Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 64

Elisaveta of Kyiv – Harald Hardrada’s Queen

In the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the Kievan Rus and Scandinavia maintained connections, sometimes through marriage. One of these marriages was that of Harald Hardrada, King of Norway and Elisaveta of Kyiv.

Before Marriage

Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Prince of Kyiv, and Ingegerd of Sweden had at least three daughters: Elisaveta, Anastasia, and Anna. Their exact birth order is uncertain. It is usually assumed that Anna was the youngest. Sources differ on whether Elisaveta or Anastasia was the oldest daughter. They also had six sons. The birth years of five of the sons are recorded in The Russian Primary Chronicle, but nothing is said about the daughters, so we can only guess when they were born. Yaroslav and Ingegerd married in 1019, and their first son, Vladimir, was born the following year. A likely birth range for Elisaveta is 1021-1026, probably closer to the earlier date if she was the first daughter.

We do not know much about Elisaveta’s early life, but she was likely well-educated. Yaroslav’s court had a reputation for being a centre of learning. Also, Elisaveta’s sister, Anna, is known to have signed documents herself, showing that she was not only taught to read but also to write. Even though we do not have documents signed by Elisaveta or Anastasia, they likely received the same education as their sister.

Yaroslav was also known to house exiled foreign princes at his court. This included the sons of King Edmund Ironside of England, Andrew of Hungary, and the Norwegian princes Harald and Magnus. In 1030, the Norwegian king, Olaf II, was killed in the Battle of Stiklestad. His younger half-brother (through his mother), Harald Sigurdsson, was wounded in the battle but survived. Within a year, Harald arrived at Yaroslav’s court in Kyiv. Around this time, Harald and Elisaveta probably met for the first time. The sagas say that Harald wanted to marry Elisaveta, but Yaroslav turned down his proposal because he was not rich enough and did not rule a territory.

In 1034 or 1035, Harald left for Constantinople with a force of 500 men. He joined the Varangian Guard in the service of the Byzantine Emperor. Over the next decade, Harald led many campaigns and gained the reputation of a fearsome warrior. He also became very rich in the service of the Emperor. He would send his plundered treasures back to Kyiv for safekeeping. He may have also sent his treasures back to prove to Yaroslav that his wealth was increasing and he was becoming more worthy to marry Elisaveta. During this time, Harald wrote poems, many of which mentioned Elisaveta. In these poems, he seems to long for Elisaveta and laments her rejection of him. There were a total of sixteen stanzas. In them, Harald describes his background, the hardships he went through, his adventures, and his heroic deeds, and ends each one with the same line. This line is variously translated as “yet to the Russian queen I fear, my gold-adorned, I am not dear” or “yet the goddess in Russia will not accept my gold rings.”

Marriage

Harald arrived back in Kyiv in 1042. By now, he was rich and accomplished enough to win the hand of Elisaveta. It also seems that Harald had a good chance to become King of Norway. Harald and Elisaveta are believed to have married in the winter of 1043/4 or 1044/5, probably in Kyiv. For her dowry, Elisaveta probably brought many jewels and gold instead of land.

Harald could now afford to return to Norway. He arrived in Sweden in late 1045 or early 1046. His nephew, Magnus, had left for Norway earlier when he was proclaimed king in 1035. When Harald arrived in Norway in 1046, he became co-king with his nephew.

Queen of Norway

In Norway, Elisaveta became known as Ellisif or Elisiv. Almost nothing is known of Elisaveta’s time as Queen of Norway. There are no records about her time in Norway that were written during her lifetime. What we know about her later life comes from various royal sagas, which were written in the early thirteenth century. Some historians question whether Elisaveta ever came to Norway. This is mainly because, in 1048, Harald took a second wife, Tora Torbergsdatter. It is sometimes suggested that Harald and Elisaveta separated when he went back to Norway, and Elisaveta stayed in Kyiv. It has also been suggested that Elisaveta died before Harald arrived in Norway. These assumptions are not usually accepted. Very few records survive from this time, and women are rarely mentioned. It should not be surprising that we don’t have records about Elisaveta’s time as Queen. Around this time, little to nothing was written about Scandinavian queens.

There is another reason to suggest that Elisaveta went to Norway. She and Harald had two daughters, Maria and Ingegerd. It seems likely that Elisaveta’s daughters were born between 1046 and 1050 after she went to Norway. It is uncertain which one was the oldest. Some suggest that Maria and Ingegerd could be the daughters of Tora. However, they almost certainly belonged to Elisaveta. One clue is their names. The name Maria was almost nonexistent in Scandinavia at that time but more common in Rus. Also, Ingegerd was the name of Elisaveta’s mother. Another clue is the fact that Maria was betrothed to Tora’s brother, Eystein Orre, which would mean that he would be her uncle if Tora were Maria’s mother. So, despite what little evidence we have, it seems that Elisaveta did indeed go to Norway and become Harald’s queen consort.

