Covering the role of imperial women in the period of the Crusades, this text explores why they were able to wield immense power during the 11th century and yet lost their position of influence a century later. It looks at various themes including kinship and the use of marriage alliances.

This book will be essential reading for anyone studying Byzantine history in this period. It ranges in time from the death of the emperor Basil II in 1025 to the sacking of the city of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusaders in 1204, spanning the rise and fall of the successful Komnenos dynasty. Eleventh-century Byzantine history is unusual in that imperial women were able to wield immense power and in this ground-breaking book Dr Hill explores why this was possible and, equally, why they lost their position of influence a century later.