Well, it is September and we are already into the last third of the year. Wow! 2024 has gone quickly and I would like to thank all my readers for your continuing support. It has been an amazing and hectic year, so far.
I even made the national papers in the UK! I was interviewed for an article on the new Amazon Prime tv show, My Lady Jane for The Mirror, separating the facts from the fiction. You can still read the article here.
Book News
I don’t think I would ever choose to put 2 books out within 6 months of each other. That was my publisher’s choice and I did manage to roll with it, thankfully. I had a fabulous book launch for Women of the Anarchy at Oxford Castle in February and another amazing launch for Heroines of the Tudor World in Lincoln in June. Both books have been incredibly well received and had some amazing reviews.
And for those of you in the USA, Canada and Australia, the wait is almost over, Heroines of the Tudor World will be released on 10 September.
Praise for Heroines of the Tudor World:
“Bennett Connolly has an easy, conversation style of writing which welcomes you from the opening pages and draws you into her story. This is her seventh book and her craft is polished and professional.”
“Bennett Connolly’s way with words shows us a picture of that world, colourful, vibrant, and violent.”
“This book should be a staple for those who wish to understand the changing roles of women in society.”
“Sharon Bennett Connolly writes engaging history and is obviously passionate about exploring the lives of women from all backgrounds and different periods of history. Her knowledge and expertise in women’s history really shines through, making this book an absolute joy to read.”
To order Heroines of the Tudor World, click here.
And I have new book news too!
Scotland’s Medieval Queens will by my 8th book and will be released in the UK on 30 January 2025. It is now available for pre-order. Here’s what it’s about:
Scotland’s history is dramatic, violent and bloody. Being England’s northern neighbour has never been easy. Scotland’s queens have had to deal with war, murder, imprisonment, political rivalries and open betrayal. They have loved and lost, raised kings and queens, ruled and died for Scotland. From St Margaret, who became one of the patron saints of Scotland, to Elizabeth de Burgh and the dramatic story of the Scottish Wars of Independence, to the love story and tragedy of Joan Beaufort, to Margaret of Denmark and the dawn of the Renaissance, Scotland’s Medieval Queens have seen it all.
This is the story of Scotland through their eyes.
I love Scottish History and am so proud of this book and cannot wait for you all to read it!
To pre-order Scotland’s Medieval Queens, click here!
Event News
September is rather a busy month for me, with 3 events in one week at the end of the month! So, here’s what’s coming up:
Saturday 7 September:
I shall be co-hosting a panel with Derek Birks at the Historical Novel Society Conference 2024. Held at Dartington Hall in Devon, a whole host of authors a book lovers will be gathering to talk about books. Derek and I have the pleasure of hosting 3 giants of Historical Fiction, Elizabeth Chadwick, David Gilman and Matthew Harffy, to discuss the highs and lows of Writing Medieval.
The in-person event is sold out, but there are still online tickets available here.
Saturday 14 September:
As part of Heritage Open Days in the UK, I shall be putting my tour guide hat back on and giving guided tours around my local – Conisbrough Castle – home of the Warennes and one of the most stunning medieval keeps in England. The ‘Storming Normans’ event will also include children’s’ activities and a medieval re-enactment from the fabulous team at Sudjorvik. And, as its a Heritage Open Day weekend, entry to the castle and access to the events and guided tours is FREE!
Doors open at 10am, with my Castle Tours taking place at 11am and 2pm.
So, do come along if you are in the area.
Saturday 21 September:
I will be in Manchester at a conference for History teachers, presenting a talk entitled ‘Where Were the Women,’ focusing on putting the women back into History.
It is billed as ‘A great day of free History CPD and geekery.’
Hosted by Teachers Talk History, it takes place at the Friends’ Meeting House, 6 Mount Street Manchester M2 5NS
If you are a History teacher in the UK, the event is free – you just need to book your place.
Thursday 26 September:
I will be in Leicester, presenting the annual Scarborough Lecture for the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society.
Women and Magna Carta will look at those women who influenced Magna Carta, or lived through it – and those who used it to assert their rights. They include Matilda de Braose, Nicholaa de la Haye, Ela of Salisbury and Isabel d’Aubigny.
The LAHS Scarborough Lecture is named after the late John Scarborough, Local Leicester man, who after joining LAHS at the age of 21 became a life-long member and supporter of the Society for over 45 years. He was particularly interested in the High Medieval Period.
No booking necessary. Entry to the talk is free of charge.
Doors open from 7.00pm, with tea and coffee available. The lecture will take place at 7.30pm, at the Rattray Lecture Theatre, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester (LE1 7RH).
For more information, click here.
Sunday 29 September:
I will be back in Lincoln for the 2024 Lincoln Book Festival!
