Role of Medieval Queens

What was the role of a queen in the Medieval Age? Was she there to strengthen the position of her family and build alliances to protect the interests of England? To stand idly by as her husband took decisions for the nation, then took mistresses for himself? Or could she have a more active role? In this episode with Dr Joanna Laynesmith, we explore the vital historical discipline of medieval queenship, looking at the role of the four women crowned queen of England during the last half- century of the medieval period. Joanna is the author of ‘The Last Medieval Queens: English Queenship, 1445-1503’.