‘My daughter wanted me to treat her more like a princess.
So, I married her to a stranger to strengthen the alliance with Poland!’
From dutiful daughters to runaway nuns, from empresses to rebels. The life of a medieval princess was, perhaps, not as predictable as we have been led to believe. At times, it is true, they were married off to a foreign prince, never to see England or their family again. But we can count the number of girls that happened to on one hand. Which is quite remarkable, given the distances and pace of travel in medieval times, when a horse could cover around 20 miles a day and a horse litter, the popular form of travel for noble women, would cover far less than that.
Some princesses even visited home after they married or were visited by members of their family; some never even left England.
Marrying your daughter to a prince in a distant land and never hearing from her again was not the purpose of a royal marriage. It was never in the king’s interest to abandon his daughter, or sister, once she was married abroad. Royal daughters were raised to be a personal and diplomatic link to their homeland. They were the means of keeping communications open when all other options failed; private letters were used to warn against treachery or prevent a breakdown in diplomatic relations.
Some did escape this destiny. For instance, a number of William the Conqueror’s daughters became nuns. Cecilia had that life decided for her from a young age, but Adelida appears to have chosen this course after a number of failed marriage proposals. Perhaps she had had enough of the royal marriage market? King Stephen’s daughter, Mary, was also destined for the Church, with her parents even founding a religious house for her. Kidnapped for her royal blood, and forced into marriage, she would return to the convent after becoming a mother. The scandal was not of her making, unlike Gunhild, the daughter of King Harold II, who seems to have had a rather relaxed attitude to marriage and relationships; a woman before her time – by about 1,000 years! Gunhild had spent time in the convent, possibly having sought sanctuary after the Norman Conquest. There is uncertainty as to whether she ever took her vows; though the church seemed to believe she had and sought her return to the cloistered life.
Mary of Woodstock
Edward I’s daughter, Mary of Woodstock, was also destined for a career in the church, though she does not appear to have been suited to the contemplative lifestyle. She managed to spend as much time as she could at court; her father and brother regularly paying off gambling debts. Controversy even followed her beyond the grave, when John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey, trying to obtain a divorce from Mary’s niece, Joan of Bar, claimed that he had had an affair with her, a nun!
The last medieval royal nun was Bridget of York, the seventh and youngest daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville. Only 3 years old when her father died and she and her siblings were declared illegitimate, by 1489 Bridget was living at Dartford Priory, in the care of its Prioress, Elizabeth Cressener. Although she was cloistered, Bridget was not forgotten, nor isolated from her family. In 1492, she was able to attend her mother’s funeral. She was remembered in the will of her grandmother Cecily Neville, Duchess of York and Elizabeth of York’s wardrobe accounts from 1502 to 1503 indicate that the queen sent money to her sister at Dartford.
One English princess travelled far from home, into Kyivan Rus. King Harold’s oldest daughter, Gytha, came from a different society and generation. The Godwin family had strong Scandinavian ties, and it would have been natural for Gytha and her brothers to look for shelter and a future within that sphere, which stretched all the way to the court of the Grand Princes of Kyiv, as far away from the conquering Normans as possible.
Following the Norman Conquest, the focus of England’s foreign policy changed. Royal daughters were married into the European countries that would benefit England, those with close links geographically and culturally.
While English kings married French princesses, and Scottish kings married English princesses, the reverse happened rarely, if ever. Only one Scottish princess, Matilda of Scotland, married an English king, Henry I. And no English princess ever married a French king or an heir to the French throne, not in medieval times. The closest we came to it was Blanche of Castile, granddaughter of Henry II and niece of King John, who married the future Louis VIII. With John having no legitimate daughter at the time, he had to be creative and reach out to his wider family for a suitable princess to cement the fragile peace between him and Philip II of France.
Empress Matilda depicted at the coronation of her granddaughter, Matilda of England, as Duchess of Saxony, in an image from the Gospels of Henry the Lion.
Although no English princess became a queen of France, that is not to say English princesses did not marry Frenchmen. It is, perhaps, a clear indication of the animosity of Anglo-French relations in medieval times that kings of England were far happier to marry their daughters to the counts and dukes of the many semi-autonomous regions of France, such as Brittany, Toulouse and Blois; regions that challenged and stalled the expansion of the kingdom of France itself. The marriages of daughters into Germany, the Low Countries and Spain also served the policy of containing England’s biggest rival within its borders and preventing expansion into territories that could threaten England’s trading routes and sphere of influence.
Royal women journeyed great distances to marry. Empress Matilda is, perhaps, the most famous, but also Joanna Plantagenet, Henry II’s daughter and Richard I’s sister, and Isabella, Henry III’s sister, travelled further than most of the English princesses. While Empress Matilda remained close to her family through letters, there may also have been a meeting with her father on the borders of their respective domains in the late 1110s. Of Joanna and Isabella, each received visits from their brothers. Though in Isabella’s case it was her brother Richard, rather than Henry himself, she would also have met up with her younger sister, Eleanor, who stayed in Italy while her husband, Simon de Montfort, joined her brother Richard on Crusade. And in Joanna’s case, it was a little more than a visit, joining her brother, Richard the Lionheart, in the Third Crusade. But it seems apparent that both brothers, on their way to the Crusades, planned their routes to facilitate a meeting with their respective sisters.
And then there were the scandals, King Henry I’s illegitimate daughter, Juliane, who tried to kill her own father with a crossbow. And Joan, Lady of Wales, the illegitimate daughter of King John, the wife of Llywelyn the Great, who was found in her husband’s bedroom with another man. Such stories serve to demonstrate that life was did not always give royal women a ‘happily ever after’.
There were also royal daughters who were not born as princesses, but achieved that style through their father’s claiming of the English throne. Of William the Conqueror’s daughters, only the youngest, Adela, Countess of Blois, was born ‘in the purple’. We know this as Godfrey of Reims wrote a poem saying just that:
The duke’s child would rise to become an excellent woman, The goddess did not think it sufficient for her to be of ducal status. The royal virgin obtained by fate that her father would be king. In order for Adela to be the daughter of a king, the Fates allowed the father to establish himself as king. Because the virgin was not allowed to leave the womb Her father owed the kingdom of England to her
Philippa, Queen of Denmark, Norway and Sweden
Later, Henry of Bolingbroke’s seizure of the throne in 1399 created two new princesses of England, Blanche and Philippa. Their mother, Mary de Bohun, had died giving birth to Philippa in 1394 and in 1398, their father had been sent into exile; only to return the following year and force Richard II’s abdication. Their father’s accession as Henry IV saw the two girls’ marriage prospects improve dramatically. As the daughters of a duke, they would have expected to marry a rich heir to English lands. As the daughters of a king, they were now bargaining chips in international relations. Marriage would see Philippa become queen of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, while Blanche would travel to Germany to become Countess Palatine, taking with her a magnificent, jewel-encrusted crown that has survived to this day. Blanche fulfilled her duties by producing a son and heir, in what appears to have been a happy and loving marriage. Philippa never realised the joy of motherhood but ably attended to her duties as queen in other ways, as a protector and patron of her people, even leading the defence of Copenhagen, and a trusted consort and regent for her husband, King Eric.
Though not technically princesses, even illegitimate daughters could prove useful to kings. Henry I, in particular, would use his 10 illegitimate daughters to strengthen and cement alliances just as legitimate princesses could have been, with one Sybilla of Normandy becoming Queen of Scots, on her marriage to King Alexander I. The advantage to a king was that such marriages brought kings and rivals into the family, without passing on any claim to the English throne, thus being no threat to the king’s legitimate heirs.
As a usurpation can make princesses, as in the case of Henry IV’s daughters, it can also unmake them. With Richard III’s seizure of the throne in 1483, the daughters of Edward IV went from being the pampered darlings of England, with glittering futures ahead of them, to the bastardised daughters of a bigamous dead king.
What a change in fortunes!
The York sisters from the window in Canterbury Cathedral
As events unfolded in the summer of 1483, and the two princes were held in the Tower of London, gradually seen less and less within the precincts of the fortress, until they were no longer seen at all, Elizabeth of York and her sisters remained in sanctuary with their mother. A focus for political disaffection and an embarrassment to the new regime, it was a situation that Richard III could not allow to continue. Rumours abounded that plans were afoot to sneak the old king’s daughters out of Sanctuary and away to the Continent, safely beyond the reach of Richard and at the disposal of loyal Yorkists wanting to reinstate the line of Edward IV. To thwart such plans, Richard decided to open negotiations with Elizabeth Woodville, to persuade her to allow her daughters to leave sanctuary. Agreement was reached in March 1484, whereby Elizabeth of York and her sisters would be treated as befitted the king’s kinswomen.
After almost a year within the confines of Westminster Abbey, the daughters of Edward IV emerged from their sanctuary and were given lodgings at court. They had lost the prospect of dazzling futures as queens and duchesses and their status was now forever tainted by the questions over their legitimacy.
Richard III himself did have at least two illegitimate children and one of those was a daughter, Katherine. She would not be a princess, but as the natural daughter of a king, she has her place in history. Unfortunately, the information on Katherine Plantagenet is scant. Her date and year of birth are unknown. Given Richard’s reputation for piety and loyalty, it is assumed that she was born before Richard’s marriage to Anne Neville in 1472, as she herself was married in 1484. The minimum age for girls to marry was 12, but most parents waited until their daughters were 14 or 15, at least, before finding them husbands. Richard chose his friend William Herbert, Earl of Huntingdon, as his daughter’s husband. Herbert agreed to provide Katherine with a jointure worth £200 a year. For his part, the king agreed to bear the costs of the marriage and to endow that couple with lands and lordships that they could pass on to their male heirs. Katherine died before the coronation of Elizabeth of York in 1486 and was buried in the church of St James Garlickhithe, London.
Crown of Blanche of England
The experiences of the royal daughters throughout the the medieval era are disparate, not just in their futures but even in their family lives as they were growing up. Not all princesses were made in the same mould and each one found her own way to deal with her life and the cards that she was dealt. In my research I frequently discovered instances of happy medieval marriages – and even if a marriage was not based on love, it did not mean that it would not be successful. Indeed, in many such cases the young woman concerned found her own way of succeeding, whether it was through her children or the management of estates – or the fact that a lasting peace was achieved between her two countries.
Events in England would surely have taught them to weather the storms of married life – and international relations.
One thing is certain, these women were not mere pawns, or ornaments on the arm of a king, prince, duke or lord. They were not simply baby-making machines. Yes, in the masculine world they inhabited, a boy was always a prime requirement. A son was needed to continue the family line, to rule and command armies. But daughters were also necessary. They had a purpose – to seal alliances and to act as diplomats to protect English interests in the countries into which they married.
Their stories are quite remarkable.
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Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest and Princesses of the Later Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets tell the stories of England’s royal daughters from 1066 to the rise of the Tudors, from the last Anglo-Saxon princesses to the fall of the House of York.
Were they really pampered pawns sent off to marriages on the Continent, out of sight and out of mind?
Perhaps, there was different story, where a foreign marriage does not mean eternal exile, but a purpose in life, where a princess is a diplomat, an ambassador for England in her new country.
Where she is the bond between allies – most of the time.
Their stories are touching, inspiring and, at times, heartbreaking...
