This work allows the queens to speak for themselves through their own correspondence, with each letter set in context and a general introduction on the role of the queen in medieval and Tudor England. Including letters from virtually every English queen from Matilda of Scotland to Katherine Parr, this anthology reveals the character and power of many medieval English queens previously neglected by historians as faceless consorts. The letters show these women as considerable political figures in their own right, and as strong, intelligent, occasionally awkward, members of society. Illustrated throughout, and complemented by a genealogical and marriage tables, this resource provides an introduction to the foremost women of medieval and Tudor England.