English history

Bitter Enemies: The Empress and the Queen

Sharon Bennett Connolly5 Comments
Books by Sharon Bennett Connolly
Margaret of Wessex, Queen of Scots

The time commonly referred to as the Anarchy is one of the most violent and unstable periods of English history. Lasting almost the entirety of the reign of King Stephen, it truly was a Cousin’s War. The two main protagonists, King Stephen and Empress Matilda, were first cousins, both being grandchildren of William the Conqueror and his queen, Matilda of Flanders. What is perhaps less well known is that Empress Matilda was also first cousin to Stephen’s wife and queen, Matilda of Boulogne. The two Matilda’s were both granddaughters of Margaret of Wessex, Queen of Scots as the wife of Malcolm III Canmore. And later St Margaret. It is through Margaret that the namesake cousins could claim descent from Alfred the Great.

The origins to the Anarchy can be traced back to one dramatic and tragic event: the sinking of the White Ship in 1120. This saw the drowning of the only legitimate son and heir of King Henry I, William Ætheling (or Adelin). The young man was 17 years old at the time, recently married, and his father’s pride and joy. His death gave rise to a constitutional crisis which the widowed Henry I sought to resolve by his speedy marriage to the teenage Adeliza of Louvain, in the hope of begetting yet more sons. Although he was getting on in years at roughly fifty-two, and had only two legitimate children, his brood of more than twenty illegitimate, but acknowledged, offspring gave him cause for optimism.

However, as the years progressed and no children were born, Henry had to look to other ways of resolving the succession crisis. In the years since the death of his son, the king had taken his nephew Stephen of Blois under his wing, showering him with gifts and land, and arranging the young man’s marriage. Stephen was the son of Henry’s highly capable sister Adela of Normandy, Countess of Blois and Stephen, Count of Blois, who had been killed on Crusade. The younger Stephen was created Count of Mortain and married to Matilda of Boulogne, the only child and heiress of Eustace of Boulogne and Mary of Scotland. It is possible that Henry was showing Stephen such favouritism in anticipation of not producing an heir by his new wife and was grooming Stephen to succeed him.

Books by Sharon Bennett Connolly
Empress Matilda depicted in an image from the Gospels of Henry the Lion.

However, the death of his daughter’s husband, Emperor Henry V, in faraway Germany offered Henry an alternative to his nephew. Better still, here was an opportunity to put his own blood on the throne. Shortly after the German emperor’s death in 1125, Henry recalled Empress Matilda to England. She had been sent to Germany at the age of seven, to be raised at the court of the emperor in anticipation of their marriage when she came of age. Matilda had married Henry in 1114, a month before her twelfth birthday. Although she and Henry were married for eleven years, they remained childless. When Henry died in 1125, Henry I of England therefore saw an opportunity to resolve his succession problem by recalling Matilda and making her his heir.

There was one problem with this plan: Matilda was a woman. Henry knew his barons would not be happy with the idea of being ruled by a woman, but by a process of coercion and persuasion he managed to get all his barons to swear to accept her as their next monarch. Following Matilda’s arrival in England in 1126, Henry proceeded to extract oaths of allegiance to her from all the bishops and magnates present at his Christmas court. Notably, this included Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain, King Henry’s nephew and the empress’s cousin. One of the concessions made to the barons was that they would have a say in Matilda’s choice of husband. After all, as a woman, Matilda would need a husband to rule in her name. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reported:

David the king of Scots was there, and all the head [men], clerical and lay, that were in England; and there he [Henry] had archbishops, and bishops, and abbots, and earls, and all those thegns who were there, swear England and Normandy after his day into the hand of his daughter Æthelic [Matilda], who was earlier wife of the emperor of Saxony; and afterwards sent her to Normandy (and with her travelled her brother Robert, Earl of Gloucester, and Brian, son of the earl Alan Fergant), and had her wedded to the son of the Earl of Anjou, [who] was called Geoffrey Martel [Plantagenet]. Despite the fact that it offended all the French and English, the king did it in order to have peace from the Earl of Anjou and in order to have help against William his nephew.1

Books by Sharon Bennett Connolly
Matilda of Boulogne

In trying to resolve the issue of who would rule after him, Henry had inadvertently created a problem that ensured the succession would be anything but smooth. He had created two rivals for the throne. His daughter had the claim that she was Henry’s successor by blood, but she was a woman. Though his blood claim was weaker, Stephen was Henry’s closest living male relative, and in the days when a king not only had to rule but had to lead his men into battle, the prospect of a female ruler struck fear into the hearts of the barons.

