Before Queen Elizabeth I, the path to the throne for a female monarch was almost impossible. Men traditionally had the natural right to kingly power, but for a woman, accession to the throne required great influence, intelligence, and strategic thinking. This course will look at some of the “she-wolves” most instrumental in paving the way to the queen-ship for Elizabeth I: Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France (named a she-wolf by Shakespeare), Margaret of Anjou, Margaret Beaufort and the War of the Roses, Jane, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. This course will explore the cultural, and legal limitations that restricted a woman’s right to the throne and what empowered the women who tried. We will also see much medieval artwork to illustrate the women’s lives and life in the Middle Ages in general.
((Joan Cucinotta - In Person: CMU Campus - Tuesday))