Praise for Princesses of the Early Middle Ages:
Heidi Malagisi: ‘This is another excellent book by Sharon Bennett Connolly. Extremely well researched and relatively easy to follow along, which is a great thing because there are so many Matildas and Eleanors in this book.‘
Tony Riches: “I challenge anyone with an interest in medieval Britain to not find something they will learn from this book.”
Anna Belfrage: “I just love how [Sharon] presents this huge cast of real life people in a casual, chatty tone that has me expecting the various female protagonists to suddenly pop their head up and add their own commentary.“
Praise for Princesses of the Later Middle Ages:
Elizabeth Chadwick:‘Really interesting and informative and gives a great handle on the goings on surrounding these ladies!’
Kathryn Warner: ‘A deeply researched, richly detailed and fascinating account of late medieval England’s forgotten princesses. I loved it!’
Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshopor the Contact Me page.
New in Paperback:
The momentous events of 1066, the story of invasion, battle and conquest, are well known. But what of the women? Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play during the Norman Conquest – wives, lovers, sisters, mothers, leaders. These are lives full of drama, pathos and sometimes mystery: Edith and Gytha searching the battlefield of Hastings for the body of Harold, his lover and mother united in their grief for the fallen king. Who was Ælfgyva, the lady of the Bayeux Tapestry, portrayed with a naked man at her feet?
Janina Ramirez said it’s ‘Excellent’!
Heroines of the Tudor World focuses on the women who lived through the Renaissance and Reformation, examining the threats and challenges they faced and how they overcame them. 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.
Derek Birks: ‘An excellent account of the changing roles of women in Tudor society.’
Annie Whitehead: ‘What a treat this book was to read. Bennett Connolly has an easy, conversation style of writing which welcomes you from the opening pages and draws you into her story.‘
Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:
Heroines of the Medieval World; Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest; Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England; Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey; King John’s Right Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye; Women of the Anarchy; Heroines of the Tudor World; Scotland’s Medieval Queens: From St Margaret to Margaret of Denmark; Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest (March 2026); Princesses of the Later Middle Ages; Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets (August 2026)
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.
Have a listen to theA Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Ian Mortimer, Bernard Cornwell, Elizabeth Chadwick and Scott Mariani, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
Dr Ashley Firth is a woman after my own heart. Her first book, Trailblazing Medieval Women, is hitting the shops as I type and includes some of my favourite women, giving readers an insight into how women navigated the patriarchal society of the medieval era. Ashley’s work will, no doubt, intersect with my own work and it will be interesting to read Ashley’s take on these amaaaazzzzzzzzing women.
Today, Ashley gives us a tantalising taste of some of the incredible women who made an impact on medieval history.
Oh, how I am looking forward to reading this book!
Think Medieval Women Had No Power? Think Again
Wife and mother are often assumed to have been the primary roles of medieval women. Confined to the household and subject to the authority of their husbands, it can seem difficult to imagine how women could overcome the limitations placed upon them and exert any real power. Medieval texts and theories reinforced this perception, portraying women as intellectually inferior and governed by bodily desires, thereby justifying their subordination. By perpetuating such myths, men kept the monopoly and controlled the lives of the women over whom they were placed. By virtue of his sex, the lowliest male peasant was set above the queen in this gender dynamic, yet theory does not always reflect reality, and the reality is far more complex.
Marriage of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville(Wikimedia Commons)
Not all women were content with the traditional vocations for women centred around the family and the household, and some rejected them entirely. Many took on roles traditionally assigned to men and led armies and perhaps even fought on the battlefield. Some women found a conduit for their voices by putting pen to paper and telling us in their own words about their experiences while simultaneously influencing the cultural milieu of their day. Women could exert significant political and social influence through traditionally assigned gender roles. As wives and mothers, they could persuade their male relatives and even become the loudest voices at the royal court by virtue of their position.
Queens and royal women are some of the most visible women in medieval society, and for whom we have the best documentation of their experiences. During the Wars of the Roses, women were highly influential and played a significant role in shaping the outcome of this bloody civil war. Margaret of Anjou, wife of the weak and mentally unstable King Henry VI, was forced to assume power and authority when her husband was incapable. The incarceration of her husband and defeat in battle did not deter Margaret from fighting for the throne of Henry and their only son, Edward. Margaret refused to remain silent and instead was a prominent voice at court, making a series of successful alliances in her efforts to restore her deposed husband to the throne. Like her successor, Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret was criticised by her contemporaries for her behaviour and sexual slander was used to discredit both women, who proved to be a powerful influence over their respective husbands.
Elizabeth Woodville’s power, however, could not save her young sons, cruelly snatched from her grasp and no doubt met a grisly end, forever known as the Princes in the Tower. Elizabeth was more successful in securing the fate of her eldest daughter, Elizabeth of York, working secretly with the incomparable Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry Tudor, to secure a prestigious marriage for her daughter and ensure her daughter followed her as a queen of England. Margaret is often accused of overshadowing the more reserved Elizabeth of York, but there is no reason to doubt Elizabeth was privately steering the course of Henry’s kingship just as much as her mother-in-law was. As the mother of Henry VIII, it is worth pondering if the Reformation would have even occurred if not for the death of the incredibly devout Elizabeth in 1503, just six years before the beginning of her son’s turbulent reign.
The monument of Aethelflaed, Tamworth Castle. (Author’s own image).
Another way women could exert power and influence was in the arena of war. Aethelflaed, daughter of King Alfred the Great, ruled the kingdom of Mercia throughout her husband’s illness and then as a ruler in her own right after he died in 911. Alongside her brother, Edward the Elder, Aethelflaed halted the attacks of the Vikings and even reclaimed much territory lost to them in the previous generations. Aethelflaed can be found directly participating in warfare, fulfilling the role of a commander.
Later examples of the involvement of women in warfare can be found on the Continent. Matilda of Tuscany raised and led armies in her struggle to secure her inheritance. The mighty Holy Roman Emperor proved no match for Matilda, and he was forced to relinquish his claims to Matilda’s Italian domains in the late eleventh century. Sikelgaita, the wife of the Southern Italian Norman ruler, Robert Guiscard, earned a reputation equally formidable as that of her husband. No mere passive consort to a powerful Norman baron, Sikelgaita lent authority to her husband’s power in the region through her lineage. Guiscard trusted Sikelgaita as a military commander and is perhaps best remembered for her orders to the fleeing soldiers of her husband’s army, whereby she challenged them to fight and ‘be men’. Born in the early fifteenth century, Joan of Arc is one of the most famous examples of a medieval woman participating in warfare. From humble origins, Joan followed what she believed to be spiritual voices, which led her all the way to the French court. Joan proved to be a valuableasset to the French Dauphin, achieving a series of military victories over the English and even securing his coronation before finding herself discarded by the monarch once her usefulness had run its course. Some women found power and even fame through their military activities and accomplishments, with women such as Joan of Arc continuing to intrigue modern audiences.
Christine de Pizan lectures a group of men (Wikimedia Commons)
By putting pen to paper, some medieval women challenged the prevailing opinion on the intellectual inabilities of women and found power through their words. Anna Comnena, the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comnenus, is credited as the first female Byzantine author. With access to eyewitnesses for the key events in her father’s reign, her female perspective on the workings of the Byzantine court in the eleventh century remains a valuable source for historians. Anna’s own bid for the throne after her father’s death was an abject failure, but she found more success with her penmanship in her later life. Christine de Pizan is the first recorded female author to make a living solely from her writings. A remarkable achievement considering most medieval male authors supplemented their income with an additional occupation. Christine’s works were commissioned by members of the French royal family, and she offered commentary and advice during the Hundred Years’ War. Her voice seems to us the loudest in her writings on the defence of the female sex and her challenges to the traditional view of the position of women in society.
A contemporary of Christine’s, Margery Kempe, a fifteenth-century English self-proclaimed mystic, in many ways represents the repressed voice of the majority of women. Margery’s book offers an insight into her strife as she struggles to commit her story to writing. Challenged by the authorities and by the Church during a time of growing anxiety about religious dissidence, Margery shows us both the vulnerability of women in medieval society, but also the power they could attain. Writing was one of the ways in which medieval women could significantly influence medieval culture and society. Their experiences as female authors in themselves challenged the theoretical discourse of their contemporaries, and their writings offer us a fresh female perspective on contemporary events.
Queen Emma and her sons being received by Duke Richard II of Normandy (Wikimedia Commons)
The medieval period is filled with examples of extraordinary women who moved beyond the confines of being a consort and exerted significant political influence. Emma of Normandy, the only woman to be crowned Queen of England twice, undoubtedly shaped the course of English history. Married to King Aethelred the ‘Unready’ in the early eleventh century, her husband’s reign was dominated by his struggles against Viking incursions. After his death, his successor, the Viking King Cnut, seized the throne and sought Emma as a bride to legitimise his kingship and to offer her invaluable political experience to his new regime. She worked tirelessly to secure the succession of her son, Harthancut, whom she ruled alongside. The abandonment of her eldest children in her homeland of Normandy paved the way for the Norman Conquest of 1066.
Empress Matilda was another royal woman who fought to secure the succession of her son. The heiress was passed over as the successor of her father, and her cousin, Stephen, seized the English throne. A brutal civil war ensued, known as the Anarchy. Although never achieving the coronation for herself, Matilda nevertheless ensured the succession of her son, Henry II. In 1152, Eleanor, the wealthy Duchess of Aquitaine, a title she held in her own right, married Henry II, just weeks after her annulment from her first husband, King Louis VII, making her the only woman to be crowned both queen of England and of France. Eleanor was a successful politician, acting independently of Henry throughout her tenure as consort. Eleanor continued to be an imposing presence at court in the successive reigns of her sons, Richard the Lionheart and King John and often acted for them both as regent.
Isabella of France(Wikimedia Commons)
Isabella of France successfully launched an invasion of England and overthrew her husband, King Edward II, in 1326, demonstrating just how powerful medieval women could be.
The innumerable examples of women in power force us to reconsider the roles and experiences of medieval women. Power could be achieved in a variety of ways and with varying degrees of success. What these examples of trailblazing women have sought to highlight is the varied experiences and opportunities open to women, and to illustrate that theory does not always equate to practice.
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About the Book:
“The greatest glory for a woman is not to be spoken of at all, either for good or ill,” declared Pericles. For centuries, this sentiment echoed through the corridors of history, shaping a narrative that often confined women to silence, invisibility and the margins of power. But history is far richer and more complex than we’ve been led to believe.
This book reveals the lives of remarkable, trailblazing medieval women who refused to be written out of history. In a world dominated by men, they defied convention, challenged gender expectations, and carved out legacies as rulers, consorts, warriors, authors, and visionaries. From Anglo-Saxon female rulership to the political intrigue of the Wars of the Roses, these women stepped beyond the roles assigned to them and transformed the world around them, as well as the course of history.
Through meticulous research, this book brings their voices to the fore, revealing the impact they had not only in their own time but on the generations that followed. These are not just tales of exception, but of courage, intellect, and influence—testaments to the fact that women have always shaped history.
Their names deserve to be remembered. Their stories deserve to be told.
Ashley Sarah Firth holds a BA (Hons), MA, and PhD in medieval history from the University of Huddersfield. Her research focuses on the history of women, medieval gender and the Crusades. Formerly a university lecturer, she taught a wide range of topics from the Anglo-Saxon period to the Stuart era. Now a full-time historian, author and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Huddersfield, Ashley is dedicated to bringing the stories of the past, especially those of overlooked women, to life for a wider audience. She lives in Manchester with her husband, their two children, and three dogs, where her love of history continues to inspire her writing and research.
Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop or the Contact Me page.
New releases in 2026:
New Hardbacks
Out now: Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest
‘My daughter wanted me to treat her more like a princess. So, I married her to a stranger to strengthen the alliance with Poland!’
Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest and Princesses of the Later Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets tell the stories of England’s royal daughters from 1066 to the rise of the Tudors, from the last Anglo-Saxon princesses to the fall of the House of York.
Were they really pampered pawns sent off to marriages on the Continent, out of sight and out of mind?
Perhaps, there was different story, where a foreign marriage does not mean eternal exile, but a purpose in life, where a princess is a diplomat, an ambassador for England in her new country.
Where she is the bond between allies – most of the time.
Heidi Malagisi: ‘This is another excellent book by Sharon Bennett Connolly. Extremely well researched and relatively easy to follow along, which is a great thing because there are so many Matildas and Eleanors in this book.‘
Tony Riches: “I challenge anyone with an interest in medieval Britain to not find something they will learn from this book.”
Anna Belfrage: “I just love how [Sharon] presents this huge cast of real life people in a casual, chatty tone that has me expecting the various female protagonists to suddenly pop their head up and add their own commentary.“
OUT NOW! The momentous events of 1066, the story of invasion, battle and conquest, are well known. But what of the women? Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play during the Norman Conquest – wives, lovers, sisters, mothers, leaders. These are lives full of drama, pathos and sometimes mystery: Edith and Gytha searching the battlefield of Hastings for the body of Harold, his lover and mother united in their grief for the fallen king. Who was Ælfgyva, the lady of the Bayeux Tapestry, portrayed with a naked man at her feet?
Janina Ramirez said it’s ‘Excellent’!
COMING 15 July 2026: Heroines of the Tudor World focuses on the women who lived through the Renaissance and Reformation, examining the threats and challenges they faced and how they overcame them. 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.
Derek Birks: ‘An excellent account of the changing roles of women in Tudor society.’
Annie Whitehead: ‘What a treat this book was to read. Bennett Connolly has an easy, conversation style of writing which welcomes you from the opening pages and draws you into her story.‘
Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:
Heroines of the Medieval World; Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest; Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England; Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey; King John’s Right Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye; Women of the Anarchy; Heroines of the Tudor World; Scotland’s Medieval Queens: From St Margaret to Margaret of Denmark; Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest (March 2026); Princesses of the Later Middle Ages; Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets (August 2026)
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.
Have a listen to theA Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Ian Mortimer, Bernard Cornwell, Elizabeth Chadwick and Scott Mariani, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
She should have stayed in the shadows—but Leonor de Guzmán yearned for the sun
Castile in the 1330s is a place of constant turmoil. King Alfonso must contend with the incursions from the Muslim Marinids eager to reclaim Al-Andalus while struggling with repeated rebellions against his firm rule.
When Alfonso needs respite, he finds it in the arms of his Leonor—the most beautiful woman in the realm. But while he may love Leonor over all others, his lawful wife, Maria of Portugal, is tired of being constantly displaced by the fair Leonor. Leonor loves her man. She gives him healthy sons, a place to be himself. But she is only a mistress, even if Alfonso treats her like a queen. Leonor’s enemies watch and hate.
Flying too close to the sun comes at a high price. How much will Leonor’s love cost her?
Based on the true story of Alfonso XI and his complicated relationships to wife and life-long mistress.
Anna Belfrage does it again! She does have a knack of making history come to life!
Queen of Shadows tells the story of Leonor de Guzman through the eyes of the fictional character, Alma. Leonor de Guzmán y Ponce de León was the long-term mistress of Alfonso XI, King of Castile. She and Alfonso had 10 children together, the eldest surviving son, Enrique of Trastamara, being a year older than his legitimate half-brother Pedro the Cruel (or the Just), King of Castile.
King Alfonso was married to Maria of Portugal, but in love with Leonor. I always find it heartbreaking how women blame ‘the other woman’ rather than the man, who is betraying and hurting both his wife and his lover. Queen of Shadows does not shy away from portraying that betrayal and hurt – or the rivalry of the two women, one with a nursery full of illegitimate children and the other with one precious son who is the legitimate heir.
This fabulous novel explores the story of Castile at a crucial time, when the Reconquista is gathering pace and the Castilian king is fighting to recover lands lost to the Muslim invaders. Alfonso’s relationship with his own barons is tested by objections to his personal life. His alliance with Portugal is, likewise, put under immense strain.
All the ingredients for an intense drama, a story of love, hate and conflict. And the fate of kingdoms.
Doña Leonor took to her bed. Over the coming days, the house was sunk in gloom. Doña Leonor refusing to see anyone but Teresa.
“So sad,” Blanca said to Alma.
“Si.” Sad for all three of them. While Alma had never met Queen Maria, her mother had, saying she was a fine lady, soft-spoken and kind.
“Ah, well. The heart wants what the heart wants.” Blanca gave Alma a patronising smile. “You don’t understand yet, but one day you will.” She went back to her sewing. “She was devastated when he wed her.” Blanca spat out the pronoun. “But back then, theirs was nothing but a game of stolen kissed and caresses. It was worse when he felt pressured to lay with his wife, our lady recently delivered of their first son, little Pedro.”
Blanca stabbed the needle through the material. “Doña Leonor was utterly distraught, so pale, so silent. It was as if all life had drained out of her, and she walked these passages like a veritable ghost.” Blanca crossed herself. “Not that I believe in such.”
Alma did.
“And then, from somewhere came this anger, this strength, and she told her servants to never let the king over the threshold. She did not want to see him ever again.”
Alma gaped. “She did?”
“oh yes.” Blanca chuckled. She was so angry, screeching that he should stay with his wife and reconcile himself to a loveless marriage.”
“Is it truly loveless?”
“Rumour has it they disliked each other on sight.”
“Ah.”
“The king, however, wasn’t having it. When our lady, just to taunt him, made it known she would consider proposals of marriage, he alighted from the marital bed and stormed over.” Blanca shook her head. “Like an avenging angel he was, threatening the guards with death unless they let him – their king – through. And then he slammed open the door to the solar. ‘What is this?’ he yelled. ‘Are you considering wedding someone else?’ ‘Why not?’ she replied. ‘You have.’ ‘I had no choice,’ he roared.” Blanca shuddered. “He truly did roar. And then…” She waggled her brows.
“Yes?”
“They reconciled. And the next morning, it was as if all those heavy clouds hanging over our lady’s head had dispersed, and she was back to being happy and in love. It was so beautiful.” Blanca set a hand to her heart. “Verily like one of those romances, where the gallant knight wins the heart of his damsel.”
Except this gallant knight was wed elsewhere, and that, Alma knew, was a grievous, grievous sin.
Anna Belfrage tells the story through Alma, a midwife by training who becomes one of Leonor’s most trusted confidants. Through her service and marriage to Rodrigo – one of King Alfonso’s trusted knights – Alma gains money and influence. And sometimes the wrong kind of attention. Alma is the ruse through which the author shows you the Castilian court in all its glory – and all its backstabbing, machinations and treasonous intrigues.
Though fiction, Queen of Shadows fills some gaps in my own historical knowledge – and has sent me down more than one rabbit hole while I have been reading it. Some of it seems too fantastical to be true – but it is. Anna Belfrage has merely turned the facts into a story and filled in the gaps with the human interactions that we lack in history books.
The book sets the scene for the momentous struggle that engulfs Castile in the next generation, when legitimate son, Pedro and illegitimate son, Enrique of Trastamara, fight to the death for the crown. Enrique will emerge victorious as Enrique (Henry) II, King of Castile, killing his half-brother with his own hands. His grandson will marry Catherine of Lancaster, the legitimate daughter of John of Gaunt and Constance of Castile – and the granddaughter of Pedro the Cruel, thus uniting the two warring houses.
Queen of Shadows shows us how one generation can destroy the next with their actions and prejudices; the rivalry of Pedro and Enrique is firmly rooted in the rivalry of their mothers. And their father’s inability to appreciate the disaster he is causing by loving one woman when married to – and humiliating – another. The king gets what he wants but no one is happy with the situation – not even him!
The human story at the heart of Queen of Shadows is heartwarming but tragic. And shows how little control women have had over their lives in years past, even queens. It also provides a sharp contrast between duty and passion in the lives of the two women involved, Leonor de Guzman and Queen Maria. Leonor was loved but had to stay out of the limelight, whereas Queen Maria’s marriage was loveless, but she was the one on public display, with the son who would be king. What a situation!
Beautifully told and full of drama. Anna Belfrage has woven a story that is impossible to put down, that will raw you into this tale of love, betrayal and regret. I will leave it to you, the reader, to discover whether there will be a happy ending.
Had Anna Belfrage been allowed to choose, she’d have become a professional time-traveller. No luck there, so instead she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests; history and writing. These days, Anna combines an exciting day-job with a large family and her writing endeavours. Plus she always finds the time to try out new recipes, chase down obscure rose bushes and initiate a home renovation scheme or two.
Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga , set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy.
Anna has also published The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal and time-slip ingredients. Her September 2020 release, His Castilian Hawk is a story of loyalty and love set against the complications of Edward I’s invasion of Wales in the late 13th century.
Her most recent release, The Whirlpools of Time, is a time travel romance set against the backdrop of brewing rebellion in the Scottish highlands.
All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of several Reader’s Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.
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My Books
New releases in 2026:
New Hardbacks
Out now: Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest
‘My daughter wanted me to treat her more like a princess. So, I married her to a stranger to strengthen the alliance with Poland!’
Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest and Princesses of the Later Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets tell the stories of England’s royal daughters from 1066 to the rise of the Tudors, from the last Anglo-Saxon princesses to the fall of the House of York.
Were they really pampered pawns sent off to marriages on the Continent, out of sight and out of mind?
Perhaps, there was different story, where a foreign marriage does not mean eternal exile, but a purpose in life, where a princess is a diplomat, an ambassador for England in her new country.
Where she is the bond between allies – most of the time.
Tony Riches: “I challenge anyone with an interest in medieval Britain to not find something they will learn from this book.”
Anna Belfrage: “I just love how [Sharon] presents this huge cast of real life people in a casual, chatty tone that has me expecting the various female protagonists to suddenly pop their head up and add their own commentary.“
OUT NOW! The momentous events of 1066, the story of invasion, battle and conquest, are well known. But what of the women? Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play during the Norman Conquest – wives, lovers, sisters, mothers, leaders. These are lives full of drama, pathos and sometimes mystery: Edith and Gytha searching the battlefield of Hastings for the body of Harold, his lover and mother united in their grief for the fallen king. Who was Ælfgyva, the lady of the Bayeux Tapestry, portrayed with a naked man at her feet?
Janina Ramirez said it’s ‘Excellent’!
COMING 15 July 2026: Heroines of the Tudor World focuses on the women who lived through the Renaissance and Reformation, examining the threats and challenges they faced and how they overcame them. 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.
Derek Birks: ‘An excellent account of the changing roles of women in Tudor society.’
