This thesis explores the relationship between gender norms and political power in seventeenth century Portugal through the regency of Queen D. Luisa de Gusmao (1656-1662). It discusses D. Luisa's use of the proscribed gender roles of the seventeenth century in order to gain political stability at court, which enabled her to conduct diplomatic relations with other European powers. Her actions are analyzed and compared against the accepted gender roles of the time to show that she manipulated the men around her by over-emphasizing the female stereotype, leading them to believe that she was behaving in manners that were expected of her as a queen regent and mother. Instead, she used this as a cover to achieve her own agenda and fix some of the mistakes made by her late husband, D. Joao IV. The end result was a victory in their war against Spain, and the continuance of Portuguese independence after a brief Iberian Union (1580-1640). This fits one more piece into the puzzle of women's history, especially in relation to the power of the queen regent. It also adds to the scholarship of this period, one that has until recently been mostly neglected by Portuguese historians.