Forgotten Empresses: The Women Who Ruled the World from the Shadows
đź“šWhat You Will Learn
- How Brunhild and Fredegund's rivalry defined Frankish history.
- The enduring rule of African queens like Nzinga against invaders.
- Middle Eastern women rulers navigating Crusader and Islamic politics.
- Why these empresses' stories were suppressed despite their dominance.
đź“ťSummary
ℹ️Quick Facts
- Brunhild ruled as queen for 46 years and regent for 17, longer than most kings and emperors of her era.
- Fredegund reigned 29 years as queen and 12 as regent in Frankish kingdoms.
- Queen Nzinga of Matamba ruled for 32 years, resisting Portuguese colonizers.
- Melisende ruled Jerusalem for 22 years amid Crusader politics.
đź’ˇKey Takeaways
- Women rulers often outlasted male counterparts but faced vilification by chroniclers.
- Many operated as regents or through alliances, expanding territories via cunning diplomacy and force.
- African and Middle Eastern queens like Nzinga and Zumurrud challenged colonial and patriarchal powers.
- History's bias led to forgotten graves and parodied legacies for these empresses.
- Their reigns involved public works, invasions, and survival tactics like assassinations.
In 6th-century Francia, Brunhild and Fredegund were queens who gripped power fiercely. Brunhild ruled 46 years, regent for 17, while Fredegund held 29 years as queen and 12 as regent—longer than preceding kings. They expanded territories, built public works, and allied with foreign rulers, yet chroniclers dismissed them as 'minor queens.'
Fredegund, a former slave, rose by allegedly orchestrating rival Galswintha's strangling, sparking war. She sent slave boys on a suicide mission to assassinate Sigibert, Brunhild's husband, securing her bunker. Their feud involved invasions over morgengabe lands, showcasing ruthless strategy.
Today, Brunhild's grave is unmarked after revolutionary sacking, while Fredegund's enamel tomb at Saint-Denis crowns her simply as 'Queen.' Their ghosts linger in parodies, blotting true daring.
Africa teemed with female monarchs. Nzinga (Ana I) ruled Ndongo and Matamba from 1624-1663, resisting Portuguese for 32 years as Queen of Matamba. VerĂłnica I reigned Matamba 40 years (1681-1721), followed by Ana II, III, and Kamana's 43-year rule.
In Merina Kingdom, Ranavalona I ruled 33 years (1828-1861); her successors Rasoherina and Ranavalona II continued female dominance. Busongora's Nyakahuma held power 45 years (1330-1375), proving matrilineal strength.
These queens expanded realms amid colonization, their successive reigns challenging male-centric histories.
In Crusader Jerusalem, Melisende ruled 22 years (1131-1153), navigating rebellions like her English contemporary Matilda. Sibylla followed (1186-1190), amid affairs and machinations.
Zumurrud wielded power in medieval Middle East, unyielding like Jerusalem's queens. Mesoamerica saw Palenque's Ix Yohl Ikʼnal (583–604) and Sak Kʼukʼ (612–615), plus Toniná's Lady K'awiil Yopaat (762–774).
These women ruled from shadows, their legacies complicated by conquests and biases.
Male chroniclers vilified these rulers: Fredegund as murderer, Brunhild parodied. History blotted successes, reducing them to footnotes despite outruling men.
Non-European empresses faced colonial erasure; European ones patriarchal dismissal. Rediscovery via modern sources revives their tales of daring.
Their stories teach resilience: from assassinations to alliances, they shaped worlds unseen.
⚠️Things to Note
- Chroniclers like Gregory of Tours portrayed queens like Fredegund as murderous to discredit them.
- Many ruled in non-European regions, such as Matamba's successive female queens.
- Tombs of Brunhild and Fredegund reflect mixed legacies: one unmarked, one glorified yet simplified.
- Modern rediscovery highlights their roles in medieval power struggles.