It has come to my attention that I have neglected to fully address a queen’s duties in my “On the Governance of the Palace.” To rectify this, I have created a list of Do’s and Don't’s for future queens (and women related to kings).
DO what will help the king achieve his goals. Remember, everything you do is for the greater good of the king and his kingdom. Make sure the palace is in proper order. The correct gifts should be given to the correct people; if they aren’t, you might insult the recipient of the gift and cause animosity between the recipient and the king. If the king is away, assume the duties he is unable to do. For example, when Charlemagne was out on a military campaign, Fastrada was left to hold court at the royal residence in Frankfurt. There, she declared judgement on those who had been accused of a crime. Although Charlemagne was the one to carry out those judgments, Fastrada declared them because her husband couldn’t. She helped the king achieve his goals because she took on the king’s responsibilities when he was away.
DON’T go against the king’s wishes. When it comes to his children, his daughters specifically, the king knows how to plan properly for them and protect his interests. Charlemagne knew how to do this. He used his daughters as instruments to keep the palace in check. He didn’t allow them to marry so that they could be used as his spies. Because they were women, they were more inconspicuous than men, which allowed them to move through the palace and gather information. They were entirely dependent upon their father because he didn’t allow them to marry. This way, they couldn’t produce any heirs to the throne or have any lineage that had claims to the throne. Through Charlemagne’s planning, his daughters had a special place in the court that allowed them certain privilege. If they had gone against the king’s wishes, they surely would have been killed.
DO whatever necessary to preserve the kingdom. Empress Irene is a perfect example of this. When her husband, Leo IV, died, she became her son’s, Constantine’s, regent because he was too young to rule by himself. She tonsured Leo’s brothers, so her son could have the best chance at becoming emperor. When Constantine became emperor, he repaid his mother for all her hard work by exiling her. His reign was a complete disaster, however. As a result of this, Irene’s supporters arrested him and she took his place as ruler. Throughout her rule, Irene strengthened the kingdom and did what was best for it. Although there was no male ruler, Irene kept the integrity of the kingdom.
DON’T just have a daughter. Although daughters can be useful, as seen with Charlemagne’s daughters, kings want sons who can carry on their line. When a king has a son, he will most likely be next in line for the throne. If he has a daughter, the daughter will marry someone who is an outsider and he will take over the throne and the kingdom will no longer be controlled by the king’s lineage. When a queen gives birth to a son, it is her crowning achievement. It solidifies her position because the whole kingdom knows that she can successfully produce an heir. If she has a daughter, it shows she can produce children, but if the queen can’t have a son, the king will look for another wife.
Being a queen is a hard task. The most important thing you can do is be the queen your husband wants you to be. Do this, and you will celebrated as much as your husband.
No comments:
Post a Comment