نفوذ اقتصادی و سیاسی زنان در دربارهای پیشامدرن

From medieval England to early modern Denmark and the Holy Roman Empire, 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 financially savvy women--not only empresses and queens, but also mistresses and favourites--who skillfully managed huge estates, treasuries, or accounts. This volume focuses on how women used money as an instrument of power in early modern royal courts. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Series information 4 Title page 5 Copyright information 6 Table of contents 7 Acknowledgments 9 Introduction: Women and Economic Power in Premodern Royal Courts 11 Chapter 1: The Medieval English Queen as Landholder: Some Reflections on Sources and Methodology 19 Studying Medieval Queens as Landowners 21 Sources of a Queen’s Income 26 Landownership in Dispute: Margaret of France 30 Analyzing a Queen’s Lands: Margaret of Anjou 35 Conclusion 42 Chapter 2: Financial Power of Empresses and Princess Consorts of the Holy Roman Empire 45 Finances of Women in the Holy Roman Empire 47 Empresses 52 Dowry, Inheritance, and Gifts 54 Financial and Economic Actions 56 Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici: The Finances of a Princess Consort 58 Marriage Contract 60 The Kabinettskassenrechnungen: The Electress’s Privy Purse Accounts 62 Conclusion 67 Chapter 3: “Edward III’s Gold-Digging Mistress”: Alice Perrers, Gender, and Financial Power at the English Royal Court, 1360–1377 69 Chapter 4: Counselling the Danish King: Sigbrit Villoms as Financial Mastermind for Christian II, 1513–1523 83 Sigbrit Villoms in the Sources 84 Denmark under the Rule of Christian II 87 Economic and Political Reforms in Denmark under Christian II 90 The Fall of Christian II and Sigbrit Villoms 94 Afterword: “Power Is Money”? Reflections on Money, Power, Sex, and Gender in Premodern Royal Courts 97 Bibliography 103 Gender History for Premodern Europe 103 Studies on Women at Royal Courts 103 Economic History of Premodern Europe 105 Economic and Administrative History of Royal Courts 106 Index of Persons and Topics 109 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.