Empress Matilda’s actual abilities mattered less than the fact of her gender. Raised at the German imperial court, Matilda was an experienced politician who had acted as regent for her first husband on several occasions. She was confident. She knew, beyond doubt, that she was capable of ruling in her own right. This confidence was her strength but also her weakness; the barons would surely baulk at the idea of a woman who was unwilling to take instruction from them. In contrast, King Stephen was a magnate who was experienced in war and had enjoyed the favour of King Henry I.

Stephen’s wife, Matilda of Boulogne, was a stalwart supporter of her husband. She was arguably more capable than Stephen and often took the initiative in diplomatic negotiations. Acting as Stephen’s queen, she offered a stark contrast to the independence and authority of Empress Matilda that so infuriated the barons. Matilda of Boulogne was a little more subtle than her imperious counterpart, only ever acting in her husband’s name, not her own. Even later, when she held the command of Stephen’s forces during his captivity in 1141, she claimed to act only on behalf of her husband and sons.

Books by Sharon Bennett Connolly
King Stephen, Lincoln Cathedral

Matilda of Boulogne was an example of how a woman was expected to act and comport herself: strong and confident, but subject to her husband’s will. On this last, Empress Matilda failed in the eyes of the barons; she was acting for herself. In the event, the barons of England and Normandy despised her second husband, Geoffrey of Anjou, so they would have been even less receptive to Matilda had her husband tried to assert his authority. It was a conundrum that Matilda was never able to resolve, though she would not give up trying.

And the empress was, ultimately, the winner. With Stephen’s death in 1154, the last flickers of conflict also died. The empress’s oldest son succeeded as Henry II, peacefully and largely unopposed, despite the continued presence of Stephen’s son, William of Blois. Support for William was non-existent, and the war-weary barons were more than happy with the settlement. For Empress Matilda, it must have been a bittersweet moment. She had spent most of the past nineteen years fighting for her birthright and that of her son. While she had never worn the crown, Henry now did. The line of succession had finally passed into the hands of the descendants of Henry I.

Her bloodline had prevailed, but King Stephen had denied Empress Matilda her inheritance, her titles and her due. The irony of this struggle is that, in order to claim the throne, Stephen overruled the same laws of inheritance that saw him become Count of Boulogne. While it was difficult for a woman to manage her own lands and titles, they descended through her to her husband or son. So, as the county of Boulogne was inherited by Queen Matilda, so Stephen held those titles by right of his wife. And this was the dilemma for the Anglo-Norman nobility, and the reason they largely chose to support Stephen: they were suspicious and distrusting of the husband chosen for Empress Matilda. Just like Stephen, Geoffrey of Anjou had every right to claim Matilda’s lands as his own. Not the Geoffrey showed any interest in England; his sights were firmly set on Normandy, which he had conquered by 1144 and handed to his son, Henry in 1150.

The similarities between Empress and Queen are more noticeable than their differences. Both women demonstrated a level of piety which can only have come from their family connection, namely their mutual descent from Margaret of Wessex, Queen of Scots and later saint. Each Matilda was willing to do whatever it took to protect the interests of her children. Queen Matilda appealed to the empress to protect her son Eustace’s inheritance, while the empress invaded England. It is easy to see the empress’s struggle as an expression of her personal ambition to recover the inheritance stolen from her.

Books by Sharon Bennett Connolly
Henry II, Lincoln Cathedral

Yet it is necessary to look deeper and acknowledge that she was also motivated to see her son achieve his birthright. When Stephen usurped her throne, he stole it not just from Matilda but also from Henry. Calling himself Henry Fitz Empress when he joined his mother’s struggle, Henry was the grandson and eventual heir of Henry I. He had been raised to believe that England and Normandy were his destiny, and with the knowledge that his mother was absent for much of his formative years because she was fighting for his inheritance as much as hers.

Both empress and queen were adept at negotiating to achieve their aims, demonstrating impressive diplomatic skills in the most difficult of circumstances. Neither was prepared to sit on the sidelines and let others fight their battles for them. Although they could not wield a sword, nor participate in warfare, neither did they sit and wait in the safety of their ivory towers. They travelled with the armies and participated in councils of war, advising, directing and commanding their forces.

Empress Matilda and Queen Matilda had so much more in common than a name. Indeed, there was more to uniting them than pitting them against one another, be it family ties, abilities or aspirations for their children. What really differentiated them was the way they went about achieving their aims.

Dynastic ambition was a fine line for a woman to walk…

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The story of Empress Matilda and Queen Matilda of Boulogne is examined in greater detail in my book, Women of the Anarchy.