So why did Harald marry Tora when he was still married to Elisaveta? Around this time, it was still common for Scandinavian rulers to have two wives. Harald’s marriage to Elisaveta was his prestigious foreign marriage, while his marriage to Tora was his beneficial marriage at home. Unlike Elisaveta, Tora never seems to be considered a queen, and it seems like she was more of a concubine than a wife. If Tora and Harald married, it was probably in an informal ceremony known as handfasting. Tora came from one of the most powerful families in Norway, and Harald probably married her to have support from the Norwegian nobles. Harald and Tora had two sons together: Magnus and Olaf. Harald’s nephew, Magnus, died in 1047, leaving Harald as sole King of Norway.

The Events of 1066

Elisaveta is not mentioned again until 1066. That year, Harald took advantage of the English succession crisis. His exact reasons for the invasion are unknown, but he likely saw an opportunity to revive the Anglo-Scandinavian empire of the past. At the beginning of September, he set sail with a fleet of 200 ships. He first stopped in Shetland and then in Orkney. Most of the sagas say that he brought Elisaveta and their daughters along with him and left them on Orkney when he set sail for England. Others say that he brought Tora with him, which would make sense because Tora was related to the Earl of Orkney. It may be possible that he brought both women with him. However, he left his oldest son, Magnus, behind to rule Norway. Since Magnus was only about sixteen at the time, it is likely his mother, Tora, stayed behind to help him. Harald’s younger son, Olaf, accompanied his father to England.

Harald may have brought Elisaveta along with him, so in the event of his success, he could bring her to his coronation and have her crowned Queen alongside him. Elisaveta and her daughters stayed behind in Orkney to await the news. However, fate did not go the way Harald wished. He was killed in the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September 1066. Harald and Elisaveta’s daughter, Maria’s betrothed, Eystein Orre, was also among the dead. The sagas say that Maria died suddenly on the same day, and at the same hour, her father died. Others say that she died when receiving news of his defeat and death.

After the battle, the survivors, including Olaf, returned to Orkney with Harald’s body. Olaf had guarded the fleet instead of participating in battle, probably because of his youth. Elisaveta, Ingegerd, and the survivors spent the winter in Orkney and headed back to Norway in the spring. After this, there are no more mentions of Elisaveta.

Around 1067, Ingegerd married Olaf Hunger, who became King of Denmark in 1086. It is possible that Elisaveta may have had a hand in arranging this marriage. According to the contemporary chronicler, Adam of Bremen, Olaf’s father, Sweyn II of Denmark, married the mother of Olaf Haraldsson. Tora was the mother of Olaf Haraldsson, but some believe this could refer to his stepmother, so it has been suggested that Elisaveta married Sweyn as her second husband. However, this theory is not commonly accepted, and most believe that it was Tora who married Sweyn. Elisaveta is believed to have spent her final years in the court of her stepson, Olaf. The date and place of her death are unknown.

The marriage of Harald and Elisaveta is believed to have strengthened Rus-Norwegian ties. Even though we do not know much about Elisaveta, it seems like she had success as Queen of Norway. The fact that the sagas mention her accompanying Harald on his journey to England suggests that she was an active queen who closely followed her husband’s activities.

Sources

Connolly, Sharon Bennett; Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest

Evgenievna, Morozova Lyudmila; Great and Unknown Women of Ancient Russia

Jackson, T.N.; “Elizabeth Yaroslavna, Queen of Norway”

“Elizaveta Yaroslavna” on the website The Court of the Russian Princesses of the XI-XVI centuries

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Zenobia – The rebel Empress who fought against Rome

Empress Zenobia was legendary for her defiance of Rome. She was also a strategic warrior queen. She conquered many territories from Egypt to the Black Sea. Empress Zenobia managed to transform her client Roman kingdom into a powerful empire that rivalled the Roman Empire. It is no wonder why Emperor Aurelian viewed her as a threat.

Empress Zenobia was born circa 240 C.E. She was also called Bat-Zabbai or Na’ilah.[1] She was from a noble family in Palmyra.[2] Her father was Julius Aurelius Zenobius, who was a soldier.[3] Zenobia was said to be a very beautiful woman whose best feature was her long hair.[4] Zenobia was also well-educated. She was fluent in Greek, Latin, Egyptian, and Aramaic languages.[5]

In 258 C.E., Zenobia married the Roman governor of Syria, Lucius Septimius Odaenthus. Lucius Septimius Odaenthus was a widower and already had a son and heir named Septimius Hairan from his first marriage. Zenobia bore a son named Septimius Vaballathus in circa 260 C.E.[6] She may also have borne him more sons: Septimius Antiochus, Herennianus, Timolaus and another Hairan.[7] She also bore him two unnamed daughters.[8]

In 260 C.E., Emperor Valerian was captured by the Persian king, Shapur I. This left the eastern Roman provinces defenceless.[9] In 261 C.E., Lucius Septimius Odaenthus defeated King Shapur I’s forces and took control of the eastern Roman provinces, which included Mesopotamia, Syria, the Levant, Eastern Anatolia, and Ancyra.[10] Because of his massive Eastern territories, Lucius Septimius Odaenthus became the Roman client king of Palmyra.[11] Thus, Zenobia became queen of Palmyra.

