The Queen’s Courts for Women

The Queen’s Courts for Women were audiences held by Alysanne Targaryen during royal progress, creating a dedicated forum in which women and girls could bring their fears, concerns, and hopes to the queen. First described at Duskendale, these courts became an important and recurring feature of the royal journeys to come.

Purpose and First Audience

Alysanne Targaryen’s first court for women took place at Duskendale during her journey with Jaehaerys Targaryen. The progress had begun modestly in the Crownlands and was intended to continue toward the Vale; because the queen was with child, Jaehaerys was concerned that the travel should not overtax her. While the king inspected Lord Darklyn’s boatyards and spent an afternoon fishing, Alysanne held her audience, establishing a distinct public role for the queen alongside the king’s activities.

Access and Practice

Only women and girls were admitted, but rank was no barrier: visitors of high or low birth were encouraged to come forward. The account describes the audience as a place to share personal fears, practical concerns, and hopes with the young queen. Rather than a meeting confined to the court’s noblewomen, it invited women from across the social hierarchy to speak directly to her. The evidence identifies this practice without setting out a formal procedure or particular decisions made in response to those who attended.

Place in Royal Progress

The first audience was held at Duskendale, after the royal party had visited Stokeworth and Rosby. The journey was then due to continue to Maidenpool in the Riverlands before crossing the Bay of Crabs toward Wickenden, Gulltown, and the Vale. The courts were not a one-time occasion: they were to become an important part of every royal progress that followed. Their recurrence made the queen’s audiences a continuing feature of the monarchy’s movement through the realm, distinct from the king’s inspections and visits, and offered women a direct route to present their concerns to the queen.