Notes:

1. Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, edited by Michael Swanton

Sources:

Gesta Stephani, translated by K. R. Potter; Henry of Huntingdon, The History of the English People 1000-1154; Marjorie Chibnall, The Empress Matilda: Queen Consort, Queen Mother and Lady of the English; Teresa Cole, The Anarchy: The Darkest Days of Medieval England; Catherine Hanley, Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior; Helen Castor, She-Wolves: The Women who Ruled England before Elizabeth; Robert Bartlett, England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings; J. Sharpe (trans.), The History of the Kings of England and of his Own Times by William Malmesbury; Orderici Vitalis, Historiae ecclesiasticae libri tredecem, translated by Auguste Le Prévost; Chronicles of the Reigns of Stephen, Henry II and Richard I; Edmund King, King Stephen; Donald Matthew, King Stephen; Matthew Lewis, Stephen and Matilda’s Civil War: Cousins of Anarchy.

Images:

Courtesy of Wikipedia except King Stephen and Henry II which are ©2025 Sharon Bennett Connolly, FRHistS.

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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

Books by Sharon Bennett Connolly

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)

Available now from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Books 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 for pre-order 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. 

Royal Historical Society

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

A Slice of Medieval

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. Our first ever episode was a discussion on The Anarchy Every episode is also now available on YouTube.

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Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram.

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©2025 Sharon Bennett Connolly, FRHistS.

Wordly Women: Gemma Hollman

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Today I am continuing my Wordly Women series with a historian who, just like me, concentrates on bringing the women to the fore. Gemma Hollman has written about Royal Witches, queens and mistresses. Her last book, Women in the Middle Ages: Illuminating the World of Peasants, Nuns, and Queens came out at the end of 2024, and is gorgeous! It was lovely to get the chance to have a chat with Gemma about her writing journey.

Sharon: So, Gemma, what got you into writing?

Gemma: It’s kind of a mix of completely by accident, and something I’ve always enjoyed doing. Whilst at school and university I would write bits of fiction for fun, never for anyone to look at, so I’ve always had a bit of a writing bug. But when I finished university, it felt so weird to go from four years of researching and writing history to quitting cold turkey. At this time, it seemed like everyone was making blogs, including loads of my friends, so I decided to join the trend and establish my blog, Just History Posts.

I loved writing there, and by the second year I was gathering a load of steam. One of my most popular posts was about Joan of Navarre, a fifteenth-century Queen of England who was accused of using witchcraft against the king – and one of the focuses of my Masters dissertation. That, combined with lots of people I knew in real life saying my dissertation would make an amazing book, made me think maybe people would like to learn about these women and their stories which are not that well-known. I pitched the book to The History Press and it eventually turned into my debut non-fiction book, Royal Witches. The rest, as they say, is history.

Sharon: Tell us about your books.

Gemma: Well, I already gave you a little bit of a taster about Royal Witches (the other three women, beyond Joan, are Eleanor Cobham, Jacquetta of Luxembourg and Elizabeth Woodville), about fifteenth-century women in the English Royal Family who were all accused of witchcraft. My second book goes back to the previous century and the court of Edward III of England, and is a dual biography of the two women who dominated his court and his heart – his queen, Philippa of Hainault, and his mistress, Alice Perrers. Both women are absolutely fascinating in their own right, but by looking at them together I think you can understand them, Edward, and the fourteenth century a lot better.

My final book came out at the end of last year, and is called Women in the Middle Ages. A slight departure from my first two books, which were both focused biographies, this is a much broader look at women across much of Europe from roughly 1000-1500. The best thing about it, though, is that it is an illustrated history, featuring just shy of 200 images of artwork and artefacts from the medieval period. I explore how these objects can illuminate the real lives of these women in far more detail than written records alone. It is a beautiful, full-colour experience which was so special to pull together.

Sharon: What attracts you to the medieval period?

Gemma: I’ve always loved all periods of history, and studied a huge range of history at university, but I found that I enjoyed writing medieval history much more than I did modern history. I enjoyed acting almost like a detective and trying to extract bits about people’s lives and personalities with such limited sources. And the more I researched and wrote it, the more I fell in love with it. The medieval world was so incredibly different from today in every aspect, that it can sometimes feel like another world. But, at the same time, people themselves are so similar to today. I always love reading stories that connects us through the centuries, feeling that human connection to someone so far removed from myself today. Although it was a time of huge strife, poverty, and difficulty, there is something intrinsically magical about it – it’s no coincidence so much of our fantasy media today has medieval vibes!

Sharon: Who is your favourite 14th century person and why?

Gemma: Oh gosh, that is such a difficult question! Of course there is no one favourite, as that would be impossible, but someone who has grabbed my attention ever since I first learnt about her is Isabella of France, the queen of Edward II of England. She was so self-assured of her lineage, her rights, the respect due to her by virtue of her position, and she was not going to let anyone tell her otherwise. She was loved and sympathised with whilst the neglected spouse, then inspired the entire country to stand with her and overthrow her husband, and went on to pretty much rule England with her lover for several years. Even after her son, Edward III, forcibly took control of the kingdom again, she continued to wield significant influence at court. I think she is just so utterly fascinating – and she of course perfectly sets the scene for the start of my second book, The Queen and the Mistress!

