Favorite list of royal women | Regnant queens (who crowed herself queen without her husbands)

Been a queen regnant is not always easy specially when you are married but mor common than one would think. Here four of my favorite queen that were married and despite what society, and often the husband himself, thought decided that her lands by heritage or conquest were only hers to rule. 

i. [1081-1116] Called The Reckless, Urraca was one of the most powerful reigning Queens of her time having inherithed the kingdom of León. Upon the death of her first husband she was convinced to marry Alfonso of Aragon the most successful warrior king of the Iberian Peninsula. It went horribly wrong. Personalities clashed and Alfonso emprisoned Urraca at one point. With Galicia rebelling and the Almoravides menace the spouses still went to war againts each other. Finally they separate and while Urraca still has a long way ahead and could keep most of her lands for herself.

ii. [1697-1731] Louise Hyppolite was at her time of birth the last Grimaldi. Monaco was under French control and it was decided that man from the French King family will be Louise’s husband and rule along with her. She was married and had to leave her land with her husband. Described as shy and submissive she did not enjoy her time at Versailles. When her father was ill she came back alone to Monaco and when he died she crowned herself Princess of Monaco with the people enthusiastic support naming her firstborn heir. There is no much her husband could do and though she ruled fr a short time she did it as the sole Princess.

iii. [1717-1780] Maria Theresia’s father Emperor Charles VI of the Roman Empire, did not prepared her to rule as he was convinced that her husband would rule for her. However, she had other plans and when her father died Maria Theresa, a 23 years old set to stablish her right as a moanrch against Prussia and most of Europe. She manage to gain ruling experience and be a monarch for 40 years. Though she deeply loved her husband she did not let him rule in her name and even refused to kneel in front of him when he was elected Holy Roman Emperor as she was of highest ruler. She was Sovereign of Hungary and Bohemia and Archduchess of Austria on her own right her husband being the consort. 

iv. [1583-1663] Njinga was Queen of Ndongo after her father and brother. At the time with the Portuguese slave trade Njinga became a symbol of resistance to the Europeans. In order to gain power in the center of the region she married an Imbangala leader and learned the techniques and strategies of his people. However when she set to conquer the kingdom of Matamba and ruled there as the Queen as Matamba had tradition of female rulers. As she gained influence she was recognized as one of the great queens of the region at the time. 

Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of the Two Sicilies

Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of Saxony. By Johann Heinrich Schmidt.

Maria Theresa was the eldest daughter of the then Grand Duke of Tuscany, the future Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II, and his wife, the Spanish Infanta Maria Luisa of Bourbon. She married Prince Antony of Saxony by proxy in 1787.

Daughters of Maria Theresa 

Maria Theresa was a strict mother, and her offspring in the imperial nursery were certainly not spoiled. Isabella of Parma credited her mother-in-law with loving her children, but (…) ‘her love is never free of mistrust and a noticeable coolness (…) As far as her children are concerned, the Empress does indeed love them, but she proceeds from a false precept, which consists in a strictness of all too great severity’.

Maria Theresa of Austria, queen of the Two Sicilies (detail) by Francesco Torr

A person from history  🎩

Maria Theresa of Austria (1717-1780) who passed away 242 years ago today.

One of the most powerful monarchs of the 18th century in Europe, Empress Maria Theresa was the only woman to rule the Holy Roman Empire. María Theresa succeeded the throne in 1740, after the death of her weak father, Emperor Charles IV. She almost immediately found herself at war with Frederick II of Prussia, her great rival. Prussia invaded the Silesian territories with the excuse that Maria Theresa could not become sovereign because she was a woman. Although she lost those territories, Maria Teresa was able to keep her crown. Maria Teresa reigned for 40 years. Although she nominally had to share her crown with her husband Francis I, in reality she was the sole true ruler of her empire, which she strengthened politically, economically, and militarily. María Theresa was also a participant in the first global conflict in history: The Seven Years War. Her court full of artists, scientists and philosophers was one of the great examples of the so-called enlightened absolutism.

Un personaje histórico🎩

María Teresa de Austria (1717-1780) que falleció hoy hace 242 años.