Annie Whitehead: ‘What a treat this book was to read. Bennett Connolly has an easy, conversation style of writing which welcomes you from the opening pages and draws you into her story.‘
Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:
Heroines of the Medieval World; Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest; Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England; Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey; King John’s Right Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye; Women of the Anarchy; Heroines of the Tudor World; Scotland’s Medieval Queens: From St Margaret to Margaret of Denmark; Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest (March 2026); Princesses of the Later Middle Ages; Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets (August 2026)
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.
Have a listen to theA Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Ian Mortimer, Bernard Cornwell, Elizabeth Chadwick and Scott Mariani, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
I have been quiet for a couple of weeks as I was preparing for – and then taking part in – the Plantagenet Heroines Tour organised by Plantagenet Discoveries. The inspiration of the wonderful Maxine Sommer, Plantagenet Discoveries allows guests to follow in the footsteps of some of the greats of medieval history.
The tour lasted 9 days, though I was only with it for the first 7 days, acting as the tour guide and answering any and all questions from the guests – and there were a LOT of questions.
It was my first time as a ‘resident historian’ and I was not quite sure what to expect or how I would handle being ‘always on’ from the moment I awoke to getting back to my room at night. I needn’t have worried. History is my ‘thing’ and talking about it from morning until night was an absolute pleasure, and quite the adrenalin rush.
I met the tour leaders and 6 guests at an informal ‘getting to know you’ gathering in London on the Friday night. All 6 guests were women travelling alone, with one each coming from Ireland and Sweden, 2 from Australia and 2 from the US. All of us had one thing in common – a love of history.
My fist day involved an early rise and breakfast at the hotel in London before meeting out minibus driver for the week, Roger, and setting off at 8.30 am for our first destination: Old Sarum. Arriving on the outskirts of Salisbury at 10.30, we had a good explore of the old ruins. Old Sarum was home to Ela of Salisbury, and prison – even if it was gilded – to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It also gave me the chance to talk about all 3 of Eleanor’s Plantagenet daughters. It is not hard to imagine the magnificence and splendour of the lost castle, especially given the size of the foundations that remain. Even as you can see the ‘new’ cathedral (the foundations were laid in 1220) in the distance, so too can you walk around the floor plan of the old cathedral.
Coombe Abbey
If only these walls could talk, what stories they could tell.
I tried to do them justice. It was my first day and my narrative was a little stilted – I was still trying to find my feet but I was beginning to find my stride, answering questions, offering observations and analysis. Though I did often forget my place – I wasn’t on holiday. But talking history never feels like I’m working.
After lunch at the nearby Harvester – literally, you drove from the Old Sarum car park, turned right and the Harvester was on the left, with a view of Old Sarum from its door – we made our way to Coventry, and Coombe Abbey, our hotel for the night. I was particularly excited to stay at Coombe Abbey. Founded by the de Camville family, Nicholaa de la Haye‘s second husband, Gerard de Camville, is buried there – somewhere. Unfortunately, I did not find his burial place but the abbey itself did not disappoint. We enjoyed a 3-course meal that evening, breakfast and a wander around the grounds in the morning. The abbey retains many of its medieval features, with stone archways, a pulpit and the tomb of a murdered abbot, with a grand staircase and sumptuous bedrooms added to it. I didn’t want to leave!
And I definitely want to go back!
Kenilworth Castle
Sunday was a 2-castle day.
The morning was spent at Kenilworth Castle. Famous for its links to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester – Queen Elizabeth I’s favourite – it was a vast castle belonging to the medieval earls of Leicester. Simon de Montfort and his royal wife, Eleanor of England, lived here. In fact, after Simon’s death, his supporters continued to hold the castle through a 9-month long siege – the longest siege on English soil. John of Gaunt turned Kenilworth from a medieval fortress into a royal palace and it became one of the favourite residences, outside of London, of Margaret of Anjou.
There was much to explore, from the ‘new’ building of Dudley to the old Great Hall of Gaunt. So many stairs!
Discussion ranged from Simon de Montfort (we don’t like him) to Edward I, Henry III, the Battles of Lewes and Evesham and Eleanor’s teenage vow of chastity that lasted until she saw Simon de Montfort and married him. Which inevitably led to a discussion of Sharon Penman novels and the fates of Simon and Eleanor’s daughter, Eleanor de Montfort, and granddaughter, Princess Gwenllian.
The history I told was inspired by the castle itself and the questions of the guests, giving as much information as I could about the women, in particular, who would have known Kenilworth in its glory days.
The vaulted ceiling in the chapel at Conisbrough Castle
Our next stop was Conisbrough Castle. Definitely firmer ground for me. I was in my element. This is MY castle. I have told its story for over 30 years, both as a tour guide and writer. I wrote a book about the family who built it and, as you know, countless articles. So, I did my usual tour, going through the story of Ambrosius Aurelianus, through William de Warenne, the first earl, Hamelin, the man who built the keep, the visits of Henry II, King John and Edward II to the marital woes of John de Warenne, the 7th and last Earl of Warenne and Surrey. And not to forget the links to the house of York, to Richard III being the last to spend money on the castle in 1484.
We stood in the little chapel on the top floor of the keep, contemplating those kings who had knelt on those stones and prayed., You could feel the history around us.
That evening, we arrived at our base for the next 3 days, The Grand Hotel at York. And grand it was, indeed. A 5-star hotel with underfloor heating in the bathroom, it had once been the grand headquarters of LNER – the London and North Eastern Railways.. Once we were unpacked, we were treated to another sumptuous 3-course meal – I had a 50-layer lasagne. Even though I was walking over 10,000 steps a day, there was no way I would lose weight on this holiday – er, work trip!
Monday was spent in County Durham, with connections to the royal House of York everywhere!
Paintings in the chapel of Raby Castle
In the morning, we were treated to a private tour of Raby Castle. the wonderful guide, Marian, answered questions, pointed out the must-see parts of the castle and took us ‘behind the scenes’ to see the room that had once been the bedroom of none other than Cecily Neville, Duchess of York and mother of Kings Edward IV and Richard III. The stunning chapel includes paintings of Cecily and her mother Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford.
After lunch, we had a short visit into Staindrop, to St Mary’s Church, where Joan’s husband, Ralph Neville, is buried alone, though in a triple tomb atop which lay the effigies of Ralph and both his first wife, Margaret Stafford, and Joan herself. And I got to tell the story of Joan, her marriages and children and the influence she had on the events of the 15th century.
It was then just a 15-minute drive up the road to Barnard Castle. But my joke about getting my eyes tested landed flat – only the driver got it.
Barnard Castle has links, of course, to the earls of Warwick and to Richard III but instead I indulged my love of Scottish History by telling our guests about John Balliol, Scotland’s king who was also lord of Barnard Castle. Which story, of course, led into Robert the Bruce, Elizabeth de Burgh, the women of Bruce‘s affinity imprisoned by Edward I as well as David II and Joan Makepeace and Scotland’s Wars of Independence.
York Minster at sunset
I had definitely found my stride.
Dinner that evening was at a pub, the Guy Fawkes, in York and the next day we spent the morning in York Minster, where Edward III married Philippa of Hainault and where their baby son, William of Hatfield is buried. This was followed by a walk down the Shambles and a climb up Clifford’s Tower. The afternoon was free, so I joined a couple of the guests for lunch, followed by a wander around the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall and a visit to Jorvik Viking Centre.
After dinner in a quiet pub that evening, we took a wander to the Minster and saw the sunset on the River Ouse. The Minster bells were peeling. Indeed, the bells of all the churches in York were ringing to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II.
We left York the next morning, heading for Lincoln.
But you cannot take international travelers to Yorkshire without taking them to our very own World Heritage Site, Fountains Abbey. The morning was spent in the peaceful surroundings of the abbey. Definitely a much-needed change of pace for a few hours. Though we did get into a little discussion about whether or not the story of Abelard and Heloise is a love story, or something more sinister…
The view from my room in the White Hart Hotel, Lincoln
We arrived in Lincoln at 3.30 that afternoon and headed straight for the castle. Staying at the White Hart Hotel, situated between castle and cathedral, was perfect – my room even had a stunning view of the cathedral!
Now, we were on my home turf. We had already discussed Nicholaa de la Haye at Coombe Abbey, but now I could show everyone her castle. The staff at the castle were incredibly forthcoming about Magna Carta, the 1217 Battle of Lincoln and their visiting artefact – the Chronica Maiora of Matthew Paris which was opened at the image of the battle.
Another after dinner stroll took us around the cathedral close, a walk we repeated in daylight the following morning, so I could point out the statues of Eleanor of Castile, Edward I and Margaret of France, the gold crown to commemorate Elizabeth II and the two houses associated with Katherine Swynford.
One of the highlights of the whole tour was to be able to take the guests into Lincoln Cathedral and show them the tombs of Katherine and her daughter Joan. There was a graduation event going on, for the University of Lincoln, but that did not particularly hinder our visit. We could not access the nave but we could visit the Angel Choir, the chantry chapels and the shrine of St Hugh, as well as the cloisters, the Chapter House and the cathedral museum – I had to point out Nicholaa’s seal!
My final duty was to join everyone for lunch in the Magna Carta pub, which turned into an impromptu book launch celebration for Princesses of the Early Middle Ages, as I got my first sight of my new book. As the tour continued down to London, to visit Leeds Castle and Canterbury Cathedral on the Saturday, I said my goodbyes with hugs and a few tears – and instructions for each and everyone of them to get in touch the next time they are in England.
I slept for 12 hours that night.
I was exhausted. My throat was raw from all the talking. But I had had a fabulous time. I hope that my snippets of information throughout the tour – including texted instructions of what to look out for in Canterbury Cathedral – made the holiday experience that little bit better for the guests.
Did I enjoy it? Most definitely! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! Would I recommend the tour to anyone wanting to discover England’s rich history? Oh yes!
Daughters of kings were often used to seal treaty alliances and forge peace with England’s enemies. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest explores the lives of these young women, how they followed the stereotype, and how they sometimes managed to escape it. It will look at the world they lived in, and how their lives and marriages were affected by political necessity and the events of the time. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages will also examine how these girls, who were often political pawns, were able to control their own lives and fates. Whilst they were expected to obey their parents in their marriage choices, several princesses were able to exert their own influence on these choices, with some outright refusing the husbands offered to them.
Their stories are touching, inspiring and, at times, heartbreaking.
Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest is now available from Pen & Sword and Amazon.
Sharon is the author of:
Heroines of the Medieval World; Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest; Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England; Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey; King John’s Right Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye; Women of the Anarchy; Heroines of the Tudor World; Scotland’s Medieval Queens: From St Margaret to Margaret of Denmark; Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest (March 2026); Princesses of the Later Middle Ages; Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets (August 2026)
Have a listen to theA Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Ian Mortimer, Bernard Cornwell, Elizabeth Chadwick and Scott Mariani, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
We have a wonderful guest on History… the Interesting Bits today. To celebrate the paperback release of her wonderful dual biography of Philippa of Hainault and Alice Perrers, The Queen and the Mistress, Gemma Hollman is here to tell us about one of the primary duties of a queen.
Philippa of Hainault and the Power of Pregnant Queens
Philippa of Hainault
Medieval queens had many duties in life. They were to act as symbols of peace, their choice of spouse often made to end wars or confirm alliances; they were to intercede for the needy, obtaining pardons for criminals; they were to be charitable to the poor; patrons of artists, writers, and architects; and support their husbands in their difficult task as ruler. But, most importantly of all, they were to produce heirs.