Sharon: Who is your least favourite 14th century and why?

Gemma: Ooh. I don’t know that there’s really anyone I actively dislike, but for playfulness I will put forward Thomas Walsingham, chronicler and monk at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire. His chronicles are invaluable for our knowledge of the late fourteenth century, but he is a bit of a villain in my second book for his treatment of Alice Perrers. As a religious man, Alice’s position as a mistress at the heart of the court was unconscionable (and it didn’t help that she was embroiled in legal conflicts with his abbey for many years). He is responsible for a lot of the negative propaganda against Alice which lasted for centuries, including the baseless accusation that she stole the rings from Edward’s fingers after he died. Even today, the way he spoke about her is the main way people approach her and assume how she really was. Talk about negative PR.

Sharon: How do you approach researching your topic?

Gemma: Mostly I already have a theme or a person in mind for what I want to research, and generally I already have an amount of knowledge about the topic. But I always find it most helpful to start with secondary sources, ie by reading a load of books and journal articles on the subject. I write copious notes, start creating timelines where necessary, and jot down the names of other books and sources from the footnotes. I then go to the original sources and make a load of notes on those, too, and I then dive in to writing. I always find once I start writing I then become aware of areas where my notes might be lacking, like missing any information about what someone was doing in a particular year of their life, and so I then go back to the sources and secondary material to fill in these gaps. I also find that it’s only by starting to write do I truly know which direction my piece is going in, and thus am able to tailor my research much more specifically, rather than reading about anything in the hope it might be useful, but finding that I don’t use it at all (as happens with much of my early research).

Sharon: Tell us your ‘favourite’ medieval story you have come across in your research.

Gemma: One of my favourites definitely comes from a story I read in a chronicle at university, and which I recounted in one of my very first blog posts. This is a story from the court of Henry II of England, and is one that very much exemplifies what I said earlier about people never changing. The king’s steward, a man named Thurston, came to him and complained that another man, Adam of Yarmouth, refused to seal a writ for him free of charge (something which was to be expected amongst people working in the government). After some investigation, it was revealed that Adam was upset at Thurstan because at a party Thurstan had been hosting, he refused to allow Adam to eat two cakes! Such a petty squabble had disrupted the king’s business, and he settled the squabble by having Adam seal the writ in return for Thurstan serving him two cakes on bended knee. It sounds like something out of fiction rather than reality!

Sharon: Are there any other eras you would like to write about?

Gemma: I definitely have found my comfort zone in the medieval era, but I do think from time to time about writing about other periods, as I think is only natural. I know of some amazing women from the Georgian and Victorian periods that I’ve been drawn to writing about several times, so maybe that’s something I can set my sights on one day.

Sharon: What are you working on now?

Gemma: At the moment, I am in the midst of my fourth book which is set in the court of Richard II. The book is largely a biography about Richard, but it also aims to take a look at his wider court, too, particularly some of the other large and important figures – and, particularly, women. It’s due next year, so wish me luck with getting it done in time!

Sharon: And finally, what is the best thing about being a writer?

Gemma: This question is definitely easy for me – spreading the knowledge I have and seeing people enjoy it and learn something new. Every time I get a review, or speak to a person at a talk I am giving, where the person said they’ve loved what I’ve written/how I’ve spoken, and that they’ve learnt something is just as special as the last. I love writing, and I love that I get to learn so many interesting things myself in the process, but the whole point of me writing is to share all the things I’ve learnt with other people. Each time I hear that I’ve done that, and done it well, makes all of the late nights researching after a full day’s work, or the times I can’t see my friends and family because I have a deadline worth it.

About the author:

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.

Where to find Gemma:

Website: https://justhistoryposts.com/; Link for books: https://lnk.bio/GemmaHAuthor; Social media: Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/gemmahauthor.bsky.social.

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My books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

Out now: Scotland’s Medieval Queens

Books by Sharon Bennett Connolly

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)

Available now from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Books 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. 

Books by Sharon Bennett Connolly

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

A Slice of Medieval

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Michael Jecks, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. Every episode is also now available on YouTube.

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Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram.

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©2025 Sharon Bennett Connolly, FRHistS and Gemma Hollman, FRHistS

Guest Post: Tudor Princes and Princesses by Aimee Fleming

Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

Today, it is a pleasure to welcome Aimee Fleming to History…the Interesting Bits. Aimee’s first book, The Female Tudor Scholar and Writer: The Life and Times of Margaret More Roper was a wonderful biography of Thomas More’s famous scholarly daughter. Aimee is now back with a second book, looking into the lives of the first royal Tudor children, Tudor Princes and Princesses: The Early Lives of the Children of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. And she has written a little piece as a taster of the treat that is this wonderful book. Over to Aimee…

When Henry VII and Elizabeth of York married in January 1486, it was clear to them that their most important task ahead was to stabilise England, and the best, perhaps easiest way available to them was to produce an heir, and quickly.

