Queenship and Counsel in Early Modern Europe (Queenship and Power)

The discourse of political counsel in early modern Europe depended on the participation of men, as both counsellors and counselled. Women were often thought too irrational or imprudent to give or receive political advice—but they did in unprecedented numbers, as this volume shows. These essays trace the relationship between queenship and counsel through over three hundred years of history. Case studies span Europe, from Sweden and Poland-Lithuania via the Habsburg territories to England and France, and feature queens regnant, consort and regent, including Elizabeth I of England, Catherine Jagiellon of Sweden, Catherine de’ Medici and Anna of Denmark. They draw on a variety of innovative sources to recover evidence of queenly counsel, from treatises and letters to poetry, masques and architecture. For scholars of history, politics and literature in early modern Europe, this book enriches our understanding of royal women as political actors. Acknowledgements 6 Contents 7 Notes on Contributors 9 List of Figures 12 Chapter 1: Introduction 13 Bibliography 25 Chapter 2: Bona Sforza and the Realpolitik of Queenly Counsel in Sixteenth-Century Poland-Lithuania 27 Bibliography 45 Chapter 3: Between Kings and Emperors: Catherine of Aragon as Counsellor and Mediator 47 Ambassadorial Counsel and Familial Mediation 51 Facilitating Communication and Counsel Through Hospitality 55 Material Culture as Silent Advice 57 Bibliography 68 Chapter 4: Counselloresses and Court Politics: Mary Tudor, Queen of France and Female Counsel in European Politics, 1509–15 71 I 72 II 73 III 75 IV 76 V 79 VI 81 VII 83 Bibliography 92 Primary Sources 92 Secondary Literature 93 Chapter 5: Catherine Jagiellon, Queen Consort of Sweden: Counselling Between the Catholic Jagiellons and the Lutheran Vasas 95 Doska the Dwarf and the Polish Courtly Community 99 Confessional Counselling 103 Courtiers and Ambassadors Advising the King and Queen 107 Conclusion 110 Archival Sources 118 Printed Sources 118 Bibliography 119 Electronic 122 Chapter 6: The Ladies’ Peace Revisited: Gender, Counsel and Diplomacy 123 The Protagonists’ Careers 126 Warfare and Counsel 130 Women, Peace and Diplomacy 134 Bibliography 143 Primary Sources 143 Secondary Literature 144 Chapter 7: Counsel as Performative Practice of Power in Catherine de’ Medici’s Early Regencies 146 Seeking Counsel as the Development of Political Wisdom 148 Counsel as Political Alliance 151 Counselling a King 154 Counsel from the King’s Trusted Representative 157 Seeking Counsel as a Practice of Power 160 Conclusion 161 Bibliography 168 Primary Sources 168 Secondary Literature 168 Chapter 8: Mary Stuart and Her Rebels-Turned-Privy Councillors: Performance of the Ritual of Counsel 171 Scotland’s Conciliar Tradition 172 Mary’s Planning in France 177 Creating Conciliar Space at Holyrood 178 Setting the Ceremonial Stage 180 Conclusion 184 Bibliography 192 Primary Sources 192 Secondary Literature 193 Chapter 9: The Moor’s Counsel: Sir Francis Walsingham’s Advice to Elizabeth I 196 Bibliography 221 Primary Sources 221 Secondary Literature 221 Chapter 10: The Queen as the Counsellor’s Muse: Elizabeth I in The Faerie Queene’s Proems 224 The 1590 Proems: “Mirrours More Than One” 228 The 1596 Proems: “A Mighty Peres Displeasure” 233 Bibliography 242 Primary Sources 242 Secondary Sources 243 Chapter 11: Reconsidering the Political Role of Anna of Denmark 245 Bibliography 263 Primary Sources 263 Secondary Literature 263 Chapter 12: Epilogue: “Publica si domini regerent moderamina cunni”: Deciphering Queenship and Counsel 267 Bibliography 282 Index 284 Front Matter ....Pages i-xiii Introduction (Helen Matheson-Pollock, Joanne Paul, Catherine Fletcher)....Pages 1-14 Bona Sforza and the Realpolitik of Queenly Counsel in Sixteenth-Century Poland-Lithuania (Katarzyna Kosior)....Pages 15-34 Between Kings and Emperors: Catherine of Aragon as Counsellor and Mediator (Michelle L. Beer)....Pages 35-58 Counselloresses and Court Politics: Mary Tudor, Queen of France and Female Counsel in European Politics, 1509–15 (Helen Matheson-Pollock)....Pages 59-82 Catherine Jagiellon, Queen Consort of Sweden: Counselling Between the Catholic Jagiellons and the Lutheran Vasas (Susanna Niiranen)....Pages 83-110 The Ladies’ Peace Revisited: Gender, Counsel and Diplomacy (Catherine Fletcher)....Pages 111-133 Counsel as Performative Practice of Power in Catherine de’ Medici’s Early Regencies (Susan Broomhall)....Pages 135-159 Mary Stuart and Her Rebels-Turned-Privy Councillors: Performance of the Ritual of Counsel (Alexandra Nancy Johnson)....Pages 161-185 The Moor’s Counsel: Sir Francis Walsingham’s Advice to Elizabeth I (Hannah Coates)....Pages 187-214 The Queen as the Counsellor’s Muse: Elizabeth I in The Faerie Queene’s Proems (John Walters)....Pages 215-235 Reconsidering the Political Role of Anna of Denmark (Anna Whitelock)....Pages 237-258 Epilogue: “Publica si domini regerent moderamina cunni”: Deciphering Queenship and Counsel (Joanne Paul)....Pages 259-275 Back Matter ....Pages 277-284 Describes The Political Activites Of Such Early Modern European Queens, Regents, And Consorts As Elizabeth I Of England, Catherine Jagiellon Of Sweden, Catherine De' Medici, And Anne Of Denmark. Helen Matheson-pollock, Joanne Paul, Catherine Fletcher, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Describes the political activities of such early modern European queens, regents, and consorts as Elizabeth I of England, Catherine Jagiellon of Sweden, Catherine de' Medici, and Anne of Denmark