Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Katherine Pangonis' new book Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule sheds light on the somewhat overlooked women, queens and princesses of Outremer (the Crusader States). The book is about a dynasty of women who ruled in the Middle East during the medieval period, specifically in the 12th century during the times of the Crusades.
It starts with Morphia of Melitene. She's an Armenian Princess who marries Baldwin II to become the first crowned Queen of Jerusalem. The book looks at her life and the role she played politically during her husband's life and then also the lives of her four daughters including Queen Melisende Jerusalem and Princess Alice of Antioch and then her granddaughters, the daughters of those daughters. As well as the first queen to go on crusade, Eleanor of Aquitaine
Despite living in a quite strongly patriarchal and medieval environment, these women were able to seize real power due to the instability in the region. The fact that Morphia had four daughters was a major factor as well. There were no sons to inherit, which meant that women were able to succeed in political positions and actually wield power.
— BUY KATHERINE'S BOOK —
Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule worldhistory.org/books/164313924X
Katherine's Website katherinepangonis.com
— SUPPORT US VIA OUR PATREON —
patreon.com/join/whencyclopedia
— BUY OUR MERCH —
https://www.worldhistory.store/ (https://www.worldhistory.store/%E2%80%8B)
— CHAPTERS —
0:00 Introduction
0:53 What is the book all about?
1:55 Is there a gap in the scholarship around the Crusades?
4:27 Which women are focussed on in the book?
10:52 William of Tyre and other Medieval sources
16:43 Working through the bias of Medieval sources
21:00 Eleanor of Aquitaine as a Crusader Queen
30:33 Katherine favourite woman in the book
33:31 Outro
— WANT TO KNOW MORE? —
Kingdom of Jerusalem worldhistory.org/Kingdom_of_Jerusalem
Crusader States worldhistory.org/Crusader_States
Crusades worldhistory.org/Crusades
Antioch worldhistory.org/Antiochia
Edessa worldhistory.org/edessa
Eleanor of Aquitaine worldhistory.org/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine
Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule Book Review worldhistory.org/review/262/queens-of-jerusalem-the-women-who-dared-to-rule
— WATCH —
Eleanor of Aquitaine: the Medieval Queen of England and France in the High Middle Ages youtube.com/watch?v=qAP7OHmBcZY (Ages%20https%3A//youtube.com/watch?v=qAP7OHmBcZY)
The Crusades: A Brief History of the Medieval Religious Wars youtube.com/watch?v=E33qpetUCVQ
Courtly Love in the High Middle Ages youtube.com/watch?v=HxfEMc6Z2aY
A Short History of the Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts youtube.com/watch?v=pewasA24hPs
— ATTRIBUTIONS —
The music used in this recording is the intellectual copyright of Michael Levy, a prolific composer for the recreated lyres of antiquity, and used with the creator's permission. Michael Levy's music is available to stream at all the major digital music platforms. Find out more on:
ancientlyre.com
open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2vFEg8DmOJ5YCRm4A5v?si=emacIH9CRieFNGXRUyJ9
youtube.com/channel/UCJ1X6F7lGMEadnNETSzTv8A
World History Encyclopedia
worldhistory.org
Katherine Pangonis' new book Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule sheds light on the somewhat overlooked women, queens and princesses of Outremer (the Crusader States). The book is about a dynasty of women who ruled in the Middle East during the medieval period, specifically in the 12th century during the times of the Crusades.
It starts with Morphia of Melitene. She's an Armenian Princess who marries Baldwin II to become the first crowned Queen of Jerusalem. The book looks at her life and the role she played politically during her husband's life and then also the lives of her four daughters including Queen Melisende Jerusalem and Princess Alice of Antioch and then her granddaughters, the daughters of those daughters. As well as the first queen to go on crusade, Eleanor of Aquitaine
Despite living in a quite strongly patriarchal and medieval environment, these women were able to seize real power due to the instability in the region. The fact that Morphia had four daughters was a major factor as well. There were no sons to inherit, which meant that women were able to succeed in political positions and actually wield power.
— BUY KATHERINE'S BOOK —
Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule worldhistory.org/books/164313924X
Katherine's Website katherinepangonis.com
— SUPPORT US VIA OUR PATREON —
patreon.com/join/whencyclopedia
— BUY OUR MERCH —
https://www.worldhistory.store/ (https://www.worldhistory.store/%E2%80%8B)
— CHAPTERS —
0:00 Introduction
0:53 What is the book all about?
1:55 Is there a gap in the scholarship around the Crusades?
4:27 Which women are focussed on in the book?
10:52 William of Tyre and other Medieval sources
16:43 Working through the bias of Medieval sources
21:00 Eleanor of Aquitaine as a Crusader Queen
30:33 Katherine favourite woman in the book
33:31 Outro
— WANT TO KNOW MORE? —
Kingdom of Jerusalem worldhistory.org/Kingdom_of_Jerusalem
Crusader States worldhistory.org/Crusader_States
Crusades worldhistory.org/Crusades
Antioch worldhistory.org/Antiochia
Edessa worldhistory.org/edessa
Eleanor of Aquitaine worldhistory.org/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine
Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule Book Review worldhistory.org/review/262/queens-of-jerusalem-the-women-who-dared-to-rule
— WATCH —
Eleanor of Aquitaine: the Medieval Queen of England and France in the High Middle Ages youtube.com/watch?v=qAP7OHmBcZY (Ages%20https%3A//youtube.com/watch?v=qAP7OHmBcZY)
The Crusades: A Brief History of the Medieval Religious Wars youtube.com/watch?v=E33qpetUCVQ
Courtly Love in the High Middle Ages youtube.com/watch?v=HxfEMc6Z2aY
A Short History of the Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts youtube.com/watch?v=pewasA24hPs
— ATTRIBUTIONS —
The music used in this recording is the intellectual copyright of Michael Levy, a prolific composer for the recreated lyres of antiquity, and used with the creator's permission. Michael Levy's music is available to stream at all the major digital music platforms. Find out more on:
ancientlyre.com
open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2vFEg8DmOJ5YCRm4A5v?si=emacIH9CRieFNGXRUyJ9
youtube.com/channel/UCJ1X6F7lGMEadnNETSzTv8A
World History Encyclopedia
worldhistory.org