However, bearing a child in the fifteenth century was not an easy feat, even for a Queen. Science and medicine were far from helpful, and the practices of the time meant that pregnancy and childbirth were dangerous to everyone involved. Elizabeth had her family around her, her mother who had had twelve children would have been invaluable to her, but the risks to herself, her child, and to her husband’s reign would have been very clear indeed.

In this extract we see how the couple prepared for their new arrival, and what Elizabeth herself was required to do, even before the rigours of birth.

Extract from Chapter 2 of Tudor Princes and Princesses

Elizabeth of York

Following the wedding ceremony in January 1486, the royal couple remained in London and held court over celebrations in their honour, with spectacular banquets and dances. The celebrations were held all over London and further afield. As Bernard André describes:

‘…the most wished day of marriage was celebrated by them

with all religious and glorious magnificence at court, and

by their people, to show their gladness with bonfires,

dancing, songs and banquets throughout all London,

both men and women, rich and poor, beseeching God to

bless the King and Queen and grant them a numerous

progeny.’

This outpouring of support for the marriage of the king and queen was welcomed by all, especially by Henry and Elizabeth themselves, who knew just how important it was that their union, and rule, be accepted. It became apparent that their marriage represented the potential for peace in the form of an heir who would have their claims combined within him. Hall’s Chronicle shows what was expected.

‘By reason of whiche manage peace was thought to discende out of heaue into England, consideryng that the lynes of Lancastre & Yorke, being both noble families equiualet in ryches, fame and honour, were now brought into one knot and connexed together, of whose two bodyes one heyre might succede, which after their lyme should peaceably rule and enioye the whole monarchy and realme of England.’

Confident in their position early on, the king and queen worked to secure the future that so many hoped for and very soon after their wedding took place it was announced that the queen was with child. Whether that be out of duty, mutual respect, or genuine affection and love between them, the conception of a child was joyous news for all involved. Calculating from the date of their wedding, and Arthur’s birth, it is reasonable to assume that they conceived quickly, if not on their wedding night itself. When Henry departed for a progress around Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in the early spring of 1486, he did not take Elizabeth with him, most likely because she was suffering from morning sickness, or other symptoms associated with the early stages of pregnancy. As a first-time mother, it would have been new to Elizabeth, but luckily, she had her experienced mother and mother-in-law both around to support her. While Henry was travelling, he sent regular letters to his new wife, and would send gifts to her while she stayed at the Palace of Placentia.

Elizabeth would have been familiar with the palace, having spent a lot of time there as a young girl. It would become one of the most favoured for the king and queen and would be renamed by Henry as Greenwich Palace. Both names emphasise how the palace was surrounded by green parks and fields, isolated from the hustle and bustle and potential diseases of London itself.

As soon as it could be confirmed that Elizabeth was with child, the wheels began turning to arrange yet more elaborate ceremony, intended to cement Elizabeth as queen, the Tudor dynasty as the ruling family, and rightfully on the throne. This started with Elizabeth’s care while pregnant.

While it was not common for pregnant women to receive medical or ante-natal care in this period, Elizabeth’s health would have been monitored and her diet checked, and healthy habits encouraged by her ladies and physicians. Pregnant women were discouraged from heavy activities or stressful situations, and sometimes forbidden to eat certain foods; for example, if a woman complained of morning sickness, she may be told to limit her intake of fish or milk, both of which modern doctors would recommend she eat.

Pregnancy was dangerous, as was childbirth, for both the mother and the child, so royal women were given the best possible conditions in which to give birth, according to the science of the time.

Elizabeth of York

As a woman’s due date got closer, she would be expected to enter confinement. This was a time where the pregnant woman and her household would isolate themselves in the woman’s bedroom. Windows would be barred and draped, and air flow would be completely stifled as it was believed that illnesses were carried on the air. For a queen, preparations for confinement would be made by the king according to traditions laid out during the reign of Edward IV, Elizabeth’s father. She would have been very familiar with the work that needed to be done, and the fact that the arrangements would be made for her by her husband.

Henry took his role in arranging Elizabeth’s confinement very seriously indeed. He purchased clothes and bedding for the chambers, all made of furs and velvet, and the most luxurious cotton sheets. He arranged for new furniture for her rooms and cushions stuffed with feathers, and even, bewilderingly, two velvet-covered saddles.

However, by far the most important decision that Henry made regarding his wife’s confinement and birth experience was to choose the location, and for Henry there was only one place that it could happen and that was the city of Winchester.

