Royal Women and Their Political Networks in Late Medieval Iberia: Practices, Agents, and Relational Mechanisms of Power

Resumen

This monographic issue examines the political networks through which royal women exercised power in late medieval Iberia (c. 1350–1500). Building on the historiographical advances of queenship studies and the new political history, the volume approaches power as a relational phenomenon, articulated through practices, agents, and mechanisms rather than as a static attribute of royal office. By focusing on queens and princesses of the Crown of Aragon, Castile, Portugal, and Navarre, the contributions highlight the centrality of human networks in processes of governance, mediation, and political negotiation.

The articles gathered here explore a wide range of contexts and practices, including royal households, delegated administration, gift-giving, widowhood, epistolary communication, and diplomatic interaction. Methodologically, the volume combines close analysis of documentary sources with relational and network-based approaches, including social network analysis and spatial mapping, in order to reconstruct patterns of connectivity, delegation, and influence. Particular attention is paid to moments of transformation and fragility, showing how networks could both sustain and erode female authority over time.

As a result of the research project REGINET, this volume argues that the study of political networks is essential for understanding the exercise of female power in medieval Iberia and offers a comparative framework for reassessing the role of royal women within late medieval political systems.