Presenting a talk, Lincolnshire Women in History, I will be looking at notable women from Lincoln – and Lincolnshire – in the Medieval and Tudor periods. Highlighting women including the formidable Nicholaa de la Haye, castellan of Lincoln Castle and Sheriff of Lincolnshire, Katherine Swynford, grandmother of the Tudor dynasty, Katherine Willoughby a Tudor duchess who encouraged the spread of Puritanism in Lincolnshire and Protestant martyr Anne Askew, one of only two women to be tortured in the Tower of London.
The talk is at 12 noon and will take place at the Lincoln Arts Centre: University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool Lincoln, LN6 7TS.
Tickets are £7 or £5 for those with a Live Pass, and can be booked online through the Lincoln Book Festival.
7 October:
Looking forward to returning the the Towton Battlefield Society for a talk on my hero, Nicholaa de la Haye. The Society meet at 7pm in Saxton Village Hall. They are very welcoming and only charge a small fee if you are not a member. So, if you want to come along, please do. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there last year!
28 November:
I will be returning to Northampton, for the first time since my graduation there in 1992 and talking about the Women of the Anarchy, focusing on Empress Matilda and her rival, Queen Matilda of Boulogne and highlighting how these two women, unable to wield swords, were still highly influential in the battle for the crown between the Empress and King Stephen.
Tickets will be available from 1 November 2024 and can be booked online here.
Starting at7.30pm, the talk will be held at Delapre Abbey Preservation Trust, Northampton, NN4 8AW.
And that will be all for my programme of talks in 2024. There will be more to come in 2025, with talks already booked at Wallingford, Dorking and Gainsborough Old Hall, among others. But more of that later!
Podcast News
The A Slice of Medieval podcast that I co-host with my friend and fellow author, Derek Birks, is now 2 years old and has gone from strength to strength. We recently recorded our 50th – yes, 50th – episode, which will be out at the end of the month, and just happens to be on one of my favourite topics. If you haven’t tuned in yet, do give us a listen. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Elizabeth Chadwick or take a deep dive into a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
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Have a great September! My very best wishes, Sharon xx
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My Books
Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.
OUT NOW! Heroines of the Tudor World
Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. These are the women who made a difference, who influenced countries, kings and the Reformation. In the era dominated by the Renaissance and Reformation, Heroines of the Tudor World examines the threats and challenges faced by the women of the era, and how they overcame them. From writers to regents, from nuns to queens, Heroines of the Tudor World shines the spotlight on the women helped to shape Early Modern Europe.
Heroines of the Tudor World is now available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.
Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:
Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how Empress Matilda and Matilda of Boulogne, unable to wield a sword themselves, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It shows how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other. Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK. King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Available from all good bookshops Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon. Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org.
Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon, Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.
Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.
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Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.
For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.
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©2024 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS
History... the interesting bits! 
Events surrounding 14th October. Perhaps you can comment on the following :-
The problem stems from the Chronicle of Battle Abbey. From E Searles translation of the Chronicle of Battle Abbey ( ISBN 0-19-822238-6 Oxford Medieval Texts) we learn from page 45 “When the king heard this he refused angrily and ordered them to lay the foundations of the church speedily and on the very spot where his enemy had fallen and the victory had been won.” Yet lower down the page the monks write, starting at line 25, “And so at length, the foundations were laid of what was in those days thought an outstanding building, and they prudently [my emphasis] erected the high altar as the king had commanded, on the very place where Harold’s emblem, which they call a ‘standard’, was seen to have fallen.”
There’s a couple of things I don’t understand. Firstly, since Latin does not have either the definite or indefinite article why does this person use “a standard” and not “the standard” in the translated text. Secondly and more problematic is the idea that the monks lied to early 12th century “historians” that the Abbey was built in accordance with William’s instructions when it wasn’t, and that they waited until the next dynasty of Kings ( Henry II 1154 onwards ) to come clean.
Is it the case that the second quoted sentence is at odds with other earlier accounts so despite being written by those that were closest to the source of the truth, this second sentence is ignored?
I would love to see your thoughts.
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Hi Kevin, my apologies for not getting back to you sooner. It has been a manic week. I’m afraid I don’t have a definitive answer, but I was talking about the location of the battlefield with an archaeologist friend of mine, James Wright, and he’s convinced the abbey is built on the site of the battle. His argument was it was built within living memory of the battle, whereas the suggestions it was built on the wrong site came about 100 years later. And the topography of the land around the abbey does correspond with the descriptions of the battle. So, I’m inclined to believe the abbey is, more or less, built on the site of the Battle of Hastings – or as near as they could given the constraints involved in medieval building technology. Best wishes, Sharon
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