MACMILLAN Empress Adelheid and Countess Matilda: Medieval Female Rulership and the Foundations of European Society (Queenship and Power)

This book compares two successful, elite women, Empress Adelheid (931-999) and Countess Matilda (1046-1115), for their relative ability to retain their wealth and power in the midst of the profound social changes of the eleventh century. The careers of the Ottonian queen and empress Adelheid and Countess Matilda of Tuscany reveal a growth of opportunities for women to access wealth and power. These two women are analyzed under three categories: their relationships with family and friends, how they managed their property (particularly land), and how they ruled. This analysis encourages a better understanding of gender relations in both the past and the present.   Review “Energetic, thorough, and thoughtful examination of sources old and new to the study of Adelheid and Matilda. The book is concluded by a brief epilogue, and enriched by a number of useful charts, chronologies, maps, and images.” (Miriam Shadis, Speculum, Vol. 94 (3), July, 2019) “The comparison between Matilda and Adelheid is organized thematically, focusing on family and friends, land and rulership. … Her book will serve as a valuable introduction to those interested in the lives of these two important female rulers.” (Sarah Greer, Early Medieval Europe, Vol. 27 (2), 2019) “This book provides a considerable amount of useful information, including a detailed discussion of the sources of information that are available for the lives and careers of Matilda and Adelheid. These include more than 100 surviving charters for the countess … a considerable body of narrative works, including a biography of Matilda by the monk Donizo, and material sources of information including coins and works of art. The volume also includes a number of helpful chronologies, genealogies, and maps.” (David Bachrach, The Medieval Review, scholarworks.iu.edu, September, 2018) “This is a wonderful book to have on your shelf, if for no other reason than the carefully outlined family trees that connect the stories of two famous women, the detailed chronologies for each… . This last can be a lifesaver when attempting to write about Quedlinburg or Gandersheim or any other Ottonian topic. What a clever thing to provide right at the outset! I wish I’d had it several months ago when I was writing about Ottonian nuns … .” (Constance H. Berman, Medieval Feminist Forum, Vol. 53 (02), 2018) Review “Penny Nash has made a hugely valuable contribution to the controversial question as to the nature, and the extent, of the roles which could be played by queens in the Middle Ages. Her work is judicious and measured, based as it is on the highest standards of scholarship. Her work should become essential reading for anyone interested in the dynamics of power in the Middle Ages.” (Henrietta Leyser, Emeritus fellow of St Peter’s College, Oxford, UK, and author of Medieval Women: A Social History of Women in Medieval England, 450-1500) “This account of two of the most significant female rulers in Europe in the central Middle Ages is told with verve and clarity. Penny Nash shows exactly how Adelheid and Matilda fitted into their political worlds, how they exploited them and what the differences between them were. We are in her debt.” (Chris Wickham, Chichele Professor of Medieval History, University of Oxford, UK) “Penelope Nash has deftly interwoven the lives of Empress Adelheid and Matilda of Canossa, two of the most fascinating female rulers of the central Middle Ages, together in this exciting new work. The innovative structure of the book contextualizes their lives within the framework of family, landholding and models of rulership―all vital elements for the reader to fully understand the significance of Adelheid and Matilda, and the world that they inhabited.” (Elena Woodacre, Senior Lecturer in Early Modern European History, University of Winchester, UK)   From the Back Cover This book compares two successful, elite women, Empress Adel