In 267 C.E., King Odaenthus and his heir, Prince Septimius Hairan, were assassinated by their bodyguard.[12] It is currently unknown who hired the assassin. Some accounts claim that Queen Zenobia may have hired the assassin, but modern historians dismiss this accusation.[13] They claim that there is very little evidence that Queen Zenobia was involved.[14] They believe that the most likely person to hire the assassin was King Odaenthus’s nephew, Maeonius, because he was angry with his uncle for briefly sending him to prison for disrespect.[15] Nevertheless, this left Zenobia’s son, the ten-year-old Prince Vaballathus, as the next king of Palmyra.[16] Queen Zenobia became regent.[17] Unlike her husband, who was loyal to Rome, Queen Zenobia wanted her client kingdom to be independent.[18]

In 270 C.E., Queen Zenobia marched into Egypt with 70,000 troops and attacked Alexandria.[19] She was then proclaimed the heir of Queen Cleopatra VII.[20] Thus, Queen Zenobia had total control of Egypt.[21] In 271 C.E., Queen Zenobia had her own coins minted with the inscription “S. Zenobia Aug”,[22] which is translated to “Septimius Zenobia Augusta, Empress of the East” [23]. This meant that she saw herself as an independent sovereign and was equal to the Roman emperor.[24] As a ruler, Empress Zenobia established a court full of writers, intellectuals, and philosophers.[25] One of them was Cassius Longinus, who wrote a funeral oration for King Odaenthus and encouraged her to break away from Rome.[26] There were also Genathlius of Petra and Nicostratus of Trapezus, both of whom wrote histories about Roman eastern provinces.[27] Another one was Callinicus, who wrote about the history of Alexandria.[28]

In 271 C.E., Empress Zenobia angered Rome by cutting off the exports of Egyptian wheat to Rome.[29] This forced the Roman politicians to give free bread to the plebeians.[30] Emperor Aurelian began to see Empress Zenobia’s empire as a threat because it stretched from Egypt to the Black Sea.[31] In 272 C.E., Emperor Aurelian launched a war against Empress Zenobia. He conquered Egypt and Anatolia.[32] Empress Zenobia and her army fought him in Antioch but were defeated at the Battle of Immae. She and her army retreated to Emesa, where they were again defeated by the Romans.[33] Leaving their treasury behind, Empress Zenobia and King Vaballathus retreated to await the Roman siege of her city.[34]

While awaiting her siege of Palmyra, Empress Zenobia and Emperor Aurelian tried to make negotiations.[35] Emperor Aurelian offered her a peaceful retirement if she surrendered.[36] However, Empress Zenobia refused. This is because Empress Zenobia did not trust Emperor Aurelian’s promises and believed it to be a trick.[37] She still had support from many of her Palmyrene allies.[38] She even planned to have an alliance with King Shapur I of Persia.[39] Empress Zenobia believed she still had a chance of defeating Emperor Aurelian.[40]

Emperor Aurelian sent a small force of Roman troops to invade Palmyra. During the siege, Empress Zenobia escaped for safety to Persia.[41] However, on the road to Persia, she was captured by Roman patrols and taken back to Rome.[42] Palmyra surrendered to Emperor Aurelian. On the way to Rome, Empress Zenobia was paraded in cities throughout the Eastern Roman provinces.[43] She rode a camel and was covered in heavy gold chains.[44] Therefore, the Romans used her punishment as a symbol to show the East that this is what happens if any ruler dares to defy Rome.[45]

It is unclear if Empress Zenobia ever made it to Rome.[46] An account by Zosimus claims that she died en route to Rome.[47] However, in Historia Augusta, Empress Zenobia was paraded in Emperor Aurelian’s Roman triumph in 274 C.E.[48] One source claims that after the triumph, she was beheaded.[49] However, one claims that she retired to a villa in Tibur, where she lived with her surviving children.[50] Two other sources claim that she married either a Roman nobleman or a senator.[51] Thus, her ending still remains unclear.

Empress Zenobia became one of the most powerful and famous women in ancient Rome. She became regent for her young son and expanded her empire so that it matched the Roman Empire. She was known as a warrior and an intellectual queen who hosted her own literary salon. Yet, she is most known for her defeat against Emperor Aurelian. It is no wonder why Empress Zenobia has become a popular icon throughout millennia.

Sources:

Dahm, M. (2022, September). ZENOBIA WARRIOR QUEEN: How the self-proclaimed heir to Cleopatra and Queen Dido of Carthage forged herself an empire amid Rome’s troubles. All About History, (121), 42+.

Fraser, A. (2014). Warrior Queens. United Kingdom: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

Nakamura, B. J. (2023). Zenobia. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia.

