scholars, and historians conceived of and wrote history. Before commencing it is important to note for those interested in pursuing a similar historiographical examination the signdicance and proper use of the Internet. This thesis would not have been possible without the ability to access information readily available on the internet. Ln terms of locating full-length works or first editions a large number of academic, public, and private hiaries provide their catalogues on-line. The majority of these sites are readily available to anyone and do not require passwords. Some sites are dedicated to compiling bibliographies on specific topics. Another valuable source is the publication of periodicals on-line. The convenience of such an innovation is only matched by the ability to use search engines to uncover information regarding authors, 3 subjects, and titles- There are also numerous sites that reproduce both traditional and non- traditional forms of prh.nary rnateriaL When accessing information on-line it is important to use sites affibted with a recopzed academic institution, organization or professional pup. Most web sites include a list of credentials that enable one to easily distiqukh how appropriate the site is. This research tool was crucial m tbe successful completion of this project and would be so for anyone wis- to pursue a similar study. It is also of crucial importance to &fie explicitly the subject of this thesis and provide tim: hmsfor it Onty queen-consorts and female mnarchs of England who lived during the High *Middle Ages (1ChS 1399) wiIl be examined? Second this study win restrict its analysis to a reading of books, essays and articles dealing spedkdly with medieval E@sh queens published between 182 1 and 1998. More general political histories that mght contain information dealing with queens and works of fiction were not examined The historiography of queens is dominated by two fom of scholanhrp. Popular bio-gaphies of queens emrgeci during the early nineteenth century repkingof Enwith womn as the dominant historical actors in their narratives. These writers mcreasmgly recogwed both private and public events tbar supported royal wo~~~n'sof influence in traditional and non-tradidonal ways5 Th: second form is a =re recent developrru3nt that 'Matilda of Flanders (1031-1083); Matilda of Satland (1080-1 118); Adelicia of Louvaine (1 103-1 151): Matilda of Boulogne (I 105-1 152); Empress Natilda (1102-1164); Eleanor ofA@taine (1 133-1304); Berengaria of Nawm (I 163-1230); ISabella of hgoulEme (1 I861246); Eleanca Proveoce ( 1221- 129 1); Eleanor of Castlle ( 1244 - 1290); Margaret of France ( 1283,- 13 18); I-a of France ( IBZ- 1358); Philippa of Hainault ( 13 14- 1369) and Anne of Bohemia ( 1366- 1394). The label 'popular biography" is Mvedfkom a sLntarPnt made by John Carmi PBwms ancerning rhis genre: " In the popular tradition founded by .4gnes Strickland, biogqhe medieval queens snll most scholars argue emerged as a result of the worn's movement of the 1960's.~This genre is known as the study of queenship.