Originally published on January 31, 2022 (Episode 245)
Introduction
For nearly a century after the First Crusade captured Jerusalem, that ancient city became the nucleus of several kingdoms and principalities established by crusaders. At the political, social, and cultural heart of their subsequent history were a series of remarkable women who exercised power and influence in ways nearly unknown in western Europe at that time.
In Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule (Pegasus Books, 2022), Katherine Pangonis traces the lives of these formidable women, showing how they ruled amid danger, intrigue, and constant conflict, while reshaping both the Holy Land and ideas of women’s political power.
About the Guest
Katherine Pangonis is a historian and writer specializing in the medieval Mediterranean and Middle East.
For Further Investigation
Katherine Pangonis, Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule (Pegasus Books, 2022)
Catherine Hanley, Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior (Yale University Press, 2019) — discussed in Episode 122
Sarah J. Biggs, “Twelfth-Century Girl Power” (British Library Medieval Manuscripts Blog)
💬 Listen & Discuss
How did the crusader queens of Jerusalem wield power differently from their European contemporaries? What lessons can we draw from their leadership? Share your reflections in the comments—and pass this episode along to someone who thinks medieval women had no political influence.