[1] Dahm, 2022

[2] Dahm, 2022

[3] Nakamura, 2023

[4] Nakamura, 2023

[5] Fraser, 2014

[6] Nakamura, 2023

[7] Dahm, 2022

[8] Dahm, 2022

[9] Nakamura, 2023

[10] Nakamura, 2023; Dahm 2022

[11] Nakamura, 2023

[12] Dahm, 2022

[13] Dahm, 2022

[14] Dahm, 2022

[15] Dahm, 2022, Fraser, 2014

[16] Nakamura, 2023

[17] Nakamura, 2023

[18] Nakamura, 2023

[19] Nakamura, 2023

[20] Dahm, 2022

[21] Nakamura, 2023

[22] Dahm, 2022, para. 21

[23] Dahm, 2022, para. 21

[24] Nakamura, 2023

[25] Nakamura, 2023

[26] Nakamura, 2023

[27] Nakamura, 2023

[28] Nakamura, 2023

[29] Dahm, 2022

[30] Dahm, 2022

[31] Dahm, 2022

[32] Dahm, 2022

[33] Dahm, 2022

[34] Dahm, 2022

[35] Dahm, 2022

[36] Dahm, 2022

[37] Dahm, 2022

[38] Dahm, 2022

[39] Dahm, 2022

[40] Dahm, 2022

[41] Dahm, 2022

[42] Dahm, 2022

[43] Dahm, 2022

[44] Dahm, 2022

[45] Dahm, 2022

[46] Dahm, 2022

[47] Dahm, 2022

[48] Dahm, 2022

[49] Dahm, 2022

[50] Dahm, 2022

[51] Dahm, 2022

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Book News Week 50

*contains affiliate links*

Book news week 50: 11 December – 17 December 2023

Women of Power: Formidable Females of the Medieval World 

Hardcover – 15 December 2023 (UK)

Royals on tour: Politics, pageantry and colonialism

Paperback – 12 December 2023 (US)

 

 

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Empress Masako at 60 – Times of joy and sorrow

Masako Owada was born on 9 December 1963 as the daughter of Yumiko Egashira and Hisashi Owada in a public hospital in the Tokyo suburb of Toranomon. Two years later, she was joined in the nursery by twin sisters. When Masako was not even two years old, the family moved to the Soviet Union into the diplomatic compound, as her father worked as a diplomat. Masako spent half her life in other countries because her father worked as a diplomat. Her primary schooling took place all over the world, from Moscow to Boston.

When her father was recalled to Moscow in 1981, Masako wanted to attend university. Her parents were reluctant to leave her behind but found guardians for her in old friends. And so Masako entered Harvard University to study economics. She graduated magna cum laude in 1985 and could have gone anywhere in the world – she chose to go home. And she wanted to be a diplomat like her father. Masako had to move back in with her parents as renting her own apartment was impossible. Before applying for jobs, she took constitutional and international law courses. She began working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the following April and was a hard worker. She often worked late, and once, when she came home at 9 in the evening, her mother commented that she was early.

How she ended up at a reception for the Infanta Elena of Spain, who was in Japan to help promote a travelling exhibition, is quite a mystery. The future Crown Prince Naruhito was to be there, and apparently, several young women were invited. When they met for the first time, she bowed, and he said, “You must be Miss Owada. I am glad that you came.” They chatted briefly before the Crown Prince was urged to move on to another guest. He later confessed to a friend, “Something shot through me the moment I met her.”

From then on, Masako’s name and face were to be found plastered on the covers of Japanese magazines. Masako and Naruhito’s courtship was conducted with almost Victorian modesty. Marrying into the Japanese Imperial family was not a fairytale, as the Crown Prince’s mother, the first commoner to marry into the family, had proven. Michiko had undergone spiteful criticisms, was forbidden from seeing her family and slowly faded away. In 1993, she collapsed just before a press conference and went mute for five months. Masako would not have an easy life.

Then Masako was selected to study for a Master’s degree in international affairs at Oxford. She must have been relieved to escape the media, but they found her and, within weeks, were stationed outside her home. She never finished her thesis – so very unlike the diligent Masako – and we don’t know why. Yet, Masako seemed determined not to marry and continue in her career. When she returned to Tokyo, she was assigned to the Second North American Division and worked there for two years. She was now approaching her 30s, and all around her, friends began to marry. It wasn’t until February 1992 that the Crown Prince once again appeared on the scene.

Her father was against the match, and it took three months of persuasion to make him change his mind. He then told his daughter that it was to be her decision. Then, the couple met for the first time in five years and spent four hours talking. In October 1992, he asked her to marry him. She could not bring herself to say yes right away and asked him if it was alright if she thought about it. Her father later called to tell the Crown Prince that Masako had been unable to decide. Naruhito refused to accept this and tried to arrange another meeting with her, and eventually, she gave in. There are some rumours that Empress Michiko herself promised to protect Masako, but we do not know for sure why she ultimately agreed.

On 9 June 1993, Masako became the Crown Princess of Japan. Her hair was soaked in camellia oil and moulded into a bun. Her traditional dress with 12 layers took an hour to put on. The entire outfit weighed around 16 kilos and cost about 350,000 dollars. She wore pale make-up and had crimson lips. Afterwards, the couple changed into more Western attire for lunch with the families. Her new home was the Crown Prince’s East Palace. The following days were a whirlwind of receptions.