This last role is most notable to us peering back through the actions of Henry VIII, whose quest for a male heir was part of his motivation in cycling through an unprecedented number of English queens. Medieval monarchs did not generally go to such extremes, and childless queens could and did exist – and could still wield significant power. But for those who did succeed, they could find a new level of status and influence unlocked for them.
Philippa of Hainault was the daughter of the Count and Countess of Hainault, Holland and Zeeland, a collection of territories in the Low Countries. Her homeland was wealthy from trade, and positioned to require careful political manoeuvring between the kingdoms of England and France. When the queen of England, Isabella of France, approached the Count and Countess for a marriage alliance between her son Edward and their daughter Philippa, they leapt at the chance to know their daughter would one day become a queen.
Isabella of France
The couple were teenagers, and the first few years of their marriage were hardly auspicious. Isabella of France had overthrown her husband, Edward II, and had her son made Edward III in his place. But though Philippa had thus become a queen far earlier than anticipated, she and her husband were kept under Isabella’s thumb. She did not want to give up her position at the top of the ladder. This was where Philippa would first discover the power of pregnancy for a queen.
Philippa fell pregnant around aged 15, and this was to change the course of her and her husband’s lives. Firstly, Philippa had never had a coronation, Isabella not wanting to have a rival as a consecrated consort. But now that Philippa would be giving birth to the new heir to the throne, it was unthinkable that she would remain uncrowned to do so. Whilst five months pregnant, she proceeded through London to receive her crown, the coronation sermons which reminded the queen of her duty to produce children seeming both poignant and redundant. Becoming pregnant had given Philippa her first taste of power.
That summer, Philippa gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and the English throne could breathe a sigh of relief that the succession was, for now, secured. The advent of a son also gave Edward III the push he needed to finally claim power for himself, overthrowing the rule of his mother and her lover. Philippa’s pregnancy had thus benefitted her husband, too.
Across the course of their marriage, Philippa was to give birth to twelve children, although sadly many did not outlive her. But each of these children bolstered Edward’s power, giving him bargaining chips to expand his empire through marriage alliances – or the promises of them. In turn, they provided status for Philippa, who was seen to have amply fulfilled the most important of queenly duties. They also gave her much comfort on a personal level, the queen being noted for keeping her children within her own household, rather than sending them away as was not uncommon.
The Burghers of Calais
Pregnancy also became a powerful mythmaking tool for Philippa. In the 1340s, Edward III spent the best part of a year besieging the key French port city of Calais. If he could capture Calais, then he would show his might to the French kingdom, and have a huge victory on his road to attempting to claim the French throne for himself. Philippa, as a loyal and loving wife, spent many months outside the walls with her husband, keeping him company during the siege and providing morale to the soldiers. Finally, the city surrendered. Edward had his day of glory.
However, the citizens of Calais were mournful of their fate. Many of them had died of starvation and disease, and those who had survived now had to leave their homes and belongings behind, all of which were now property of the English king. More importantly, the most prominent men of the city, known as burghers, knew that their lives were forfeit. In the face of such a lengthy siege, the leaders were often executed. The men came out of the city with nooses around their neck and surrendered themselves into Edward’s hands.
According to legend, Edward wished to go ahead with this punishment, and would not listen to any of his lords who pled for mercy. Suddenly, Queen Philippa of Hainault, who was exceedingly heavy with child, fell to her husband’s feet, weeping and begging him to spare the men. Overcome with emotion at seeing his dear, pregnant wife in such a state, Edward agreed to pardon the men, and handed them into Philippa’s custody.
Edward III
In reality, we know from records of Philippa’s other births that she could not have been pregnant at this time. The image of a pregnant queen was so powerful to medieval minds, that storytellers and chroniclers often leveraged it to make their story more meaningful. Philippa may well have interceded for the burghers, but she did not do so pregnant.
Philippa died in 1369 aged around 55, and she was surrounded by her husband and several of her surviving children. Asking Edward that he would be buried beside her when he died, so they could rest together forever, the king agreed; their tombs still stand in Westminster Abbey today. The country mourned the death of their great queen, who had been a steadying presence for four decades. Her many children and their spouses were represented on her tomb as little statues around the sides, reminding everyone even in death of the power of her pregnancies.
About the Book:
IN A WORLD WHERE MAN IS KING, CAN WOMEN REALLY HAVE IT ALL – AND KEEP IT?
Philippa of Hainault was Queen of England for forty-one years. Her marriage to Edward III, when they were both teenagers, was more political transaction than romantic wedding, but it would turn into a partnership of deep affection. The mother of twelve children, she was the perfect medieval queen: pious, unpolitical and fiercely loyal to both her king and adopted country.
Alice Perrers entered court as a young widow and would soon catch the eye of an ageing king whose wife was dying. Born to a family of London goldsmiths, this charismatic and highly intelligent woman would use her position as the king’s favourite to build up her own portfolio of land, wealth and prestige, only to see it all come crashing down as Edward himself neared death.
The Queen and the Mistress is a story of female power and passion, and how two very different women used their skills and charms to navigate a tumultuous royal court – and win the heart of the same man.
Author bio: Gemma Hollman is a historian and author who specialises in late medieval English history. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, she has a particular interest in the plethora of strong, intriguing and complicated women from the medieval period, a time she had always been taught was dominated by men. Gemma also works full-time in the heritage industry whilst running her historical blog, Just History Posts, which explores all periods of history in more depth. Gemma’s first book, Royal Witches, was a bestseller, and two more books have since followed: The Queen and the Mistress, and Women in the Middle Ages.
Daughters of kings were often used to seal treaty alliances and forge peace with England’s enemies. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest explores the lives of these young women, how they followed the stereotype, and how they sometimes managed to escape it. It will look at the world they lived in, and how their lives and marriages were affected by political necessity and the events of the time. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages will also examine how these girls, who were often political pawns, were able to control their own lives and fates. Whilst they were expected to obey their parents in their marriage choices, several princesses were able to exert their own influence on these choices, with some outright refusing the husbands offered to them.
Their stories are touching, inspiring and, at times, heartbreaking.
Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest is now available from Pen & Sword and Amazon.
Sharon is the author of:
Heroines of the Medieval World; Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest; Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England; Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey; King John’s Right Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye; Women of the Anarchy; Heroines of the Tudor World; Scotland’s Medieval Queens: From St Margaret to Margaret of Denmark; Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest (March 2026); Princesses of the Later Middle Ages; Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets (August 2026)
Have a listen to theA Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Ian Mortimer, Bernard Cornwell, Elizabeth Chadwick and Scott Mariani, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
1360: Having left her days of rebellion behind, Jeanette of Kent has finally found contentment as a wife and mother. Then, she is delivered a new blow: her beloved husband, Thomas Holland, has died on duty overseas.
Though broken, Jeanette readies herself once more to fight to protect what is hers. And when Prince Edward, heir to the throne and her longtime friend, unexpectedly steps forward and offers marriage, she accepts for the sake of her family.
As their relationship deepens, love blossoms again for Jeanette, but it comes at a price. With great power comes great responsibility – not least bearing a future king – and, as the wheel of fortune climbs higher, it becomes harder and harder to hold on.
Jeanette has more to lose than ever before. But with the wolves gathering beneath her, can she survive the fall?
From the award-winning and bestselling author Elizabeth Chadwick comes the much-awaited second novel in the Jeanette of Kent duology, The Crownless Queen – bringing to a powerful conclusion the remarkable story of a woman who began life as a royal rebel and ended it behind the throne…
My new measure of how good is a book by Elizabeth Chadwick is the number of times it makes me cry – and how soon into the book it happens. With The Crownless Queen, I was an emotional wreck after the first chapter. This is the second book in a duology, telling the story of Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent, who had a rather chequered marital history. The book opens where The Royal Rebel ended, with Jeanette happily married to Thomas Holland. But the news (spoiler alert!) soon arrives of his death. Well, I was in tears. And it’s not like I don’t know the story – I have written about it myself on more than one occasion. But it was sad to read about the death of the man Joan had fought so hard to be with.
And it was an early indication of the emotional rollercoaster on which I was about to embark
Elizabeth Chadwick has a knack of making her historical characters feel ‘present’, and of getting her readers to feel invested in the lives of people who lived almost 700 years ago!
How does she do it?
The next day’s biting cold did not deter the men from their intention of riding out to hunt in the park beyond the palace complex. They gathered in the courtyard soon after a red sunrise and stood in breath-misted groups, talking, jesting, bonding as the grooms brought the horses and the dogs milled underfoot, snuffling, eager to be away.
Standing on the periphery to wave them off, Jeanette heard Edward ask Tom to hand him his gauntlets, which the boy did with careful alacrity, his cheeks rosy-bright with cold. Edward pulled them on, clenching his fists to ease the fit over his knuckles before turning to his black courses. He swung effortlessly into the saddle, long-legged, powerful. One hand on his thigh, the other gripping the reins, he observed Tom mounting his own pony and remarked positively on his horsemanship. Tom jutted his chin with pride and flicked Edward a worshipping look. Then Edward similarly complimented Johan and winked at him as he managed his sturdy little bay.
Jeanette smiled at the exchange while feeling a little sad. Her longing for Thomas was still strong this morning, like a shadow at her side. She wishes she had gone with him to Rouen, but there had been business to deal with at home and he had assured her it would not be for long. Nut it was three months now, and in the short winter daylight it felt like for evere.
The king gestured from the saddle of his dappled stallion and the fewterers blew the hunting horns, sounding the way. In a clatter of hooves and exuberant shouts, the company departed at the brisk trot, dogs straining their leashes and already giving excited tongue. Tom and Johan were too busy staying close to the Prince, their hero to turn and wave to her, and Jeanette recognised yet another sign of their all too rapid travel towards independent manhood.
When the last rider had clattered from the yard leaving the grooms to sweep up the dung, she set out with her two closest ladies, Hawise and Eleanor, to walk Hal and Nimble. Her daughters had remained behind in the communal royal nursery with their playmates, which meant Jeanette could stride out as she loved to do.
Elizabeth Chadwick conducts exemplary research for all her books. Her insistence on not changing the facts we do know adds an extra level of authenticity to her storytelling. Where Elizabeth excels is in the grey areas, where the facts are confusing or incomplete. Here, she presents the most likely scenario that will move the story along. It also means the reader gets a strong sense of the internal politics, familial alliances and machinations of the court of Edward III – and of the 14th century as a whole.
As The Crownless Queen demonstrates, Elizabeth Chadwick knows her characters so completely and intimately that she knows what they would do in most situations. And it is not just Edward and Jeanette (the Black Prince and Joan of Kent). John of Gaunt is a living, breathing character who grows and develops, nurturing his own relationship with Jeanette as a friend and sister. Other characters, prominent at Edward III’s court, such as Alice Perrers and Katherine Swynford, also play significant roles in the story, making the novel a fine-woven tapestry of the events of the 14th century.
The future Richard II, Jeanette’s youngest child, shows his personality at an early age. He is not just another child in the nursery, but one who is developing a personality and showing himself to be a big part of Jeanette’s story, just like his older Holland half-siblings. He has a fascination for pageantry and kingship; a foreshadowing of the king who defined ‘majesty’ and ‘tyranny’ in the same reign. Elizabeth Chadwick’s version of Richard reminded me of Helen Castor’s assessment of Richard’s childhood in The Eagle and the Hart and how the young prince was affected by his father’s ailing health, the hopes of the dynasty on his shoulders, and the lack of siblings his own age. All factors which contributed to Richard’s personality as king.