Una de las monarcas mas poderosas del siglo XVIII en Europa, la emperatriz María Teresa fue la única mujer que gobernó el Sacro Imperio Romano Germánico. María Teresa adquirió el trono en 1740, tras la muerte de su débil padre, el emperador Carlos IV. Casi inmediatamente tuvo que enfrentarse en guerra con Federico II de Prusia, su gran rival. Prusia invadió los territorios de Silesia con la excusa de que María Teresa no podía convertirse en soberana por ser mujer. Aunque perdió los territorios, María Teresa pudo mantener su corona. María Teresa reinó por 40 años. Aunque nominalmente tuvo que compartir la corona con su esposo Francisco I, en realidad fue la única verdadera gobernante de su imperio, el cual fortaleció política, económica y militarmente. María Teresa también fue participe participe del primer conflicto global de la historia: La Guerra de los siete años. Su corte repleta de artistas, científicos y filósofos fue uno de los grandes ejemplos del llamado despotismo ilustrado.

jacobite pretenders/heir-generals of the jacobites

MEN THINK ABOUT ROMAN EMPIRE. WOMEN THINK ABOUT HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE

JUDITH OF BAVARIA (797-843) — Daughter of Count Welf I of Bavaria, Judith was a Carolingian Empress as the second wife of Louis I the Pious. Mother of Gisela and Charles the Bald, she foght for both her own influence at court and for the succession of her son over the claims of his elder half-brothers, the sons of Louis I from his first marriage. Charles became the Emperor in 875, after the death of Louis II, his nephew and a son of his half-brother Lothair / fancast: Annabel Scholey

MARIA OF AUSTRIA (1528-1603) — Daughter of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and Isabella of Portugal. She served as Regent of Spain both jointly with her husband, Maximilian (before their accession to the imperial throne), and in person, for her father, and brother, Philip II. Her children include two Holy Roman Emperors, Rudolf II and Matthias, over whom she held great influence, and queens consorts of Spain, and France / fancast: Olivia Cooke

EMPRESS MAUD (1102-1167) — Daughter of Henry I of England and Matilda of Scotland. Her first marriage to the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V, gave her the title under which she came down into history, and was a source of great pride to Maud. Rightful heiress of Henry I, she confronted her cousin, King Stephen, in the civil war, known as the Anarchy, fighting ferociously for her rights. She failed in this for herself but won for her son Henry, who became king and established the Plantagenet dynasty in England / cast: Alison Pill in The Pillars of the Earth (2010)

MARIA THERESA (1717-1780) — She succeded her father Charles VI as the ruler of Habsburg monarchy in 1740, and devoutedly defended it against its enemies in the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Year's War. Wife of the Holy Roman Emperor, Francis I, she was a forceful personality and a competent ruler herself, reigning first in her own right, and later, jointly with her son Empreror Joseph II. Her children include two Holy Romam Emperors (Joseph II and Leopold II), queens consorts of Naples ans Sicily, and France / cast: Marie-Luise Stockinger in Maria Theresia (2017)

Period dramas dresses tournament: Red dresses Round 2- Group B: Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII and his six wives (gifset) vs Maria Theresa of Spain, Versailles (pics set)

Detail from the tomb of Maria Theresa and Francis I in the Imperial Crypt

Vienna, Austria

Two beauties of their time: Alexandra, Queen of the United Kingdom (1844 - 1925) & Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria (1855 - 1944).

It's time for the return of the “Living People Related to Maria Theresa” game, started by @vivelareine

Here we have a descendant of hers through her daughter, Maria Carolina, the Queen of Naples and Sicily. (Though you can also trace her line of descent to other children of Maria Theresa, due to the amount of intermarriage among the Habsburg Dynasty). Her name is Vittoria of Savoy, and she's a 20 year old fashion model, who is studying art history and political science.

Vittoria of Savoy (Born December 29th, 2003)  –> Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy –> Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy  –> Umberto II –> Victor Emmanuel III –> Umberto I –> Victor Emmanuel II –> Maria Theresa of Austria –> Luisa of Naples and Sicily –> Maria Carolina of Austria –> Maria Theresa

The Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria (later queen of Saxony) by Anton Raphael Mengs.

A painting depicting Maria Theresia, Holy Roman Empress, inspecting Austrian troops.

The Habsburg Diamond Fringe Tiara by Köchert, Circa 1890

Originally Made for Archduchess Maria Theresa Of Austria

Source: royalwatcherblog.com