In the first three years of her marriage, Masako only saw her family five times. She was now in a gilded cage, and friendships faded. A friend of hers from Oxford said, “I would not necessarily say bored but isolated, seriously isolated… that business of not being able to go out, to go shopping, to go to exhibitions, to get on the tube, to just be yourself. The isolation is a lot to do with the lack of relatives. I don’t fully understand that. The imperial family don’t have the hinterland of masses of cousins, sisters, aunts and in-law that, for example, the British or the Dutch or the Norwegian royal families have.”

From the beginning of their marriage, Masako was under pressure to produce a son, as girls were banned from inheriting the throne under the 1889 Meiji law. Between 1976 and 1993, seven girls but not a single boy were born into the family. And now only Naruhito and his younger brother were young enough to produce sons. Then, the years began to pass, and the press became ever more insistent. Six years after the wedding, it was finally, tentatively, confirmed that Masako was pregnant. At the end of the year, it became clear that Masako had suffered a miscarriage and had to have surgery to remove the foetus. A year later, Masako told the press, “Honestly speaking, it is a fact that I was disturbed by the overheated coverage in the mass media from the very start.”

Masako was now approaching 40, and the couple decided to seek fertility treatments. In April 2001, it was confirmed that Masako was pregnant once more. On 1 December 2001, Masako gave birth to a daughter named Aiko. There was still no heir. Masako was pressured to try more IVF, but she refused as the odds of it working were rapidly decreasing. Masako began cutting back on engagements, and she was admitted to hospital with shingles. Her recovery was slow, and Naruhito went to Europe on his own. At a press conference, her husband said, “Princess Masako has worked hard to adapt to the environment of the imperial household for the past ten years, but from what I can see, I think she has completely exhausted herself in trying to do so. It is true that there were developments that denied Princess Masako’s career… as well as her personality… I believe that much tact and effort will have to be expended for Princess Masako to recover her original full spirit and strength, which are required to return to her official duties.” Then, it was reluctantly confirmed that Masako was receiving drug therapy and counselling. Masako put on a brave face, but she was not well at all.

Just days before legislation was to be introduced to allow Aiko to eventually succeed her father, it was announced that Masako’s sister-in-law was pregnant with her third child – 11 years after her last child. On 6 September 2006, she gave birth to a Prince. The birth of a single Prince would not lift the concerns for the future, but the public was satisfied for now. Masako has continued to suffer for these last few years, though she has managed to take up more public duties and even went overseas a few times. She became Empress of Japan when her husband succeeded his father after his abdication in 2019.

The last few years have seen Masako come into her own as Empress. Last year, she released a statement saying, “I am deeply moved to have spent exactly half of my life in the imperial family. I have gone through many times of joy and sometimes sorrow as well.” As for her health, doctors said, “It would be desirable for Her Majesty to continue to work while regulating her health. This will give her more confidence.” Nevertheless, they consider her condition to be unstable.

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The Duchess of Teck’s Emperor of Austria Brooch

The Duchess of Teck’s Emperor of Austria Brooch is “formed as a plaited circle, with pearl centre and 12 brilliant in cut-down collet settings around the edge, suspending a collet chain and three detachable baroque pearl pendants.”1

The brooch was given to Princess Mary Adelaide, the Duchess of Teck, by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria in 1870 when he acted as godfather to her son, Prince Francis of Teck. It was probably left to him upon his mother’s death, and he likely left it to his mistress, Lady Kilmorey. Queen Mary repurchased the brooch, and it was bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Embed from Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth wore the brooch as she was photographed holding the infant Prince Edward in 1964 and during the State Banquet in 2011 with President Obama.

 

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The Wife of Aristobulus II – The last Queen of an independent Judea

The Wife of Aristobulus II was the last Queen of Judea of the Hasmonean Dynasty.[1] She was the daughter-in-law of Salome Alexandra, who was the Queen regnant of Judea. Her husband would fight a civil war against his brother, John Hyrcanus II. King Aristobulus II and his wife’s reign was the end of an independent Judea.[2] After their reign, Judea would be ruled by the Romans with Herod the Great as its client King.[3] Thus, Judea would be governed by Rome until 100 C.E.[4]

In circa 90 B.C.E., the Wife of Aristobulus II was born.[5] While her name remains unrecorded, there are a few details about her background.[6] She was the granddaughter of King John Hyrcanus I of Judea.[7] Her father was Abshalom.[8] She eventually married her first cousin, Aristobulus II.[9] Aristobulus II was the younger son of her aunt, Queen Salome Alexandra.[10] The marriage between Aristobulus II and his wife is the first recorded cousin-marriage of the Hasmonean Dynasty.[11] Despite the fact that it was an arranged marriage, they were very happy and loved each other.[12] The Wife of Aristobulus II gave birth to two sons, Antigonus II Mattathias and Alexander of Judea, and an unnamed daughter.[13] 

