Most of history is taught from the male perspective with emphasis on male conquest and achievement, today we break this cycle.
One historian and author we will read in this class named William Monter, avoids calling female sovereigns “Queens” as it may refer to the “wife of a king” in many European languages, he argues that a woman holding supreme power in her own right is properly described as a “female king”.
In this course we will follow suit with his terminology and analyze six female kings and powerful position holders across various continents of the world. We will learn and analyze these sovereigns in relation to basic and royal life in the time period, and country of the monarch, along with the country’s culture and political dynamics, the monarch’s royal life in general, the early childhood of this monarch, their family ties, rise to power, political accomplishments, historical impacts, their death or fall from power and the aftermath of their life decisions. Then we will transition to analyze how they are portrayed on screen and in media, from documentaries to Hollywood movies, and discuss how this impacts the image they have today.
From big-name players like Cleopatra and Elizabeth the 1st to Ana Nzinga of Angola; we will cover multiple grounds to understand them as women and as politicians.
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There's 1 midterm paper and 1 Final Presentation along with weekly discussion posts. Attendance is mandatory and 20% of final grade.