Playing the Part: Royal Clothing as a Symbol for Queenly Virtue

In the European middle ages, queens served not only as symbols for their empires but also as exemplars of femininity and virtue.  Toeing the line between earthly images of the Virgin Mary, humble mothers, and powerful co-rulers, queens had to balance dynamic and often contradictory representations.  Their clothing and outward presentation served as an emphasis for these virtues, cultivating whatever appearance an individual queen preferred or considered most critical to her role.

Although the highest ranking woman in her country, the queen’s intimate relationship with the king was still dependent upon his ongoing physical attraction to her and her ability to fit the role as his partner.  Her presentation as a beautiful woman is therefore critical to her image and her continued power. We can see this in the Old Testament Book of Esther: Esther is kept for twelve months of purification, covered in oil and dressed in beautiful clothes, so that she is at her most attractive when she finally meets the king.  This focus on beauty continues with Brunhild and Radegund, who are both described as extremely pleasing in appearance when first presented to their future husbands. While their presentation implied that their beauty represented their fitness to rule, this observation is more explicitly addressed in Emorld’s Poem in Honor of Louis, when Queen Judith’s beauty is referenced multiple times in conjunction with her royal attire and grand appearance.  While it is clear that Judith’s display of wealth is a symbol for the monarchy’s wealth, a more subtle symbol is her beauty as a reflection of her successful queenship.  All successful queens were described as physically beautiful; this kept them attractive to their kings, which maintained their intimate relationships and protected their base of power.  By extension, a queen’s feminine appearance acts as a symbol for how fit she is to rule.

Beyond her beauty as a symbol for her success, a queen’s appearance is also a walking representation of the wealth of a nation.  In this way, her appearance serves as a critical public display of the kingdom’s economic well-being, and she is capable of harnessing that appearance to convey a strong political message.  A luxuriously dressed queen does not just communicate her status; it communicates the status of the entire country. That is why it is so emphasized in Ermold’s poem, in which Judith ‘is described as being clothed in riches, wearing golden jewelry, and “captivating in marvelous attire.”  Judith’s luxury presents the strength of her country to foreign powers in a less directly aggressively way than, say, presenting a vast army would. In turn, her gifts to Herold’s wife show that she is wealthy and secure enough to donate these things to others. Her clothing acts as a political tool which she can wield to aid her husband.

Helping her husband diplomatically was one utility of a queen’s appearance, but she could also use her clothing for more personal goals.  Queens frequently managed the religious obligations and ritual performances expected from the ruler.  Wealthy queens could endow abbeys, care for the poor, and acquire relics. Many queens spent the last years of their lives in religious communities.  But a queen’s clothing could serve as a unique example of devotion. Radegund is a classic example of this; her wearing of a hair shirt was the epitome of humble virtue and the denial of luxury, while her donation of her treasure--the same riches that defined Judith’s power in Ermold’s poem--served to support religious communities and their charitable activities. Just as importantly, perhaps, these acts of largesse also indicated the kingdom’s great wealth, insofar as extreme charity was only possible for those who controlled substantial resources.

While a queen’s appearance could be the basis for her personal power with the king as well as a strategic political and social tool, however, its very public nature also meant that it was susceptible to public scrutiny and criticism if she used the power that it provided  incorrectly. Justinian’s empress Theodora, for example, was condemned by Procopius for her obsession with extravagant clothing and jewels. Her attire became a symbol of her greediness and luxuriance, an indulgence that deprived the empire of necessary resource said in favor of satisfying her desires.  

A queen must juggle many roles across her rule.  Clothing and appearance often emphasize her efforts, whether they are political (for Judith) or religious (for Radegund).  A queen’s appearance is also a reminder that her power comes from being the partner of the king and the mother of heirs, meaning that her femininity--and by extension, her beauty--are critical aspects of her power that cannot afford to be overlooked.  While Esther’s twelve months of preparation may have been needed to beautify her, this ceremony also served to symbolically prepare her for queenship, a role that was so essentially defined by her womanhood. Used strategically, a queen’s appearance is a powerful tool.  But if her reputation with the public is weak, or if her public displays are not accompanied by acts of generosity, then a grand appearance can quickly become a source of criticism.