In the 10th century, women's prominence was often through marriage or motherhood. Queenship was not much more than being a consort of a king, and mother of his children. Yet some queens and empresses reigned as regents for their sons and founded monasteries and convents. The lives of ordinary women are even more obscure. Some books cover a broader time range, so also include comparative material.
1. The Empress Theophano: Byzantium and the West
... at the Turn of the First Millennium" by Adelbert Davids. Essays in this book use the Empress Theophano, who was from the Byzantine empire and married the western emperor Otto II, to depict the culture of the age at the end of the 10th century, with particular though not sole attention to the images and roles of women.
2. Queens, Concubines and Dowagers
Subtitle: "The King's Wife in the Early Middle Ages." By Pauline Stafford, 1983, reprint 1998. Before the concept of "queen" had expanded into a special role, it was primarily a term for "king's wife" or "king's mother." This book explores queens and empresses of the 10th century for some insight into this role and how it was changing.3. Byzantine Empresses
Subtitle: "Women and Power in Byzantium, AD 527-1204." By Lynda Garland. The author demonstrates clearly the power and influence of many women of Byzantium, from the well-known Theodora, Justinian's wife (and partner in rule), to many who are less well-known.4. Women in Medieval Italian Society 500-1200
by Patricia Skinner, 2001. The chapter, "The Long Tenth Century, 888-1000," documents the history of women just before the explosion of "the age of great women" or "a great age for women" in the next century. The author pays particular attention to the difficulty in finding any sources that deal with women, and then in interpreting those that may be found, given that most are written by men.5. Women's Lives in Medieval Europe: A Sourcebook
Emilie Amt, editor. Covering the entire Middle Ages (5th-15th centuries), the essays look at primary sources (letters, diaries, laws and archeological data) to present a picture of women's lives, including marriage, family and work.6. Uppity Women of Medieval Times
By Viki Leon. A sassy and readable collection of one to two page sketches of women in the medieval period, good for introducing history. The essays, while not at all scholarly, are intelligent, witty and may help prompt further interest and study by the lucky reader.7. Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages
By Viki Leon. Like her "Uppity Women" book, this includes short, witty and well-written sketches of a variety of interesting women. But this version is written for ages 9-12 and focuses on women under age 20. What a great way to interest younger readers in women's history, or history in general!8. Women in Medieval Times
By Fiona MacDonald. Written for ages 9-12, this book uses more of a "social history" approach, looking at how ordinary women in the Middle Ages -- and some women of power and influence -- lived their lives.9. Hrotsvit of Gandersheim
Subtitle: "Contexts, Identities, Affinities, and Performances." By Phyllis R. Brown. Hrostvit, or Hroswitha, was the first woman known to have written dramas. A canoness in a convent in Saxony, she wrote in Latin. A biography, with context and treatment of her works, plus a full bibliography.