About the Author:

Aimee Fleming is a historian and author from North Yorkshire. She is happily married, with three growing boys and a whole host of pets. She studied history at the University of Wales, Bangor and then later completed a masters in Early Modern History at the University of York as a mature student. She has a passion for history, particularly the Tudors, and worked for over a decade in the heritage industry in a wide variety of roles and historic places.

Books by Aimee Fleming:

The Female Tudor Scholar and Writer: The Life and Times of Margaret More Roper

Tudor Princes and Princesses: The Early Lives of the Children of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York

Where to find Aimee:

Website; Facebook; Threads and Instagram: @historyaimee; Substack.

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My books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

Out now: Scotland’s Medieval Queens

Books by Sharon Bennett Connolly

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)

Available now from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Books 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. 

Royal Historical Society

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

A Slice of Medieval

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Michael Jecks, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. 

Every episode is also now available on YouTube.

*

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram.

*

©2025 Sharon Bennett Connolly, FRHistS and Aimee Fleming

Book Corner: Rise of the First Wessex King by A.J. Proudfoot

Sharon Bennett Connolly2 Comments
A.J. Proudfoot

When the Saxons, invited to settle in Britannia by King Wyrtgeorn, brutally murder the father and brother of Ceredig, the second son of a fifth century Romano-British chieftain, he flees the land of his birth.

While the Saxons expand their control over Britannia, Ceredig grows up in Armorica, learning the ways of the Gewisse, and ultimately taking command of this elite force of warriors, who had remained loyal to his father, Elisedd.

Despite ruling as a chieftain in Armorica, Ceredig remains determined to return to his homeland, avenge his father and brother’s murder, and finally reclaim the lands his father had once ruled in southern Britannia.

After over forty years in exile, Ceredig, his son and a force of Gewisse warriors return to Britannia, joining a large army of Britons who are preparing to take on the Saxons in battle at Badonbyrg.

What happens next will go down in history…

As a debut novel, Rise of the First Wessex King by A.J. Proudfoot is a winner. And as a special treat, alongside my review, I have an interview with the author, who is currently working on book no. 2 in what promises to be a fascinating series. Cerdic, or Ceredig, is the founder of the kingdom of Wessex and a royal house that would reach its zenith under Ceredig’s descendants, King Alfred the Great, Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, her brother Edward the Elder and Edward’s son Athelstan, first king of England.

And it all started with Ceredig.

In Rise of the First Wessex King, A.J. Proudfoot recreates Ceredig’s world, post-Roman Britain, breathing life into this 1,500-year-old story. And what a fascinating story it is. Though our knowledge is limited, Proudfoot fills in the gaps to create a lively and energetic retelling of the foundation of the royal house of Wessex. This is the story of the fight of the native Britons against the invading Saxons, of a war that must have felt never-ending, at times. It is a story of conflict and betrayal, but also of family and comradeship, and of a young man who had to patiently wait for the time to be right to achieve his dream of pushing back the Saxons and going home.

The characters, particularly our hero, are wonderfully vivid. And I love how Proudfoot weaves the legends of Arthur and Hengist and Horsa in to the story, bringing a little-known period of history back to life. Who doesn’t like to see a little bit of King Arthur thrown into the mix? The inclusion of Artorius and Ambrosius made me smile – and want to read more!

This is a debut novel, so Proudfoot sometimes fall into the trap of giving summaries, telling, rather than showing the action and debate, but this does not detract from the pace of the book. Overall, it is a fabulous read, imbued with a sense of adventure. It is a great start to what promises to be an impressive series.

Overall, it is a great story, told well!

If you’re looking for a new author to sink your teeth into, I don’t hesitate to recommend A.J. Proudfoot’s Rise of the First Wessex King.

To Buy the Book:

Books2Read; The Book Guild; Bookshop.org (UK)

Interview with A.J. Proudfoot

A.J. Proudfoot

Sharon: So, Alex, what got you into writing historical fiction?

Alex: This may come as a surprise, but I didn’t originally set out to become an author and write historical fiction novels. I was simply trying to trace the origins of my unusual Proudfoot surname, and was continuing the research into our Proudfoot family history that my parents and aunt had begun many years before.

After several years’ research, I was amazed to find that I had traced my family ancestry back 1500 years to a mysterious chieftain called Cerdic, at the end of the fifth century, who founded the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex. There are many interesting ancestors in the Proudfoot family tree, whose lives would make an excellent novel, but when I discovered more about Cerdic’s life, I realised that there was an Arthurian story that was worth writing.

Sharon: What made you want to tell Cerdic’s story?

Alex: I was intrigued why this important figure in early English history has been largely ignored by historical writers, so I undertook my own research into the life of Cerdic, finding crucial inconsistencies in what is written about Cerdic’s Saxon heritage, which I put down to a desire, by early Saxon chroniclers, to establish King Alfred’s Saxon ancestry.

