QUEENS OF JERUSALEM

A much-needed study of history’s overlooked yet trailblazing royal women

Author Katherine Pangonis Publisher Weidenfeld & Nicolson Price £20 Released Out now

In her debut book Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule, historian Katherine Pangonis brings to life the stories of the female rulers of the Outremer (also known as the Crusader States) who have thus far been dismissed by history. The early or unexpected deaths of male rulers, their many daughters but lack of sons and the volatility of the Outremer meant that many aristocratic women – primarily remembered for their roles as wives, mothers and daughters

– had the opportunity to wield real power and independence for themselves in a patriarchal world.

Among the women that we learn about in this narrative-driven biography are Queen Melisende, the first queen regnant of Jerusalem, who refused to cede power to her son and co-ruler, Baldwin

III, when he became of age. Her sister, the widowed Princess Alice of Antioch, led rebellions in an attempt to become regent for her daughter, Constance. As a young woman, a widowed Constance would arrange her second marriage herself, defying those around her who tried to marry her off – just like her contemporary, Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Pangonis does an excellent job of contextualising the circumstances that led these women to forge their own alliances and make shrewd political and military decisions to seize power, both successfully and unsuccessfully. It is an impressive feat, considering that the majority of them are barely mentioned in existing historical sources. This book is an enjoyable read that finally addresses the crucial role of royal women in crusader history.