The Archaeology and Material Culture of Queenship in Medieval Hungary, 1000–1395

Description

This book explores an alternate history of the power and agency of 30 Hungarian queens over 400 years by a rigorous examination of the material culture connected with their lives. By researching the objects, images, and spaces, it demonstrates how these women expressed and displayed their power. Queens used material culture and space not only to demonstrate their own power to a wide, international audience, but also to consolidate their own position when it was weakened by external circumstances. Both the public and private image of the queen factors significantly in understanding in her own role at the strongly centralized Hungarian court, and, moreover, how her position and person strengthened and complemented that of the king.  Acknowledgments Contents List of Figures A List of Queens Included in this Study 1 Introduction Power and Medieval Queenship Literature Review Agency Theory and Object Biography Methodology: Reginal Objects and Spaces “Official” Objects—Seals, Coinage, and Heraldry Clothing and Regalia Religious Objects and Books Public Monuments and Private Illustrations Spaces: Residences, Monasteries, Burials Objects from the Written Record A Note on Names and the Scope of This Study 2 The Beginnings of the Hungarian ‘Queendom’ (c. 1000–1090) Sarolta of Transylvania Gisela of Bavaria The Crown of Queen Gisela The Metz Chasuble The Gisela Cross The Hungarian Coronation Mantle Gisela’s Other Donations to the Church Veszprém: Cathedral and Palace Gisela’s Grave at the Abbey of Niedernburg, Passau Tuta of Formbach Gravestone at the Abbey of Suben Anastasia of Kiev Greek-Rite Monasteries and the Forest of Patak The ‘Sword of Attila’ Burial at Admont Abbey? Judith of Swabia Letter from Pope Gregory VII and the Liber Evangelorum The Monomachos Crown Synadene Synadenos The “Corona Graeca” of the Holy Crown of Hungary Return to Byzantium: Burial at the Monastery of St. Mary Peribleptos? Adelaide of Rheinfelden The Adelaide Cross Funerary Monuments at Veszprém Conclusions 3 Stones and Bones and the Queens of the Twelfth Century (1097–1193) Felicia of Sicily Euphemia of Kiev Adelaide of Riedenburg Helen of Serbia Euphrosyne of Kiev Agnes of Babenberg Conclusions 4 The “Office” of the Queen Begins (1172–1233) Agnes/Anna of Antioch Crown Clothing Fragments The Ring Skeleton and Tomb Margaret of France The Scarlet Wool Tent Given to Frederick I Barbarossa The Royal Palace at Esztergom Burial in the Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross in Tyre Constance of Aragon The Árpád Coat of Arms Gertrude of Andechs-Meran Objects Known Only from the Written Record The Elisabethkleid—The Possible Coronation Mantle of Queen Gertrude Gertrude of Andechs-Meran in Illuminated Manuscripts Gertrude’s Sarcophagus at Pilis Abbey Yolanda of Courtenay The Seal of Yolanda of Courtenay Coins of Andrew II Featuring Yolanda The Second Royal Residence in Óbuda Yolanda’s Burial at Igriş Abbey Conclusions 5 The Second Foundresses (1235–1295) Maria Laskarina of Nicaea The Seal of Maria Laskarina Coinage of Béla IV Featuring Maria Laskarina Dominican Nunnery, Margaret Island—Maria’s Residence, the Seal, the Defenses Visegrád Citadel Esztergom Franciscan Friary Elizabeth the Cuman Seals of Elizabeth the Cuman Coins of Ladislas IV Featuring Elizabeth the Cuman Dominican Nunnery on Margaret Island Burial Crown from Margaret Island The Gold Ring and Fabric Remnants from the Margaret Island Grave Isabella of Naples Two Seals of Isabella of Naples The Franciscan Friary at Segesd and Isabella’s Support of Monastic Orders Dominican Nunnery of San Pietro a Castello, Naples Fenenna of Kujavia Seal of Fenenna of Kujavia Coins of Andrew III Featuring a Crowned Woman Franciscan Friary of St. John’s, Buda Conclusions 6 Long Widowhoods (1296–1380) Agnes of Habsburg Two Seals of Agnes of Habsburg Königsfelden Abbey Stained Glass Windows from Königsfelden Gifts of Agnes to Königsfelden and Engelberg The Personal Library of Agnes Burial at Königsfelden Maria of Bytom Maria of Bytom’s Seal The Royal Palace at Timisoara Maria’s Burial at the Royal Basilica of Székesfehérvár Elizabeth of Poland Elizabeth of Poland’s Four Seals Coins of Charles I Robert Featuring Elizabeth Crown Fragments from Trogir and Čiovo Liturgical Items Donated by Elizabeth of Poland Books Associated with Elizabeth of Poland Public Representations of Elizabeth of Poland Elizabeth’s Royal Palaces: Óbuda Buda Visegrád Diósgyőr Ecclesiastic Constructions of Elizabeth of Poland Burial at the Nunnery of the Poor Clares, Óbuda Conclusions 7 Regent and Regnant (1370–1395) Elizabeth of Bosnia Two Seals of Elizabeth of Bosnia Reliquary Sarcophagus of St. Simeon, Zadar Crown and Chalice at Zadar Veil and Ring from the Zadar Sarcophagus Stone Carvings at Mariazell and Zadar Elizabeth’s Manual of Instruction for Her Daughters The Building Projects of Elizabeth Kotromanić Burial of Elizabeth of Bosnia Mary (r. 1382–1395) Six Seals of Queen Mary Coins of Queen Mary Crown and Orb from Oradea Items Queen Mary Donated to the Church Queen Mary’s Books and the University of Óbuda Construction Projects—the Palace of Buda and the Carmelite Cloister in Prešov Burial at Oradea Conclusions 8 Conclusions Bibliography Index