The Crownless Queen is an entertaining, engrossing novel that also gives plenty of food for thought for the historian. It flows beautifully through the story of the marriage of Jeanette and her prince. I loved every word!
It may rival The Greatest Knight as my favourite Elizabeth Chadwick novel – at least until her novel on Katherine Swynford comes out!
Buy the book:The Crownless Queen
About the author:
New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Chadwick lives in a cottage in the Vale of Belvoir in Nottinghamshire with her husband and their 4 terriers, Pip, Jack, Billy and Little Ted. Her first novel, The Wild Hunt, won a Betty Trask Award and To Defy a King won the RNA’s 2011 Historical Novel Prize. She was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Award in 1998 for The Champion, in 2001 for Lords of the White Castle, in 2002 for The Winter Mantle and in 2003 for The Falcons of Montabard. Her sixteenth novel, The Scarlet Lion, was nominated by Richard Lee, founder of the Historical Novel Society, as one of the top ten historical novels of the last decade. She often lectures at conferences and historical venues, has been consulted for television documentaries and is a member of the Royal Historical Society.
For more details on Elizabeth Chadwick and her books, visit http://www.elizabethchadwick.com, follow her on Twitter, read her blogs or chat to her on her friendly Facebook page.
Daughters of kings were often used to seal treaty alliances and forge peace with England’s enemies. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest explores the lives of these young women, how they followed the stereotype, and how they sometimes managed to escape it. It will look at the world they lived in, and how their lives and marriages were affected by political necessity and the events of the time. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages will also examine how these girls, who were often political pawns, were able to control their own lives and fates. Whilst they were expected to obey their parents in their marriage choices, several princesses were able to exert their own influence on these choices, with some outright refusing the husbands offered to them.
Their stories are touching, inspiring and, at times, heartbreaking.
Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest is now available from Pen & Sword and Amazon.
Sharon is the author of:
Heroines of the Medieval World; Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest; Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England; Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey; King John’s Right Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye; Women of the Anarchy; Heroines of the Tudor World; Scotland’s Medieval Queens: From St Margaret to Margaret of Denmark; Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest (March 2026); Princesses of the Later Middle Ages; Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets (August 2026)
Have a listen to theA Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Ian Mortimer, Bernard Cornwell, Elizabeth Chadwick and Scott Mariani, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
I am delighted to have been asked to take part in this year’s Online History Festival hosted by British History Events!
The theme and title of this year’s festival (their 6th) is ‘Defining Moments in British History’ – exploring six defining moments that have shaped Britain today. The festival is all online, taking place from the evening of Friday, 20th March until the evening of Sunday, 22nd March 2026.
Magna Carta: From Inception to Legacy
By 1215, the English barons’ objections to King John were almost beyond number. He had failed to face the French and had lost not only most of his family’s Continental possessions, but also those of his barons. Few had forgotten his treachery against his brother – his attempts on the throne whilst Richard was away on Crusade. His barons even complained that he forced himself on their wives and daughters.
The barons had had enough.
And the result was Magna Carta; a detailed document created to stave off civil war. It touched on the whole system of royal government. And it was granted to ‘all free men of the realm and their heirs forever’. It brought the king within the law, rather than above it.
It is the closest thing England has to a Constitution.
How significant was Magna Carta really?
In this lecture, I will explore the reasons for Magna Carta, the civil war that followed its creation and the people who fought for it and used it to assert their own rights. And we will look at how relevant it still is today, even beyond England’s shores.
So, I have been spending this week tweaking my PowerPoint presentation and recording the lecture.
There will be 6 talks from leading historians (including myself!), a live Q&A with all 6 historians, a live quiz, and a prize draw. Here is the line up!
Julian Humphrys explores ‘The Battle of Hastings: What Happened and What Followed’. Sharon Bennett Connolly (me!) traces ‘Magna Carta: From Inception to Legacy’. Matthew Lewis examines ‘How the Black Death Changed England Forever’. Gareth Russell tackles ‘Crisis of Faith: The Reformation in British History’. Jonathan Healey delves into ‘The British Civil Wars: How They Happened and Why They Matter’. Gareth Streeter looks at ‘The Birth of Britain: How the Glorious Revolution and the Act of Union Forged a Modern Nation’.
And I am really looking forward to the online Q&A and discussion.
Of course, Magna Carta is THE defining moment, but I will let the fellas have their say …
Don’t worry if you can’t watch all the talks as they go out – your ticket will give you access to everything in the festival until 31st May 2026.
Coming 30 March: Princesses of the Early Middle Ages
Daughters of kings were often used to seal treaty alliances and forge peace with England’s enemies. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest explores the lives of these young women, how they followed the stereotype, and how they sometimes managed to escape it. It will look at the world they lived in, and how their lives and marriages were affected by political necessity and the events of the time. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages will also examine how these girls, who were often political pawns, were able to control their own lives and fates. Whilst they were expected to obey their parents in their marriage choices, several princesses were able to exert their own influence on these choices, with some outright refusing the husbands offered to them.
Their stories are touching, inspiring and, at times, heartbreaking.
Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest is now available for pre-order from Pen & Sword and Amazon.
Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:
Scotland’s history is dramatic, violent and bloody and Scotland’s Medieval Queens have seen it all. This is the story of Scotland through their eyes. Available now fromAmazon and Pen and Sword Books. 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. Heroines of the Tudor World is now available from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.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.
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.
Podcast:
Have a listen to theA Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Ian Mortimer, Bernard Cornwell, Elizabeth Chadwick and Scott Mariani, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
Robert II, King of Scots, had been born on 2 March 1316, as the grandson and heir of Robert the Bruce. His mother. Marjorie Bruce, had died at the time of his birth, or shortly after. He had been supplanted as his grandfather’s heir when Bruce’s queen, Elizabeth de Burgh, gave birth to a son, David Bruce, in 1324. David was crowned as King David II on his father’s death in 1329. Although only 5-years-old, David was already a married ‘man’, having wed Edward III’s 7-year-old sister, Joan of the Tower, in July 1328.
Edward III saw an opportunity in Scotland having a child-king and, notwithstanding the headache he was causing his own sister, he decided to support the claims, to the Scottish crown, of Edward Balliol, son of the deposed king, John Balliol, and his wife, Isabella de Warenne. Edward III invaded Scotland. King David and his young wife were sent to France for their safety, while the Scots fought for the kingdom. One of those leading the fight was Robert Stewart, David’s nephew – Robert the Bruce’s grandson. He had become High Steward of Scotland on his father’s death in 1327. He was made guardian of Scotland whilst still in his late teens and fought in the defeat of the Scots at Halidon Hill in July 1333, when he was still only 17.
Robert was David II’s heir – until the latter produced a son and heir of his own, at least. Uncle and nephew had a fractious relationship, even after David returned from French exile. David may have resented the reputation Robert had gained in fighting for Scottish independence, and he was certainly wary of Robert’s powerful position, as High Steward, guardian and – of course – as heir presumptive to the crown.
David II and Joan being greeted by Philip VI of France
Robert’s strength, however, lay not only in his proximity to the throne, but also in the fact he had managed to do what David had not, produce an heir. Six, in fact. Robert’s rather unusual marital situation, and perhaps the growing awareness, as the years went on, that there was less and less likelihood of David producing an heir, saw him apply for a papal dispensation to marry Elizabeth Mure, which was supported by King David, King Philip VI of France, the seven Scottish bishops and parliament. It was granted on 22 November 1347, at least ten years after the start of their relationship. The dispensation allowed for the retrospective legitimisation of their children:
This Robert took to his bed one of the daughters of Adam More, knight; and of her he begat sons and daughters, out of wedlock. But he afterwards – in the year 1349, to wit – bespoke and got the dispensation of the Apostolic See, and espoused her regularly, according to the forms of the Church.1
An earlier dispensation, issued in 1345, had annulled Elizabeth’s betrothal to Hugh Giffard. Elizabeth was the daughter of Adam Mure of Rowallon, Ayrshire. Though whether her mother was his first wife, Joan Cunnigham, or his second wife, Janet, is undetermined. The unusual nature of their relationship and marital situation has given rise to questions over the legitimacy of their children. According to John Riddell, the facts of the relationship are that:
Robert II, when related to Elizabeth Mure, in the third and fourth forbidden degrees of affinity, and the fourth forbidden degree of consanguinity, lived for a long space in concubinage with her, during which ‘prolis utriusque sexus multitudinem procrearunf’ – during that unhallowed, and in law, incestuous connection; till at last, resolving to marry, but discovering the double relationship between them, which was a bar to their marriage at common (Ecclesiastical) law, they then obtained a dispensation from Clement VI, in 1347, for the purpose, in ordinary form. After which it is in proof, that they did marry under authority of the dispensation, – Robert founding in 1364, in compliance with an injunction there, a Chaplainry, in expiation of his former offence, which was, by received doctrine at the time, deemed an aggravated one.2
Robert II’s maternal grandparents, Robert the Bruce and his first wife, Isabella of Mar
It has been argued that the children of Robert and Elizabeth were not only born outside of marriage, but also that their parents were related within the limited degrees, and therefore the relationship was incestuous without a papal dispensation. This, however, ignores the possibility that Robert and Elizabeth did go through a form of marriage in the 1330s, when Scotland was deeply involved in its war with England and, with David II sent to France for his safety and Robert was the senior representative of the Bruce family in Scotland. Moreover, it may have been thought prudent that Robert should marry sooner, rather than later, for dynastic considerations. With Edward Balliol unmarried and with no heir, the fact that the king’s heir was married with children was significant, a sign that the Bruce–Stewart dynasty was secure, at least.
That the marriage was not regularised until the war was over could be excused by the fact there were more urgent matters to attend to and the financial and legal obligations of obtaining a dispensation could wait. This would certainly explain the papacy’s willingness to regulate the marriage by issuing a retroactive dispensation. Alternatively, they may have only recently discovered a familial relationship within the prohibited degrees, and therefore applied for a dispensation. Elizabeth and Robert then underwent a second, formal, marriage ceremony in 1349.
Their first child, John, had been born in about 1337 and was created Earl of Carrick in 1369, the title held by his great-grandfather, Robert the Bruce, before he became king. He would ascend the throne as Robert III on his father’s death in 1390. Although the birth order could be slightly different, it seems likely that John was followed by a sister, Margaret, who was married to John MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, as his second wife, for which a papal dispensation was issued on 14 June 1350. The couple were granted the island of Colowsay by Margaret’s father in a charter dated to July 1376. Three more sons followed, Walter, Robert and Alexander. Walter was married to Isabel, Countess of Fife, in April 1360 or 1361. He died sometime after 14 August 1362 but before the end of the year, as his widow married again, to Thomas Bisset of Upsetlington on 10 January 1363. She resigned the earldom of Fife to Walter’s brother, Robert Stewart, Earl of Menteith, on 30 March 1371.
