The symbolic construction of queenship: Violant of Hungary and the paradox of memory on the 775th anniversary of her death

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.28939/iam.debats-140.5

Keywords:

queenship, colective memory, Violant of Hungary, Jaimes I, agency, Middle Ages

Abstract

This article examines the symbolic construction of queenship through the figure of Violant of Hungary and her uneven presence in Valencian collective memory. Despite her documented role as a political actor—engaged in counsel, diplomacy, and patrimonial management—her historical agency has been overshadowed by the dominant narrative centred on James I. By analysing sources such as the Llibre dels feyts alongside contemporary festive memory, the study highlights the tension between historical reality and symbolic representation. It argues that Violant’s marginalization stems not from a lack of agency but from historiographical and memorial processes that prioritize male figures, transforming the queen into a depoliticized icon.

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Author Biography

Lledó Ruiz Domingo, Universitat Jaume I

Lledó Ruiz Domingo és doctora en Història Medieval per la Universitat de València (2020) i ha estat investigadora postdoctoral a la Universidade de Lisboa. La seua activitat investigadora se centra en les dones de la reialesa baixmedieval, amb especial atenció a l’autoritat, el govern i la gestió patrimonial de les reines de la Corona d’Aragó. Actualment és professora d’història medieval a la Universitat Jaume I

References

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Ruiz Domingo, L. (2022). Reginalitat a la Corona d’Aragó: concepte i significació de “ser reina” a la baixa edat mitjana. Recerques, 81, 37-58. Doi:10.31009/recerques.2022.i81.02.

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Vinyoles,T. (2005). Història de les dones a la Catalunya medieval. Barcelona: Biblioteca d’Història de Catalunya.

Ruiz Domingo, L. (2025). «El nostre offici de reina». Mediación, autoridad e intervención política de la reina María de Luna en las luchas de bandos del reino de Valencia de 1404. Hispania. Revista Española de Historia, 85/279, 1214, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3989/hispania.2025.1214

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Published

2026-10-07

How to Cite

Journal on culture, politics and society, D. and Ruiz Domingo, L. (2026) “The symbolic construction of queenship: Violant of Hungary and the paradox of memory on the 775th anniversary of her death”, Debats. Journal on culture, power and society, 140, pp. 82–95. doi: 10.28939/iam.debats-140.5.

Issue

Vol. 140 (2026): El món de Jaume I i el nostre

Section

SPECIAL ISSUE

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