Instead, I found evidence that Cerdic was more likely to be descended from a Romano-British family, who originally hailed from an ancient Welsh kingdom, and was more than likely called Ceredig, given his Brythonic heritage, and to the phonetic similarities. As a result, I felt compelled to use what I had learned to tell the story about my earliest known ancestor and his crucial role in history, based on recorded events in the early Anglo-Saxon era. To paraphrase John Wade, the rest is historical fiction!

Sharon: How do you go about researching a historical character from 1500 years ago?

Imaginary depiction from John Speed’s 1611 “Saxon Heptarchy”

Alex: The great difficulty in researching a historical figure from so far back is the lack of contemporary records. My starting point was, naturally, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, but it only mentions six events relating to Cerdic’s life, and is written from a Saxon perspective. I read all I could about Cerdic in research papers by modern Anglo-Saxon historians, including JNL Myers and Richard Coates, which is where I found clues to Cerdic’s Romano-British connections. There was also a story about 5th century Bishop Germanus meeting a regional chieftain in southern Britain, called Elasius, whose name is remarkably similar to Elesa, the recorded name of Cerdic’s father in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

Eventually, I had built a picture of the young son of a Romano-British chieftain, ruling and defending the southern coastline of Britain against Saxon invaders, who suddenly disappeared from Britain, returning nearly fifty years later to take control over a region in the Upper Thames Valley, before expanding his lands south before becoming king and ruling a kingdom of the Gewisse that would eventually become known as Wessex, named after the West Saxons.

My research raised more questions than answers, so I used what I had learned about events during that period to write a dramatic reconstruction of Cerdic’s life, and the formation of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex. Based on fact, but mostly fiction.

Sharon: What are you working on now?

Alex:I am currently working on a sequel to Rise of the First Wessex King, which will follow the lives of Cunorix and his son, Ceawlin, as they try to build on Ceredig’s legacy in ruling the kingdom of the Gewisse, whilst facing threats from the Saxons in the east, and Britons in the west, as well as challenges they could not anticipate.

Sharon: What is the best – and worse – thing about being a writer?

Alex: Personally, the hardest part about writing my historical fiction novels is that the stories are based in the south of England and I live just outside Edinburgh, in Scotland. This meant that I have had to make several research trips down south, visiting locations featured in my novels. Whilst there is very little evidence to reveal what it would be like when the books are set, I have found this a useful exercise in understanding the topography, as well as encouraging the creative writing juices.

The best part of being a writer is that I love history and solving puzzles. This has been useful in writing about a period in history where facts are limited, so deciphering my characters’ motives behind their decisions has been crucial in building the story of their lives.

About the Author

A J (Alex) Proudfoot lives in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh. He started his career as an accountant, working in the brewing, publishing and financial sectors, before qualifying as a chartered marketer, working at the University of Edinburgh for over twenty years. After retiring early in 2018, he has spent his free time researching his Proudfoot family history, back 1500 years to his earliest known ancestor, which led to the publication of his debut historical fiction novel, Rise of the First Wessex King.

Social media links

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ajproudfootwriter

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@ajproudfoot

Book trailer – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gpZMOMzwZs&t

*

My books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

Out now: Scotland’s Medieval Queens

Books by Sharon Bennett Connolly

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)

Available now from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Books 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. 

Royal Historical Society

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

A Slice of Medieval

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Michael Jecks, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. 

Every episode is also now available on YouTube.

*

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram.

*

©2025 Sharon Bennett Connolly, FRHistS

Guest Post: Feisty Females: Writing Lincolnshire’s Medieval Women by Rosanna McGlone

Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment
The great Cowcher Book
The Great Cowcher Book

It is a pleasure to welcome my good friend Rosanna McGlone to History … the Interesting Bits to chat about her new book, Feisty Females, a series of short stories inspired by The Great Cowcher Book. Although Feisty Females is Rosanna’s ‘baby’, I feel like its Godmother as we have chatted frequently, over coffee, about the women she included, included Nicholaa de la Haye, Alice de Lacey, Blanche of Lancaster and Gwenllian of Wales – women my readers, I know, are well acquainted with!

Rosanna would meet me, armed with questions about the history of these women and the world they lived in. Then she went away and came back having put her own mark on their stories. And what a fascinating collection of stories it is!

It is a joy to see this project come to fruition. So, over to Rosanna to tell you a little about the process of researching and writing Feisty Females: Old Bolingbroke through our Imaginations.

