Medieval British Queens

During the Middle Ages, men ruled -- except when women did. Here are a few of the women who were queens or royal consorts, or otherwise ruled in the British isles, sometimes through their husbands, sons, brothers, and grandsons.

Women married to the Norman kings of England had quite different backgrounds. Here's a list of these English queens, with links to their biographies.

Queens of England by marriage: consorts of Plantagenet kings of England.

Lancaster and York Queens of England by marriage: consorts of Lancaster and York kings of England.

A description of the women characters in Shakespeare's Richard III, including how their actual stories differ from Shakespeare's depiction.

Adela of Louvain biography: a profile of the second wife of Henry I of England.

The first wife of Ethelred the Unready, she was the mother of Edmund II Ironside who briefly ruled England in a transitional time.

Information on Aelfthryth - queen - married to King Edgar the Peaceable and mother of Edward the Martyr and King Aethelred (Ethelred) II the Unready. A biography and carefully selected Net links for more information.

Daughter of Alfred the Great, she led the Mercian Army and helped build Mercia's defenses against the Danish invaders.

Anne Neville, daughter of the Duke of Warwick who was a key figure in the War of the Roses, first married the heir of the Lancaster branch of the Plantagenets, then married the brother of Yorkist king who himself became king Richard III. Her life was not quite what Shakespeare made it out to be.

A biography of Queen Berengaria, wife of Richard I of England. She has the distinction of being the only Queen of England never to set foot on England's soil.

A biographical profile of Catherine of Valois, a daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother of kings.

Basic facts about Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, whose husband wanted to be king of England. Two of her sons did end up as English kings.

Biography of Cecily Neville, Duchess of York. Cecily Neville was mother to two kings of England, and wife to a would-be king. She played a part in the politics of the War of the Roses.

Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen of France and England through her two marriages and ruler of her own territories by right of birth, was one of the most powerful women of the world in the twelfth century. This profile highlights her key contributions.

A biography of Elizabeth of York, Queen of England, whose marriage to Henry VII signaled the end of the War of the Roses and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty.

A gallery of pictures, portraits, and other images of Elizabeth of York, queen of England.

A profile of Elizabeth of York, Queen of England, whose marriage to Henry VII signaled the end of the War of the Roses and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty.

Pictures of Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England at the end of the War of Roses.

A profile of Elizabeth Woodville, including basic facts about her life and continued with a longer biography of Elizabeth Woodville.

Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England, wielded considerable influence and power. But some of the stories told about her may be pure propaganda.

Isabella of Angouleme biography - a profile of Isabella of Angouleme,

About Isabella of France, daughter of Jeanne of Navarre, queen consort of Edward II of England, mother of Edward III and conspirator with Roger Mortimer, her lover.

Lady Jane Grey, a granddaughter of the younger sister of Henry VIII, was briefly queen of England. Read more about her tragic story.

Lady Jane Grey pictures: a gallery of images of the Nine Day Queen of England.

Profile of Judith of France, daughter of the king of France who married two Anglo Saxon kings, first the father and then his son.

A profile of Margaret of Anjou, Queen of England who took an active part in her husband's administration and led the Lancastrians in the early years of the War of the Roses.

An image of Margaret of Anjou, queen of Henry VI, at her court.

A biographical profile of Margaret of Scotland, Saint Margaret, patroness of Scotland.

Matilda of Boulogne was queen of England, consort of King Stephen. She was important not only for her marriage, but also for her part in the war between Stephen and their cousin, the Empress Matilda, fighting for the crown of England.

Matilda of Flanders biography - a profile of Matilda of Flanders, queen of England, married to William the Conqueror.

Biography of Matilda of Scotland, Queen of England, queen consort of Henry I, descendant of Anglo-Saxon English kings, daughter of Saint Margaret of Scotland, and mother of the Empress Matilda, Lady of the English.

She was the queen consort of King Henry I of England, mother of the Empress Matilda, and aunt of Matilda of Boulogne. Her mother was Saint Margaret of Scotland and her father Malcolm III.