The empress, the queen, and the nun : women and power at the court of Philip III of Spain / Magdalena S. Sánchez.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sánchez, Magdalena S.

Series:

Johns Hopkins University studies in historical and political science ; 116th ser., 2.

The Johns Hopkins University studies in historical and political science ; 116th ser., 2

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Philip III, King of Spain, 1578-1621.

Power (Social sciences).

History.

Women--Political activity.

Families.

Spain--Politics and government--1598-1621.

Spain.

Politics and government.

Philip III, King of Spain, 1578-1621--Family.

Philip.

Habsburg, House of.

Women--Political activity--Spain--History--17th century.

Women.

Power (Social sciences)--Spain--History--17th century.

Physical Description:

xii, 267 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Baltimore, Md. : Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998.

Summary:

In the early seventeenth-century, when Spanish interests often competed with those of the House of Austria, three women in the court of Philip III of Spain--Empress Mar?a, Philip's grandmother; Margaret of Austria, Philip's wife; and Margaret of the Cross, Philip's aunt--worked behind the scenes to win favor for the causes of the Austrian Habsburgs. In "The Empress, the Queen, and the Nun," historian Magdalena S?nchez offers an intriguing examination of the political power wielded by these three women. S?nchez examines the ways that women used religious piety, childbearing, illnesses such as melancholy, and marriage arrangements to sway political decisions. They employed distinct strategies and languages at informal occasions such as meals, masquerade celebrations, and religious ceremonies to influence the political scene. By incorporating women into informal political networks, this work breaks new ground in the study of early modern European politics.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [229]-254) and index.

ISBN:

0801857910

OCLC:

37731690