Robert Stewart is identified as the ‘second born of the king’ in the Liber Pluscardensis. Robert was Earl of Menteith by right of his wife, Margaret Graham, a title she herself had inherited from her mother, Mary. Margaret had been married three times before; her first husband, Sir John Moray, was the son of Christian Bruce, King Robert I’s sister, by her last husband, Sir Andrew Murray. Robert was later created Duke of Albany and acted as regent during his brother’s reign.
The reverse side of Robert II’s Great Seal
The third son, Alexander, has a significant reputation as a cruel and rapacious character, earning him the nickname, the Wolf of Badenoch. He married Euphemia, Countess of Ross and was Earl of Ross in her name. Euphemia resigned her share of Buchan to the king, who regranted it to Alexander and Euphemia, in July 1382, so that they were Earl and Countess of Ross and Buchan. The marriage had its difficulties and Alexander left his wife, for ‘Mariota’s daughter Athyn’ but was ordered to return to her, in a charter dated 2 November 1389, by the Bishop of Moray and Ross. Apparently, the breach was irretrievable, as Pope Clement VII ‘issued a commission to dissolve her marriage’ on 9 June 1392, and in December 1392 Euphemia was granted a divorce ‘from bed and board’.3 Although Alexander had seven illegitimate children, he and Euphemia had remained childless.
Robert II and Elizabeth Mure also had four more daughters, although their order of birth is unknown. Marjory married John Dunbar, the son of Patrick Dunbar and Isabel Randolph of Moray. He was created Earl of Moray by his father-in-law in March 1372. Marjory’s second husband was Alexander Keith of Grandown.
Jean, or Joan, Stewart was married three times, firstly to John Keith, son of William de Keith, the Marischal, in January 1374. John died just fourteen months later. A year after that, in either June or October 1376, Jean married Sir John Lyon of Glamis. On 4 October 1376, King Robert II granted land, the thanedom of Tannadyce in Forfar, possibly a wedding gift, ‘to his dearest son John Lyon and Johanna his wife, the King’s beloved daughter’.4 The marriage was initially kept secret and only publicly acknowledged on 10 May 1378 when the king, with the consent of his surviving sons, ‘granted to the spouses letters of acknowledgement and remission for any clandestine marriage formerly contracted by them, in regard a marriage had been solemnly celebrated between them in face of the Church, in presence of the King and his sons and other friends and relatives.’5 Further grants followed, but Sir John was killed, apparently murdered by Sir James Lindsay on 4 November 1382. According to the Liber Pluscardensis, the deed was done at night when the ‘victim was in bed and unsuspecting’.6 Their only child was John’s son and successor, also called John Lyon. On 20 November 1384, Jean married for a third and final time, to Sir James Sandilands of Calder. Ahead of the marriage, Sir James was granted the baronies of Dalzell, Motherwell and Wiston, to be held by Sir James and Jean, the king’s daughter, ‘whom God willing he is about to take to wife’.7 The princess is last mentioned in 1404, as ‘Lady Johanna of Glammys’. She was buried beside her second husband, Sir John Lyon, at Scone Abbey.
Another daughter, Elizabeth Stewart, married Thomas Hay, Baron of Erroll and Constable of Scotland. A charter issued by King Robert II granted an annuity to ‘Thomas Hay and Elizabeth the king’s daughter, and the children born and to be born of them’ dated 7 September 1372, the day of their marriage.8
Isabel Stewart was married twice, firstly to James Douglas, son of William Douglas, Earl of Douglas, and his wife, Margaret, Countess of Mar. A papal dispensation was issued for the marriage in September 1371 and James succeeded his father as Earl Douglas in 1384. Sir James died in 1388 and sometime in the next two years, Isabel married John Edmonstone of Duntreath. Isabel most likely died before 22 July 1410, when accounts record payments to ‘John Edmonstone … for the reason that he was once married to the Countess of Douglas’.9
Through the marriages of his sons and daughters, Robert Stewart created a familial network that extended his influence over the greater part of central, western and north-eastern Scotland. He formed unions with eight of the country’s fifteen existing earldoms as well as gaining other lordships, royal castles and offices north of the Forth-Clyde line. However, the unusual nature of the marriage of Robert and Elizabeth would always leave a question mark hanging over the legitimacy of their children, an uncertainty that the children of Robert’s second marriage would highlight and try to exploit.
Robert III and his queen, Annabella Drummond
But it was Elizabeth’s eldest son, John, Earl of Carrick, who would succeed his father as King Robert III. Elizabeth herself, though married to David II’s heir, was never to become queen. She died sometime before 1355, possibly in childbirth as she would have been no more than in her late 30s, or perhaps from complications arising from having borne at least nine children, and possibly as many as thirteen. We have so little information about her that her place of burial is also unknown, though Paisley Abbey or Scone Abbey are possibilities. We only know that poor Elizabeth was dead by 1355 because 2 May of that year is the date of the papal dispensation for Robert Stewart’s second marriage, to Euphemia Ross.
Whatever the nature of their marriage, and the reason for the dispensation, it was not an arranged marriage for dynastic purposes. Robert and Elizabeth appear to have chosen each other. The number of children born, even during times of war, suggests that Robert and Elizabeth had a close and loving relationship. This did not, however, preclude Robert from marrying again, possibly only a short time after Elizabeth’s death. Walter Bower suggests that, although Robert’s relationship with Elizabeth Mure was earlier, the marriage only occurred after Queen Euphemia’s death:
It is noteworthy that the said King Robert fathered three sons by the Lady Elizabeth daughter of Sir Adam More, namely John who was later king, and Robert duke of Albany, and the said Alexander earl of Buchan, who was commonly called ‘The Wolf of Badenoch’. Later he married the Lady Euphemia daughter of Hugh earl of Ross, by whom he fathered Walter earl of Athol and lord of Brechin, and David earl of Strathearn. But on the death of Queen Euphemia he married the said Lady Elizabeth, and so by virtue of subsequent marriage, a second marriage ceremony, the said brothers John, Robert and Alexander were legitimated, for according to canon law a subsequent marriage legitimates sons born before the marriage.10
Robert II and Elizabeth Mure
This timeline, of course, does not work, as the papal dispensation, legitimising the children, was issued in 1347 and there is every indication that Elizabeth was dead before 1355.
King Robert II died at Dundonald Castle on 19 April 1390 and was buried at Scone Abbey. He had spent almost his entire life as heir presumptive to the Scottish throne, always waiting on the sidelines. It is a sad fact of history that we have very little insight into the personalities and appearances of Robert’s wives. We do not know, for instance, what either wife thought of his various mistresses, nor his illegitimate children. They cannot have been happy about his philandering but may have accepted it, reluctantly. It was certainly not an unusual trait in the men of the family, as both Robert the Bruce and David II had had a string of mistresses.
Robert’s first wife, Elizabeth Mure, never got to wear the crown, though her influence, through her children, would set the tone for the Scottish royal house of Stewart into the next century.
We shall leave the story Robert’s second wife, Queen Euphemia, for another day.
*
Images: courtesy of Wikipedia
Notes:
1. John of Fordun’s Chronicle of the Scottish Nation; 2. John Riddell, Stewartiana, containing the case of Robert II and Elizabeth Mure; 3. Sir James Balfour Paul, editor, The Scots Peerage, Vol. VII; 4. ibid, Vol VIII; 5. ibid; 6. ibid; 7. ibid; 8. Burnett (1880) Exchequer Rolls, Vol. IV; 9. ibid; 10. Bower, Scotichronicon, V 7.
Sources:
John of Fordun’s Chronicle of the Scottish Nation, edited by W. F. Skene; Walter Bower, Scotichronicon; John Riddell, Stewartiana, containing the case of Robert II and Elizabeth Mure; Sir James Balfour Paul, editor, The Scots Peerage; fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTLAND; Susan Abernethy, The Two Wives of Robert II, King of Scots – Elizabeth Mure and EuphemiaRoss; G. Barrow, G. (1978), The Aftermath of War: Scotland and England in the late Thirteenth and early Fourteenth Centuries; Rosalind K. Marshall, Scottish Queens 1034–1714; Nigel Tranter, The Story of Scotland; Richard Oram, editor, The Kings and Queens of Scotland; David Ross, Scotland, History of a Nation; Liber pluscardensis, edited by Felix James Henry Skene.
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Out now: Scotland’s Medieval Queens
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.
‘Scotland’s Medieval Queens gives a thorough grounding in the history of the women who ruled Scotland at the side of its kings, often in the shadows, but just as interesting in their lives beyond the spotlight. It’s not a subject that has been widely covered, and Sharon is a pioneer in bringing that information into accessible history.’ Elizabeth Chadwick (New York Times bestselling author)
Coming 30 March 2026: Princesses of the Early Middle Ages
Daughters of kings were often used to seal treaty alliances and forge peace with England’s enemies. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest explores the lives of these young women, how they followed the stereotype, and how they sometimes managed to escape it. It will look at the world they lived in, and how their lives and marriages were affected by political necessity and the events of the time. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages will also examine how these girls, who were often political pawns, were able to control their own lives and fates. Whilst they were expected to obey their parents in their marriage choices, several princesses were able to exert their own influence on these choices, with some outright refusing the husbands offered to them.
Their stories are touching, inspiring and, at times, heartbreaking.
Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest is now available for pre-order.
Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:
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. Heroines of the Tudor World is now available from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.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.
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.
Podcast:
Have a listen to theA Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Ian Mortimer, Bernard Cornwell, Elizabeth Chadwick and Scott Mariani, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
When thieves snatch a priceless holy relic from a Pontefract church, Friar Tuck and the bailiff, John Little, set out through snowbound Yorkshire to recover it. The relic is the only hope for a gravely ill girl—but the hunt soon turns bloody.
From frozen dales to the mud-slick streets of York, John and Tuck pursue ruthless crime lord William Wake and his brutal enforcers: the battle-hardened Henry Tanner and the murderous giant Grimbald de Pendok.
When they finally face each other with swords in the snow, will Little John and Friar Tuck find they have met their match at last, or will there be a Christmas miracle?
It has fast become a tradition for me, as the night’s are drawing in and it is frosty outside, to read a novella written by Steven A. McKay. The author of the Forest Lord series, Steven has now written a whole host of Christmas mysteries which draw Robin Hood’s companions, Little John, Will Scarlet and Friar Tuck, into a life-or-death adventure, when all they want to do is sit around a warm fire, eating and drinking and telling stories of adventures past.
But no.
Steven A. McKay insists on sending them out into the freezing winds and deep snow drifts to entertain us. I feel sorry for the Merry Men (or not so ‘merry’ when they’re cold, wet and fighting for their lives), I do. But I do love these medieval mysteries.
This year is no exception, but with a twist and a treat. And this time, with Swords in the Snow, Steven A. McKay has enlisted the help of his fellow novelist and friend, Matthew Harffy, the creator of the Bernicia Chronicles, to act -or, rather, write – as the ‘bad guys’. And so, Little John and Friar Tuck are once again trudging through snow and mud, in search of thieves and murderers, and a Christmas miracle. At least there are no ghosts this time.
“Tuck!” The shout rang out, loud in the still winter air, and John, recognising a distinct note of alarm in it, spun around, staff held defensively before him. At his side, Tuck was in a similar posture, ready for whatever an enemy might throw at them, but the cry came again and the bailiff realised it had come from someone standing at the entrance to All Saints’ Church.
“Is that Bishop Wulstan?”
John squinted as the clergyman stepped out from the doorway and the pale December day lit his features. “Aye, it is,” the bailiff nodded. “Something’s upset him too.”
