Income and Expenditures

Abstract

The details of a queen’s income and expenditures that are examined here provide evidence of the political and economic importance of their reigns. This chapter first explains how the grander royal court functioned, how it became increasingly expensive and complicated to maintain, and how the queens’ households operated independently within it. The chapter also explores the physical space and activities of the royal households; the selection and function of the queens’ male staff especially their councils and of their female attendants the selection of their wardrobe and jewels and their participation in gift exchanges and patronage. How the queens collected and dispensed their resources had a significant impact on the economy both within and beyond the court.