At the end of Queen Salome Alexandra’s reign, Aristobulus II must have shown signs that he planned to usurp the throne from his elder brother, John Hyrcanus II.[14] On her deathbed in 67 B.C.E., Queen Salome Alexandra took the Wife of Aristobulus II and her children as hostages to prevent Aristobulus II from rebelling against his brother.[15] However, the attempt proved to be unsuccessful as Aristobulus II managed to take possession of the fortresses and the army.[16] In 66 B.C.E., Aristobulus II deposed his brother, King John Hyrcanus II, and became King of Judea.[17] Therefore, the Wife of Aristobulus II became Queen of Judea.[18] However, their reign was short-lived.[19] John Hyrcanus II never stopped trying to regain his throne.[20] He turned to the Nabateans for help, but Aristobulus II defeated him.[21] In 63 B.C.E., Pompey the Great intervened in the Civil War between John Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II.[22] The Romans conquered Judea.[23] John Hyrcanus II submitted to Roman rule, but Aristobulus II did not.[24] He fought the Romans until he was defeated.[25] Aristobulus II was captured by the Romans, became their prisoner, and was sent to Rome.[26] In 61 B.C.E., Aristobulus II, the former King of Judea and High Priest, was forced to march in Pompey’s triumph.[27]

In 56 B.C.E., Aristobulus II managed to escape from Rome.[28] He tried to regain his throne of Judea and rebelled against Rome.[29] Aristobulus II and his sons surrendered at Machaerus.[30] However, the Wife of Aristobulus II made a deal with Gabinius, the Roman Governor of Judea, to allow her sons to return to Judea.[31] In 49 B.C.E., Aristobulus II was freed by Caesar and decided to join his army in Syria.[32] On his way there, Aristobulus II was poisoned by one of Pompey’s allies.[33] The poison did not kill him.[34] He was captured and taken back to Rome.[35] Upon his arrival, he was assassinated.[36]

John Hyrcanus II became the High Priest but did not regain the throne of Judea.[37] In circa 55 B.C.E., he married his daughter, Alexandra the Maccabee, to Aristobulus II’s son, Alexander.[38] In 49 B.C.E., Alexander led a rebellion against Rome but was defeated.[39] He was executed by the Romans.[40]

After 49 B.C.E., there is no mention of the Wife of Aristobulus II’s fate.[41] Her son, Antigonus II Mattathias, led a rebellion against the Romans but was defeated in 40 B.C.E.[42] He was killed in 37 B.C.E.[43] The next King of Judea was Herod the Great, the founder of the Herodian Dynasty.[44] The Wife of Aristobulus II’s unnamed daughter resisted King Herod the Great’s rule and controlled the fortress of Hyrcania in the Judean Desert for seven years.[45] The Wife of Aristobulus II’s granddaughter, Mariamne I, married King Herod the Great. However, King Herod the Great would execute her in 28 B.C.E. due to a fit of jealousy. The Wife of Aristobulus II is the ancestress of Princess Herodias, Queen Salome, and Queen Julia Berenice I.[46]

Sources:

“Aristobulus II.” (2015, May 12). New World Encyclopedia. Retrieved on April 11, 2023 from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/....

“Aristobulus II (D. 48 B.C.E.).” (2012). In M. Bunson, Facts on File library of world history: Encyclopedia of ancient Rome (3rd ed.). Facts On File.

“Aristobulus II.” (2012). Britannica Biographies, 1.

Ilan, T. (1999, December 31). “Hasmonean Women.” Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Jewish Women’s Archive. Retrieved on April 11, 2023 from https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/....

Ilan, T. (2022). Queen Berenice: A Jewish Female Icon of the First Century CE. Netherlands: Brill.

[1] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[2] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[3] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[4] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[5] Ilan, 2022

[6] Ilan, 2022

[7] Ilan, 2022

[8] Ilan, 2022

[9] Ilan, 2022

[10] Ilan, 2022

[11] Ilan, 2022

[12] Ilan, 2022

[13] Ilan, 2022

[14] Ilan, 2022

[15] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Hasmonean Women”

[16] Ilan, 2022

[17] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[18] Ilan, 2022

[19] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[20] “Aristobulus II”, Britannica Biographies,, 2012

[21] “Aristobulus II”, Britannica Biographies,, 2012

[22] “Aristobulus II”, Britannica Biographies,, 2012

[23] “Aristobulus II”, Britannica Biographies,, 2012

[24] “Aristobulus II (D. 48 B.C.E.),” In M. Bunson, Facts on File library of world history: Encyclopedia of Ancient Rome, 2012

[25] “Aristobulus II (D. 48 B.C.E.),” In M. Bunson, Facts on File library of world history: Encyclopedia of Ancient Rome, 2012

[26] “Aristobulus II (D. 48 B.C.E.),” In M. Bunson, Facts on File library of world history: Encyclopedia of Ancient Rome, 2012

[27] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[28] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[29] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[30] Ilan, 2022

[31] Ilan, 2022

[32] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[33] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[34] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[35] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[36] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[37] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[38] Ilan, 2022

[39] Ilan, 2022

[40] Ilan, 2022

[41] Ilan, 2022

[42] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[43] “Aristobulus II”, New World Encyclopedia, May 12, 2015

[44] Ilan, 2022

[45] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Hasmonean Women”

[46] Ilan, 2022

The post The Wife of Aristobulus II – The last Queen of an independent Judea appeared first on History of Royal Women.