“Come over, Tuck,” the bishop called almost frantically. “And you too, John.”
With a last, longing look at the baker’s, both men sighed and walked across to the church. It was not a particularly large building, but it was impressive nonetheless, having been built quite recently.
Bishop Wulstan Barnsford had met John and Tuck before, when they’d investigated a strange, and ultimately murderous, religious sect. The bishop had led the trial against the leader of the cult, Lady Alice de Staynton, whose punishment was excommunication and banishment. He was a competent, clever man who did not seem the type to be easily upset, so John was surprised to note how pale the bishop’s complexion was. He was wringing his hands as the former outlaws strode across the road and, as they reached him, he let out a long sigh that conveyed great relief, as if he was glad to meet someone who could take the weight from his shoulders.
“What’s happened, your grace?” Tuck asked, reading the signs as John had done.
In reply, Bishop Wulstan turned, beckoning for them to follow as he went into All Saints’.
The pair did as they were bidden and walked inside, both tugging their collars up for it was even colder in the church than it was outside, their breath steaming in the frigid, incense-tinged air as they walked.
“In the name of God!” Tuck cried, hurrying ahead as they saw a priest lying on his side on the floor, eyes open but clearly in great pain and distress. “Stand back,” the friar commanded and the two men who were kneeling beside the priest hastily moved aside to let him through. They might have no idea who the burly newcomer was, but his tone brooked no argument.
John looked on, bemused, as Tuck, a man of learning who’d often acted as healer or surgeon for Robin Hood’s outlaw gang, tended to the injured priest who had, at least, been covered with a blanket.
“What happened here?” the friar asked.
“Thieves,” said the fallen clergyman, grunting in pain as Tuck checked him for broken bones. “They came in the night. I tried to stop them, but there was a giant with them and he—” His eyes fell on Little John and he visibly shrank into himself, terror written across his bruised face.
In Swords in the Snow Steven A. McKay and Matthew Harffy complement each other’s writing wonderfully, making for an engaging, entertaining and, quite frankly, thrilling story. And while Steven A. McKay takes Little John and Friar Tuck on a chilly ride through Yorkshire, hunting for the fiends who stole a holy relic from Pontefract, Matthew Harffy directs those said villains through their escapades.
It makes for some surprising twists and turns.
The two writing styles truly complement each other and create an exciting, gripping story.
Swords in the Snow is about half the length of a full novel, which means the authors have kept the story tight and focused, and you can tell they enjoyed working on the project. Here’s hoping it leads to even more collaborative work; perhaps Steven A. McKay will visit Bernicia and Beobrand next Christmas (hint, hint, fellas!)
In short, Swords in the Snow is a jolly good read, especially on a cold winter night when you are tucked up warm in front of a blazing fire!
Steven A. McKaywas born in Scotland in 1977 and always enjoyed studying history. He decided to write his Forest Lord novels after seeing a house called “Sherwood” when he was out at work one day. Since then he’s started a new series, the Warrior Druid of Britain Chronicles, and just completed a trilogy about Alfred the Great.
In 2021 the Xbox game HOOD: Outlaws and Legends was released, featuring Steven’s writing.
Steven wrote the theme song for the podcast he co-hosted, Rock, Paper, Swords! with Matthew Harffy.
Matthew Harffy lived in Northumberland as a child and the area had a great impact on him. The rugged terrain, ruined castles and rocky coastline made it easy to imagine the past. Decades later, a documentary about Northumbria’s Golden Age sowed the kernel of an idea for a series of historical fiction novels. The first of them is the action-packed tale of vengeance and coming of age, The Serpent Sword.
Matthew has worked in the IT industry, where he spent all day writing and editing, just not the words that most interested him. Prior to that he worked in Spain as an English teacher and translator. Matthew lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters.
Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.
Out now: Scotland’s Medieval Queens
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.
‘Scotland’s Medieval Queens gives a thorough grounding in the history of the women who ruled Scotland at the side of its kings, often in the shadows, but just as interesting in their lives beyond the spotlight. It’s not a subject that has been widely covered, and Sharon is a pioneer in bringing that information into accessible history.’ Elizabeth Chadwick (New York Times bestselling author)
Coming 30 March 2026: Princesses of the Early Middle Ages
Daughters of kings were often used to seal treaty alliances and forge peace with England’s enemies. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest explores the lives of these young women, how they followed the stereotype, and how they sometimes managed to escape it. It will look at the world they lived in, and how their lives and marriages were affected by political necessity and the events of the time. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages will also examine how these girls, who were often political pawns, were able to control their own lives and fates. Whilst they were expected to obey their parents in their marriage choices, several princesses were able to exert their own influence on these choices, with some outright refusing the husbands offered to them.
Their stories are touching, inspiring and, at times, heartbreaking.
Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest is now available for pre-order.
Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:
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. Heroines of the Tudor World is now available from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.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.
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.
Podcast:
Have a listen to theA Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Ian Mortimer, Bernard Cornwell, Elizabeth Chadwick and Scott Mariani, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
From the bestselling author of the Time Traveller’s Guides
In these sparkling A to Zs, time-travelling historian Ian Mortimer visits four classic periods of English history: the fourteenth century, the Elizabethan age, the Restoration and the Regency.
As he ranges from the Great Plague to the Great Freeze, from Armada to Austen, and from tobacco to toenails, he shines a light into corners of history we never knew were so fascinating — or so revealing of the whole.
How did the button change life in the Middle Ages? If you found yourself at a smart Elizabethan party, should you kiss your hostess on the lips? Why were pistols safer than swords in a duel? And how come Regency Londoners quaffed so much port?
This is Mortimer at his accessible and witty best. As ever, his aim is not only to bring the past to life but also to illuminate our own times.
A couple of weeks ago, Derek Birks and I had the pleasure of chatting with Ian Mortimer on our podcast, A Slice of Medieval, and we talked about THIS book. You can listen to the episode when it goes live on New Years’ Eve. And if this review doesn’t persuade you to have a read, Ian’s interview certainly will. Ian Mortimer has a refreshing outlook on History – he not only wants to make it accessible to everyone, he wants to make it enjoyable. And he wants you to look at History from different angles, even sideways. Because then, you see things differently.
Mortimer’s A to Zs of English History is split into 5 sections and focuses on 4 main periods; 14th century, Elizabeth, Restoration and Regency, with a 5th section, the envoi, an A to Z of reflections on those themes history that cross periods. This is a stunning book and a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Many History fans look down on general History books, saying they already know the basics. But this isn’t basic. It is not as much about the facts as it is about changing the way you look at the facts. It is about making you think and making you look differently at the facts, at what we know and how we know it. It makes you wonder how inventions came about, how innovations developed. It makes you consider how diet, environment, opportunities – and the weather – affected society and drove change.
And the envoi of Mortimer’s A to Zs of English History highlights what doesn’t change, considering the values, good and bad, that transect eras and generations. Xenophobia, for instance, rears its ugly head in every generation. Speed, also, is a consideration throughout the eras; the speed of travel, of communication and of progress.
Q is for Queenship
What are medieval queens for? Obviously, they are the partners of kings and their primary duty is to produce the next generation of the royal family. In medieval times it is essential to have a line of succession: political stability depends on it. But it is worth asking what queens are for other than childbirth. After all, they are not like other aristocratic women. When Lord So-and-so goes off to court, he leaves Lady So-and-so behind to look after the household in his absence, with staff to carry out her instructions, just as in countless other private households in the country. But when the king travels, the court goes with him. His queen might remain in one of the palaces or castles or she might accompany him, but even if she remains, her role is limited. Officials are left in charge of the royal residences. Childcare is normally passed over to other women – wetnurses and guardians. When a fourteenth-century king goes abroad, he entrusts the guardianship of the realm to his heir or a near male relative, not his queen. (In this respect, the fourteenth-century is more sexist than earlier ones.) So it is fair to ask, what other purpose do queens serve?
There are several interesting ways to answer this question. For a start, no fourteenth-century English king marries an Englishwoman. Edward I marries Eleanor of Castile and then Margaret of France. Edward II marries Isabella of France. Edward III marries Philippa of Hainault. Richard II first marries Anne of Bohemia and later Isabella of France. Henry IV is married to an Englishwoman, Mary de Bohun, before becoming king but she dies five years before his accession. The same pattern applies to the previous century: King John annuls his marriage to Isabella of Gloucester almost immediately on becoming king and marries a French heiress, Isabella of Angoulême, very shortly afterwards. Queens are a diplomatic link with other kings and kingdoms. They bring with them foreign attendants and a large number of foreign relations – this is an age when third and fourth cousins are an important source of trust, information and support. Edward II’s queen, Isabella of France, is given the task of negotiating a peace treaty with her brother, Charles IV of France, on her husband’s behalf. Queens thus tie England into an international diplomatic network.
Mortimer’s A to Zs of English History will make you think, question – and want to know more. It is a fabulous resource of facts that you didn’t even know you didn’t know – and didn’t know you needed to know.
Who would have thought of buttons as causing a revolution in fashion? Did you know cows and sheep were smaller in medieval times? Ian Mortimer takes a look at the History we do not always consider: the everyday, the quirky, the mundane. He’s insightful; how much more would we have known about medieval women if they had been taught to write, allowed to tell their own stories?
If you have a History fan in your family, you should get them Mortimer’s A to Zs of English History for Christmas.
It is educational.
It is entertaining.
It is amusing.
It is revelatory.
It is a ‘must read’.
You will not look at History in the same way ever again. Get it. Read it. Devour it. And gift a copy to a friend. It is a fabulous resource for anyone with a love of History – and an amazing introduction for anyone you want to get hooked on History.
Ian Mortimer is the bestselling author of the Time Traveller’s Guides series, as well as Medieval Horizons: Why the Middle Ages Matter and four critically acclaimed biographies. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 1998 and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 2015. His work on the social history of medicine won the Alexander Prize in 2004 and was published by the Royal Historical Society in 2009. He lives with his wife on the edge of Dartmoor.
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My Books
Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.
Out now: Scotland’s Medieval Queens
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.
‘Scotland’s Medieval Queens gives a thorough grounding in the history of the women who ruled Scotland at the side of its kings, often in the shadows, but just as interesting in their lives beyond the spotlight. It’s not a subject that has been widely covered, and Sharon is a pioneer in bringing that information into accessible history.’ Elizabeth Chadwick (New York Times bestselling author)
Coming 30 March 2026: Princesses of the Early Middle Ages
Daughters of kings were often used to seal treaty alliances and forge peace with England’s enemies. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest explores the lives of these young women, how they followed the stereotype, and how they sometimes managed to escape it. It will look at the world they lived in, and how their lives and marriages were affected by political necessity and the events of the time. Princesses of the Early Middle Ages will also examine how these girls, who were often political pawns, were able to control their own lives and fates. Whilst they were expected to obey their parents in their marriage choices, several princesses were able to exert their own influence on these choices, with some outright refusing the husbands offered to them.
Their stories are touching, inspiring and, at times, heartbreaking.
Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest is now available for pre-order.
Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:
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. Heroines of the Tudor World is now available from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.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.
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.
Podcast:
Have a listen to theA Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Ian Mortimer, Bernard Cornwell, Elizabeth Chadwick and Scott Mariani, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.
History... the interesting bits! 
