THE PROCESS OF building the identity of heir princes in the late Middle Ages was intrinsically related to their education and the social networks established during the early years of their childhood. It was also during this period of their lives that they acquired a level of awareness of the mechanics of the royal court. They established their first contact with servants and vassals alike and also developed their paternal and maternal bonds. During this time the attention paid by the queen towards her offspring, particularly towards the heir, reflected the employment of motherhood as a way to gain political influence, both over the heir and the court.

If that relationship between queen and heir was successful, it allowed some women to elevate their status as queen mother once their offspring had become rulers in their own right. This chapter explores that scenario and reflects on the comparisons between dowager queens in Europe and Africa. It has been established that, like their European counterparts, African queens played an important role in the political development of their kingdoms. However, in the case of African monarchies I explore scenarios not replicated in Europe, such as polygamy and its effect on these relationships. This chapter also addresses the points in common between queen mothers in the two regions, with the aim of understanding the queen mother as a figure of power and authority. This chapter will draw a unified vision of their role by understanding their actions as queen mothers, as well as their function from a political perspective.

The Authority of the Queen Mother: The Universal Value of the Transmission of Inheritance

Far from being passive agents of reproduction, these women had great influence, because they perpetuated the lineage and thereby granted succession rights to their offspring. This influence was seen in both Christian European monarchies and polygamous African societies. Polygamy in African societies was often linked to the religion practised in the state, as, for example, when Islam was the official religion, but religion was not the only factor. The coexistence of different tribal clans and the need to strengthen royal power through multiple marriages were also important factors. This was evident in the kingdom of Biu in Nigeria, a non-Muslim patrilineal state, where the king married multiple local women for political reasons.