Articles by CaraBeth

About CaraBeth

I love reading and writing about the royals of medieval Europe- especially the women. My interest was first started by the Plantagenet dynasty, but I decided to dive deeper, and discovered that there were many more fascinating royal dynasties in medieval Europe. Other dynasties I like reading and writing about are; the Capets, and their Angevin branch in Naples and Hungary, the Luxembourgs, the early Hapsburgs, the Arpads, the Piasts, the Premyslids and many more!

Eleanor of Arborea – Sardinia’s Queen and Heroine

August 15, 2020 CaraBeth 1

In the Middle Ages, the Italian island of Sardinia was divided into four regions known as “judicates” or “giudicati”. Each of these regions was ruled by a ruler known as a “judge”. The judges were princes rather than administers of justice. The four provinces of Sardinia were Torres (or Logudoro), Cagliari, Gallura, and Arborea. During [read more]

Bertrade de Montfort – ‘Whom no good man ever praised save for her beauty’

April 25, 2020 CaraBeth 1

Late 11th century France was shocked when their king, Philip I, left his wife for the already-married Bertrade de Montfort. Bertrade’s husband, Fulk IV, Count of Anjou, also had a questionable marital history himself. As for Bertrade, she was seen as a temptress, a beautiful but immoral woman. Countess of Anjou Bertrade was born around [read more]

Kunigunda of Slavonia – A dowager Queen who took a lover

February 2, 2020 CaraBeth 0

Most medieval dowager Queens were expected to live quietly and retire to a chaste and religious life after their husband’s death. Sometimes, if they were still young, they could remarry to a man of fitting rank. Kunigunda of Slavonia is an example of a queen who did neither of these things. Instead, she took a [read more]

Margaret of Bohemia – A funeral instead of a wedding

December 12, 2019 CaraBeth 0

There are many “what-ifs” in history. One major “what-if” is the proposed marriage of Casimir III of Poland to Margaret of Bohemia. This marriage could have improved relations between the neighbouring kingdoms of Bohemia and Poland, as well as provided Casimir with heirs. However, Margaret died soon before the marriage was supposed to happen, relations [read more]

Elizabeth of Pomerania – An Empress of legendary strength

November 12, 2019 CaraBeth 0

Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia married four times. His fourth and last wife was Elizabeth of Pomerania. She was the wife who gave the emperor the most children – six. She was also the only wife to outlive him. Granddaughter of the Polish King Elizabeth of Pomerania was born around 1346 [read more]

Anna of Swidnica – A beloved Empress

October 29, 2019 CaraBeth 0

After the death of his second wife Charles of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia wanted to marry again in order to have a surviving son. He quickly decided that he would marry Anna of Swidnica, who was previously betrothed to his deceased son, Wenceslaus. Anna was the daughter of a second son of a prince of [read more]