Continuing on with Women’s History Month, today we are exploring royal women in charge. My monthly series, Consort of the Month, focuses on consorts (obviously) who are very often left behind for their spouse, without any regard to the role(s) that they played and the impact that they had. However, for WHM, I knew that I wanted to spend some time with female rulers. There are not as many female rulers in history as there should be but… the patriarchy. Still, that does not mean that we cannot explore the ones we do have. Today we are exploring 5 fascinating queens regnant! 

5 Fascinating Queens Regnant

Before we get into this list, we must define “queen regnant”. A lot of people got needlessly upset with the whole Camilla/queen consort thing that they took the wrong piece away from. (I would argue that Elizabeth was emphasising that Camilla would be QUEEN, not Duchess or Princess, not the consort part.) 

A queen regnant is a female ruler who rules in her own right (known in Latin as suo jure) and does not owe her title as queen to her husband through marriage. (That would be a queen consort.) 

These five women ruled in their own right (although came to their thrones in different ways). 

Queen Seondeok of Silla (637 – 647)

Silla was a kingdom in central and southern parts of the Korean peninsula from 57 BCE to 935 CE. 

Seondeok was the first Queen regnant of Silla and had to prove herself as heir instead of one of her male relatives. As a ruler, Queen Seondeok was conscientious and caring- she worked hard to help support the young, the elderly, widow/ers, orphans, and the poor, those on the fringes of society who so often lack a social safety net. She was also a dedicated Buddhist and helped spread Buddhism throughout her kingdom by supporting Buddhist academics and teachers and building Buddhist temples. Buddhist architectural styles flourished during her reign, including the legendary temple Hwangnyongsa. 

Seondeok also led educational reforms, both sending scholars abroad to learn from others and by establishing institutions in her kingdom. (We are here for anyone encouraging learning!)

Queen Christina of Sweden (1632 – 1654)

Queen Christina is one of those historical figures that you will hear a story about and assume it cannot be true. She inherited the Swedish throne at the age of seven after her father, Gustavus Adolphus, died on the battlefield, though she did not actually rule in her own name until she was eighteen. Christina is often called the “Minerva of the North” and that moniker was fairly earned. Like Seondeok, Christina widely supported learning and education. She established the Royal Academy of Turku in the 1640s, the third university in the kingdom. Christina also invited numerous philosophers, academics, and scientists to Sweden, including French philosopher René Descartes. She was also a dedicated patron of the arts for much of her adult life. 

The Swedish queen also fought against gender norms, not an easy thing to do as a female ruler in the seventeenth century. She regularly wore men’s clothing, as they were much easier to dress in. She also famously had no interest in marriage and refused to marry. 

In 1649, Christina decided to abdicate in favour of her cousin, Charles Gustav. She formally abdicated in 1654, and left Sweden. She then converted to Catholicism, which is a strong move for a seventeenth century Swedish former ruler- Sweden was a Protestant nation. 

Empress Wu Zetian (690 – 705)

This empress was a late seventh and early eighth century ruler and remains the only female ruler considered legitimate in Chinese history. (She is also referred to as Wu Zhao.)

Wu Zetian’s reign is complex. She used secret police extensively throughout her reign and moved swiftly against anyone who threatened her. (Do we question male rulers who did the same? Something to ponder) 

She became a royal consort through marriage and then ruled through her sons until she took the throne for herself in 690. She was known for wearing masculine clothing, riding horses in the male fashion, and being politically vocal. 

Despite her reign being contentious, Wu Zetian achieved a great deal. She helped to reform the imperial examination system, a series of exams that allowed people to work in the government and at court. Historically, these men were chosen from a few select noble families, but the system evolved under her to look to those with talent rather than from a specific gene pool. She also helped expand the kingdom and her policies helped welcome economic growth. 

Want to know more about the empress? Visit this site for more info! 

Queen Anne of Great Britain* (1702 – 1714)

Queen Anne, the Queen behind The Favourite. While her personal life was at the forefront of the popular film, Anne’s reign was so much more than a few friendships. The last Stuart monarch, she absolutely left her mark on Great Britain. 

Anne remains one of my favourite monarchs because of her support of the arts- she was a dedicated patron. Not only did she commission many works and support several visual artists (ie. painters), she also threw her support behind several notable authors. Both Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope enjoyed her support, and British literature flourished during her reign. 

Queen Anne was more politically savvy than many believed during her reign- she walked a careful tightrope in a rapidly-changing two-party system. One of the major lasting events of her reign was the Act of Union between England and Scotland. Anne took an active role in encouraging negotiations, working with both of her nations. (The Act of Union brought about Great Britain as a unit.) Though she did not have the longest reign, she certainly made an impact. 

*For brevity, I’ve combined her titles to Queen of Great Britain- you can look up her reigns as Queen of England, Queen of Great Britain, etc, separately. 

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands (1890 – 1948) 

Queen Wilhelmina is one of the most impressive historical figures of modern history. Not only did she lead the Netherlands through both the First World War and the Second World War, she also saw the Dutch Economic Crisis of 1933. She was the longest reigning Dutch monarch, and the longest-reigning female monarch outside of Great Britain. (Though perhaps that might change one day with all of the female heirs in Europe?) 

Wilhelmina took the throne in 1890 but it was her actions during the First World War that cemented her popularity. The Netherlands remained neutral during the war and although it cost the Queen a great deal of money, the Dutch people supported this move. 

She also became a symbol of the Dutch resistance during the Second World War. Queen Wilhelmina and the Dutch government convened in exile in London following the German invasion. She made radio broadcasts to the Dutch, encouraging them in their resistance, and her photo became an emblem of the movement. 

After coping with increasingly failing health, Queen Wilhelmina abdicated in favour of her daughter, Queen Juliana. (She began this tradition in the Netherlands- she was known as Princess Wilhelmina following her abdication.) 

Who are your favourite queens regnant from history?

Cheers,
The Historian
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