Emma is a fascinating character who has intrigued
historians since the 12th century, not only because of
her marital history, but also because she left her own
version of the events she lived through. In talking
about her life it might be considered how far was she
able to operate within the constraints of eleventh-century
queenship. How 'exceptional' was she?
Vanessa King is a lecturer teaching medieval and early
modern history at Birkbeck College (since 1999) and
Regent's University (since 2018). I also teach a wide
range of history courses for the adult education college
City Lit.
Vanessa has published several articles on the Anglo-
Saxon bishopric of Worcester, and the impact of the
Black Death on Walsham le Willows, Suffolk and is
currently writing a book on early English queenship
600-1066 for Routledge.
