I saw this on One Book More, and could not resist doing it myself. Medieval queens being rather on brand for me and all. The tag was created by Jess from Jessticulates, so a Huzzah to her for creating it!

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Empress Matilda (1102-1167)

After her father, Henry I, died naming her his heir, Matilda’s cousin, Stephen, subsequently took the throne for himself. Matilda never stopped fighting for what was rightfully hers. Though she would never be named Queen of England in her own right, she was able to convince Stephen to name her son, the future Henry II, his successor over his own children.

Choose a book with a protagonist who stands their ground.

The Sea Queen by Linnea Hartsuyker
The Half-Drowned King trilogy #2
Historical Fiction

Six years after the events of The Half-Drowned King, Svanhild has found the adventure and freedom at her husband’s side. But he opposes King Harald Finehair and by extension, Svanhild’s brother Ragnvald. Not everything is going well for either side, though. Svanhild’s young son is a frail boy and she wants to find a home where he can grow up safely, while her husband wants to take him with him on his many sea voyages. Back in Norway, an alliance is growing against Harald and Ragnvald, and the rebellion will have consequences across the islands of the northern seas. Fearing for her son and longing for the freedom to make a life of her own choosing, Svanhild must make a stand or lose everything that she’s worked so hard to gain.

Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204)

Before she married Henry II and became Queen of England in 1152, Eleanor was Queen of France as the wife of Louis VII. She sought an annulment from her marriage to Louis and he eventually agreed because 15 years of marriage had produced no sons, only for Eleanor to go on to have eight children with Henry—five of whom were sons. Ouch!

Choose a book or series in which the heroine has more than one romantic relationship.

The Lost Queen by Signe Pike
The Lost Queen trilogy #1
Historical Fiction

Young Langoureth is a king’s daughter, but she wants nothing more than to learn the ancient magics of her people like her twin brother, Lailoken. But where Lailoken has the freedom to choose his destiny, Langoureth must marry the son of a Christian king to seal an alliance that will defend their lands against invading Saxon forces. Clever, skilled in herbal arts, and passionate, Langoureth yearns for a life beyond her destined marriage, and in the arms of a young warrior she finds love and freedom– for a while. With duty to her husband on one side and loyalty to her own kind on the other, Langoureth must walk a razor fine line between the two, or lost everything she holds dear.

Eleanor of Castile (1241-1290)

A keen patron of literature and a successful businesswoman in her own right, Eleanor was Edward I’s first wife. He was so heartbroken when she died that he erected the Eleanor Crosses, 12 stone crosses marking the places where her body rested over night on its journey from Lincolnshire, where she died, to her burial place in London. Three of the crosses still survive today.

Choose a bittersweet book.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Fantasy

Whether it’s the sadness of the Elves as they watch their world passing away– and go themselves into the west and leave Middle-earth behind forever– or knowing that Legolas will never see Lothlorien in the spring, or knowing that the Ents will not find the Entwives again until all the world is changed forever, or knowing Frodo’s fate at the end, there are so many parts of The Lord of the Rings that I love, but that make me sad because the Third Age of Middle-earth has passed away by the end of it, and much that is beautiful in that world is gone forever. And sure, the characters find a happy end in one way or another, but it’s not without a price.

Also, it’s totally possible to feel nostalgia for a place that never existed outside the imagination.

Isabella of France (1295-1358)

Often known as the ‘She-Wolf of France’, Isabella was Edward II’s wife. Unfortunately for Edward he wasn’t particularly good at being king, and Isabella soon grew tired of his (possibly homosexual) relationship with his favourite, Hugh Despenser. After she began an affair with English nobleman Roger Mortimer while on a diplomatic mission to France, the pair returned to England with an army and she deposed Edward and acted as regent until their son, the future Edward III, came of age.

Choose a book where the romance overtook the plot.

Too many YA fantasies. . .

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas being the first one I can think of. We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal had a romantic subplot that got on my nerves. Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke had a romantic subplot that got old in a hurry. . . I’m not a fan of romances that take over plots.

Philippa of Hainault (1310/15-1369)

Queen of England as the wife of Edward III, Philippa was beloved by the English people for her compassion and kindness. The Queen’s College, Oxford, founded in 1341, is named in her honour.

Choose a book set at a university.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Alex Stern #1
Fantasy/Mystery

Alex Stern has had a rough life marked by strange happenings, but an unexpected offer gives her a second chance at life. She’s been offered a full-ride scholarship to the prestigious Princeton University on the condition that she watch over the magical goings-on of the privileged– and often debauched– Ninth House, a secret society of magic-users on campus. But when the occult practices start getting out of hand, Alex finds herself in the middle of a paranormal investigation that could cost her more than a mere scholarship– it could cost her very soul, too.

Joan of Navarre (1368-1437)

Joan was Henry IV’s second wife. Six years after his death, Joan was accused of attempting to poison her stepson, Henry V, through witchcraft and was imprisoned for four years until he ordered her release, just six weeks before he suddenly died.

Choose a book about witches.

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
Fantasy

For two hundred years, people have blamed the Owens women for all sorts of strange-goings on, so for two hundred years, the Owens women have relied on each other to get through life. From childhood, Gillian and Sally have dealt with the taunts and whispers of the other people in town, and their aunts seem to encourage it all with their witchy behavior, creepy house, and odd concoctions. When they grow up, both Gillian and Sally try to escape the family destiny– one through marriage and the other by running away. But they can’t hide from it forever, and their sisterly bond will bring them back together– almost like magic.

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So that’s the Medieval Queens tag! I don’t tag people, so if you feel like doing it, have at it!