Kings & Queens 15: Kings, Queens and Dynasties in Peril

The Royal Studies Network and the Research Centre on Courts and Residences of the Institute of History of the Czech Academy of Sciences are delighted to announce that the next Kings & Queens conference will be held in the Czech Republic in Prague. The fifteenth Kings & Queens conference will focus on Kings, Queens and Dynasties in Peril, as 2026 marks the anniversary of several key historical events of 1306, 1526 and 1806, which affected the existence of the Bohemian Kingdom and numerous other dynasties and monarchies, not only in Central Europe.

The assassination of the young King Wenceslas III in 1306 marked the unexpected end of the Přemyslid dynasty. Of the legitimate members of the royal family, only the Přemyslid women and the royal widow remained without any surviving male offspring. A literal game for the throne commenced between the royal men, women and the nobility. After several years of fighting, intrigues and battles, the Luxembourg dynasty emerged victorious. In 1526, the young King of Bohemia and Hungary, Louis II of Hungary-Bohemia, died unexpectedly in the Battle of Mohács, as did numerous leading aristocrats and courtiers. The king was survived by a childless widow, Queen Mary of Austria. His demise left the thrones of both the Bohemian and Hungarian kingdoms vacant, and they were eventually assumed by the Habsburgs. Anna of Hungary-Bohemia, the wife of the new ruler Ferdinand of Austria, gave birth to ten children, who ensured the unique position of the Habsburg dynasty via their marriages. For a long time, the Habsburg Monarchy seemed to be on a trajectory of continued prosperity. Most recently, in 1806, one of Emperor Napoleon’s many moves to threaten the old European monarchies culminated in the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine and the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire. This transformation marked not only the end of one of Europe’s institutions, but also a profound restructuring of dynastic structures. What were the consequences of Napoleon’s actions, which created new royal dynasties, and what was the fate of the men and women of the old and new royal families?

The weaknesses and threats to various dynastic empires have consistently come to the fore in critical and unforeseen circumstances. However, it is evident that these situations often had deeper origins. Sometimes, these were long-standing concerns pertaining to the mental or physical health of the rulers, the infertility of royal couples or the mortality of their children, the rivalries between relatives, or the demands of the nobility for a share in the governance of the country.

The theme is divided into five main areas of research:

1. Deposition and rejection of rulers
2. Waiting for successors
3. Handicaps and disabilities of monarchs 
4. Death as a new beginning
5. Shaping of royal men and women

Key Speakers:

Assoc. prof. Jonathan Spangler (Manchester Metropolitan University)
Assoc. prof. Cindy McCreery – prof. Robert Aldrich (The University of Sydney)

Call for Papers

To propose a 20-minute paper, please submit your abstract (up to 250 words) with a short bio of the presenter(s) to kq26prague@hiu.cas.cz by 31 January 2026. Proposals for panels should include a maximum of four papers and provide the same information. Selected applicants will be notified by 28 February 2026. The
conference will be held in English.

For more information about the conference and updates, please visit the Royal Studies Network website (https://www.royalstudiesnetwork.org/k-q-conference-serie) and the Centre for Research on Courts and Residences website and social media (https://www.hiu.cas.cz/en/centre-for-research-on-courts-and-residences).

Conference Fees:

For researchers: 180 EUR
For PhD Candidates: 160
EUR Excursion: 30 EUR

Further information on the conference fees will be made available after the acceptance of the papers.

Organizing Committee:

Institute of History CAS  
Dana Dvořáčková (Malá) 
Eva Doležalová 
Zuzana Vařáková
Michaela Žáková
Michal Vokurka
Jan Zelenka

Royal Studies Notwork
Ellie Woodacre
Dustin Neighbors