On Female Political Alliances: Sor María de Ágreda's Communities of Letters

In early modern Spain, women formed alliances among themselves and materialized female communities through which they could have an active political life. Studying these communities of and for women allows us to revise the narrative of power at the time, traditionally presented in male terms. The case of María de Ágreda (1604-1665) and the communities of letters that she built around a regular correspondence with religious, nonreligious, noble, and royal women, is particularly interesting for the analysis of female political alliances, since she established well-known ties with important figures across the country, and mobilized significant networks of influence throughout her life. This analysis will help us redefine what female political agency means in early modern Spain and reconstruct its history.