The Wife of John Hyrcanus I – The almost Queen regnant of Judea

The Wife of John Hyrcanus I was Queen of Judea from 135-10 B.C.E. Upon his death in 104 B.C.E., King John Hyrcanus I chose his wife over all his sons to be the next ruler of Judea.[1] However, Judah Aristobulus, her eldest son, strongly opposed his mother’s rule and robbed her of the throne.[2] Her name and early origins largely remain unrecorded.[3] However, her name would have been remembered for millennia had her accession to the throne of Judea been successful.[4]

In circa 155 B.C.E., the Wife of John Hyrcanus I was born.[5] Her name and background remain unrecorded.[6] She was the wife of John Hyrcanus I, who became the High Priest and King of Judea in 135 B.C.E.[7] Therefore, she was Queen of Judea. She gave birth to five sons.[8] They were Judah Aristobulus, Antigonus, Alexander Jannaeus, Abshalom, and a son whose name is unrecorded.[9]

King John Hyrcanus I reigned for thirty-one years. He was considered “a just and enlightened ruler” [10]. He firmly consolidated his rule in Israel.[11] He destroyed a Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim.[12] He converted the Idumeans, who were the inhabitants of Southern Judea, to Judaism by force.[13] He also supported the Sadduceans against the Pharisees because they strongly opposed his rule.[14]

In 104 B.C.E., King John Hyrcanus I died. Before his death, he chose his wife over all his sons to be the next ruler of Judea.[15] However, Judah Aristobulus greatly opposed his mother’s accession to the throne.[16] He believed that, as the eldest son, his mother had robbed him of his birthright.[17] Before his mother could act, Judah Aristobulus declared himself the King of Judea.[18] Then, he killed his mother through starvation.[19]

The Wife of John of Hyrcanus I was the Queen of Judea and was almost its Queen regnant. Even though there are very few details about her life, she must have had ample political acumen if her husband chose her to be his successor instead of their sons.[20] Because her son ousted her from the throne, we do not know what she would have been like as Queen regnant.[21] Instead, she has mostly been erased from history.[22] Yet, she had set a precedent that women could become rulers of Judea.[23] This precedent would allow her daughter-in-law, Salome Alexandra, to become the Queen regnant of Judea in 76 B.C.E.[24]

Sources:

“Hyrcanus I, John”. (2011). In L. Rodger, & J. Bakewell, Chambers Biographical Dictionary (9th ed.). Chambers Harrap.

Ilan, T. (1999, December 31). “Hasmonean Women.” Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Jewish Women’s Archive. Retrieved on April 10, 2023 from https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/....

Ilan, T. (2022). Queen Berenice: A Jewish Female Icon of the First Century CE. Netherlands: Brill.

[1] Ilan, 2022

[2] Ilan, 2022

[3] Ilan, 2022

[4] Ilan, 2022

[5] Ilan, 2022

[6] Ilan, 2022

[7] Ilan, 2022

[8] Ilan, 2022

[9] Ilan, 2022

[10] “Hyrcanus I, John”, 2011, para. 1

[11] “Hyrcanus I, John”, 2011

[12] “Hyrcanus I, John”, 2011

[13] “Hyrcanus I, John”, 2011

[14] “Hyrcanus I, John”, 2011

[15] Ilan, 2022

[16] Ilan, 2022

[17] Ilan, 2022

[18] Ilan, 2022

[19] Ilan, 2022

[20] Ilan, 2022

[21] Ilan, 2022

[22] Ilan, 2022

[23] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Hasmonean Women”

[24] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Hasmonean Women

The post The Wife of John Hyrcanus I – The almost Queen regnant of Judea appeared first on History of Royal Women.

Book News Week 49

*contains affiliate links*

Book news week 49: 4 December – 10 December 2023

 

Gilded Youth: A History of Growing Up in the Royal Family: From the Tudors to the Cambridges 

Hardcover – 5 December 2023 (US & UK)

Queens of the Age of Chivalry (England’s Medieval Queens) 

Paperback – 5 December 2023 (US)

The Palace: From the Tudors to the Windsors, 500 Years of British History at Hampton Court 

Hardcover – 5 December 2023 (US)

 

The post Book News Week 49 appeared first on History of Royal Women.

