ABSTRACT
The introduction highlights the concept of queenship as an office. Building on the work of scholars such as Theresa Earenfight, it argues that queenship is as necessary and political, albeit unequal, an office as kingship. Mediation and patronage are just some of the activities engaged in by both kings and queens, yet these are often considered public and political when done by the king and private and nonpolitical when done by the queen. Anne of Bohemia’s queenship, during which she worked in conjunction with her husband, shows just how political queenship was, even when a queen was not leading an army or doing something else that struck contemporaries as being out of the ordinary. Finally, the introduction provides an overview of Richard’s reign to help orient readers in the time period and provide the necessary background for Anne’s actions as queen.
