Crown & Influence
England's most beautiful woman navigated scandal and secret marriages to become Princess of Wales and mother of a king In an age when royal marriages were political transactions and women had little say in their own fates, Joan of Kent did the unthinkable—twice. She married for love,
Crown & Influence
Edward III's queen brought compassion to medieval England's court and became the most admired consort of her age In an era of warrior queens and political schemers, Philippa of Hainault stood apart through kindness, loyalty, and genuine goodness. As queen to Edward III during England'
Crown & Influence
Edward II's queen transformed from neglected wife to revolutionary, orchestrating the only successful invasion of England since 1066 and deposing her own husband She was called the She-Wolf of France, and the name was meant as an insult—a woman who had violated every principle of wifely obedience
Crown & Influence
Henry VI's French queen transformed from peace bride to military commander, fighting for thirty years to save her husband's crown and her son's inheritance She arrived in England as a fifteen-year-old peace offering, a bride meant to end decades of warfare between England and
Crown & Influence
England's First Female Claimant and the Architect of the Anarchy In the turbulent landscape of twelfth-century England, one woman dared to claim what few believed she deserved: the throne itself. Empress Matilda, daughter of King Henry I, was not merely a footnote in medieval history but a transformative
Crown & Influence
Editor's Note: This is the beginning of an ongoing series of articles on notable members of the Royal Family through history who weren't the reigning monarchs. Medieval Europe's most powerful woman shaped the destiny of England and France through marriages, rebellions, and an iron