The Wife of Simon the Hasmonean – The first Hasmonean Queen of Judea

The Wife of Simon the Hasmonean was the founder of the Hasmonean Dynasty. Even though she was Queen of Judea, her name and early origins are largely unrecorded.[1] Even though we know so very little about her, historical accounts portray her as a strong and courageous heroine.[2] She was a war captive, a woman who encouraged her son to exact justice on his father’s murderer while being tortured and died a violent but heroic death.[3] While she remains forgotten in history, she founded an illustrious dynasty.[4]

In circa 180 B.C.E., the Wife of Simon the Hasmonean was born.[5] Her name and background remain unrecorded.[6] Her husband was Simon the Hasmonean, the High Priest and King of Judea.[7] Therefore, she was the Queen of Judea.[8] She gave birth to three sons and two daughters. One of these sons was John Hyrcanus, who was born ca. 165 B.C.E.[9] There was some doubt about John Hyrcanus’s birth.[10] In ca. 168-167 B.C.E., the Wife of Simon the Hasmonean was taken prisoner by the Seleucid king, Antiochus IV, and may have been raped.[11] Because of this doubt, many of John Hyrcanus’s political enemies opposed his accession as the next King of Judea.[12]

Simon the Hasmonean married his daughter to Ptolemy, the Governor of Jericho.[13] In ca. 135 B.C. E., Simon the Hasmonean and his family visited the region to see his daughter and Ptolemy.[14] They stayed in Doq, a desert fortress. It was there that Ptolemy planned to eliminate the Hasmonean royal family and take the throne of Judea for himself.[15] Ptolemy hosted a feast but realised that John Hyrcanus was not there.[16] Immediately, he knew his plan had failed.[17] Ptolemy did manage to kill Simon the Hasmonean and his two sons.[18] Ptolemy then sent assassins to murder John Hyrcanus.[19] Before the assassins could kill him, the news of his father’s murder had already reached John Hyrcanus’s ears.[20]

John Hyrcanus gathered his men and left for Doq to punish his father’s murderer.[21] Once John Hyrcanus arrived at the fortress gates, Ptolemy brought the Wife of Simon the Hasmonean to the turrets of the castle and tortured her in front of her son.[22] This was to dissuade John from attacking the fortress.[23] Nevertheless, the Wife of Simon the Hasmonean pleaded for her son to punish his father’s murderer and not be dissuaded from Ptolemy’s actions.[24] In the end, John Hyrcanus abandoned attacking Doq because of the “advent of the Jewish sabbatical year”.[25] Ptolemy killed the Wife of Simon the Hasmonean and escaped.[26]

The Wife of Simon the Hasmonean’s name has been lost to history. However, history has not forgotten her courage.[27] She was a queen and the mother of the next King of Judea.[28] Even in the face of death, the Wife of Simon the Hasmonean continued to persuade her son to get justice for her husband’s murderer. Even though her efforts were in vain, she continues to be admired for her heroism.[29] The Wife of Simon the Hasmonean is the ancestress of Princess Alexandra the Maccabee, Queen Mariamne I, Princess Herodias, Queen Salome, and Queen Julia Berenice I.[30]

Sources:

Ilan, T. (1999, December 31). “Hasmonean Women.” Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Jewish Women’s Archive. Retrieved on April 10, 2023 from https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/....

Ilan, T. (2022). Queen Berenice: A Jewish Female Icon of the First Century CE. Netherlands: Brill.

Wilker, J. (2017). Noble Death and Dynasty: A Popular Tradition from the Hasmonean Period in Josephus. Journal for the Study of Judaism: In the Persian Hellenistic & Roman Period, 48(1), 69–91.

[1] Ilan, 2022

[2] Wilker, 2017

[3] Wilker, 2022

[4] Ilan, 2022

[5] Ilan, 2022

[6] Ilan, 2022

[7] Wilker, 2017

[8] Wilker, 2017

[9] Ilan, 2022

[10] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Hasmonean Women”

[11] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Hasmonean Women”

[12] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Hasmonean Women”

[13] Wilker, 2017

[14] Wilker, 2017

[15] Ilan, 2022

[16] Ilan, 2022

[17] Ilan, 2022

[18] Ilan, 2022

[19] Ilan, 2022

[20] Ilan, 2022

[21] Ilan, 2022

[22] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Hasmonean Women”

[23] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Hasmonean Women”

[24] Ilan, 31 December 1999, “Hasmonean Women”

[25] Ilan, 2022, p. 22

[26] Ilan, 2022

[27] Wilker, 2017

[28] Wilker, 2017

[29] Wilker, 2017

[30] Ilan, 2022

The post The Wife of Simon the Hasmonean – The first Hasmonean Queen of Judea appeared first on History of Royal Women.

The Duchess of Gloucester’s Pendant Earrings

The Duchess of Gloucester’s Pendant Earrings were inherited by Princess Mary Adelaide, future Duchess of Teck, from her aunt, Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester, in 1857. They were then passed to her daughter, the future Queen Mary, upon her death in 1897.

The earrings each have a “detachable pendant pearl suspended from cut-down collets, within a scrolling, pavé-set frame.”1

Embed from Getty Images

The earrings were given to the future Queen Elizabeth II in 1947, and she wore the pearl tops on her wedding day in November 1947. The tops could easily be worn on their own, and Queen Mary sometimes wore them as pendants on a chain.

The future Queen Elizabeth II on her wedding day (public domain)

Queen Elizabeth II has also worn the complete earrings.

Embed from Getty Images

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