In Spain during the 11th and 12th centuries, women of the royal family, whether married or not, ruled alongside men. They governed shares of the crown lands and wielded remarkable power, partnering with their brothers and fathers.
Some of them, like Sancha Raimúndez, the sister of Alfonso VII of León-Castile, never married at all. Others, such as Elvira Alfonso, sister of the reigning queen, Urraca of León-Castile, wed outside the kingdom and returned home as widows to resume their royal duties. Historian Janna Bianchini explores the bonds among these princesses and how this unusual system ultimately came apart in the 13th century.
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