Feisty Females: Writing Lincolnshire’s Medieval Women by Rosanna McGlone

Henry IV effigy
Henry IV, Canterbury Cathedral

You’ve heard of the Domesday Book, right? But do you know the second most important medieval record book? If you don’t, let me reassure you. Until I received this commission, neither did I. According to staff at the National Archives it’s The Great Cowcher Book, a medieval land registry commissioned by Henry IV to provide a record of lands within the Duchy of Lancaster. Receiver General John Leventhorpe was assigned to visit the 18,000 hectares of rural estates in England and Wales including Cheshire and Lancashire in the West and The Honor of Bolingbroke in Lincolnshire in the East which make up the Duchy of Lancaster. In doing so, he gathered a total of 161 folios and 2,433 charters written in either Latin or medieval French.

What exactly do the two volumes of The Great Cowcher Book contain? As well as including transactions such as the bestowing of Old Bolingbroke Castle to John of Gaunt and his wife Blanche of Lancaster, the book also covers more minor land transactions between people of much lower status.

Additionally, the Great Cowcher Book provides a record of disputes which had been brought before the court seeking resolution.

I was commissioned, and funded, by a number of organisations including the Arts Council, Lincoln County Council, the community of Old Bolingbroke and others to write a creative response to this unique material. Thus, it is from this medieval register that my book of short stories, Feisty Females: Old Bolingbroke through our Imaginations was crafted.

Feisty Females

The beautiful medieval manuscripts have recently been translated into English and I received the information on a rather less romanticised, Excel spreadsheet! The columns display the following headings, however not all of them have been populated for each of the more than 5,000 entries: regnal year, name of vendor, name of buyer, land to be purchased; witnesses to the contract; any special conditions, the original language of the manuscript.

As I poured over in excess of 1,200 entries pertaining to The Honor of Bolingbroke, my key focus, I was struck by the names: Walter son of Andrew; Adam, Hugh, Odo Galle of Saltfletby; Gilbert, Ranulf, Clement Prior of Spaldying, William de Rusmar, Henry de Lascy, Simon le Bret, God and his church.

Where were all of the women? As I note in the introduction to my book, His-tory is so often that, a record of the past through the male lens. For me, it was important to offer a different perspective. Out of the more than 5,000 entries within the Great Cowcher Book there are few female landowners. Yet, I was mindful that any females who did appear would have something remarkable about them to succeed in the male dominated medieval world.

Nicholaa de la Haye effigy
Tomb effigy of Nicholaa de la Haye

Women such as Nicholaa de la Haye, the first female Sheriff of Lincoln and Castellan of Lincoln Castle who withstood not one, but three separate sieges on the castle and earned the respect of King John himself.

Another feisty female for whom I have particular affection is Alice de Lacy, a woman whose story is too incredible to be true, at least that’s what I thought when I read it. Kidnappings, rape, imprisonment by the king, threats of being burnt to death, really how could I possibly capture all of Alice’s turbulent life in a mere 3,000 words? The answer is, I couldn’t. Therefore, I focused upon the catalyst for her troubles, her inheritance. Two bizarre childhood accidents occurred to her brothers which, in my opinion, determined the course of Alice’s life. Firstly, her young brother Edmund fell down a well at Denbigh Castle and died. Then, barely six months later, her other brother, John fell off the battlements at Pontefract Castle. He too perished leaving Alice- still a child herself- as sole heir to her parents, Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, and Margaret Longespee, Countess of Salisbury.

Whilst all of the other stories are set in medieval times, for Alice’s story I use the framework of a police interview in which she is pushed to reveal the truth of those inciting incidents.

The women with the most charters in the Great Cowcher Book is Hawise de Quincy, first Countess of Lincoln, who has a remarkable 40 entries. Whilst the vast majority of these relate to land acquisitions, the one upon which my tale focuses concerns a dispute was between Hawise and Philip de Kyma. To quote the Great Cowcher, this disagreement was

‘…concerning a certain obstruction of a certain watercourse made by the said Philip in Torp to the nuisance of the port of the said Hawise in Weynfled. Because it was then clear the land of both sides of that watercourse towards the port of Weynfled is of the said Philip…’

And so on… In essence, Philip de Kyma was preventing Hawise de Quincy from accessing her port and, therefore, the valuable port fees. So, what was she to do? This is what my story explores. Does pragmatism work, or must Hawise resort to womanly wiles?

Gwenllian of Wales
Memorial to Gwenllian, Sempringham Priory

An incredibly wronged female in Feisty Females is Gwenllian, the last Princess of Wales who was incarcerated in a Lincolnshire Priory from which there was little chance of escape, unless she had inside help…

In all cases, bar one, the women come from the Great Cowcher book, however in Matilda’s case my desire to write on the specific topic of that story arose first, based on a certain building referenced in The Great Cowcher. Matilda’s Story begins thus:

It was the day after Candlemas that we held my brother’s funeral. There was just one problem: he wasn’t dead.

It has been a pleasure to learn more about these characters and to bring them to life for readers, giving them voices after 800 years, or more, of silence. The book is a celebration of the female power which was understood by Chaucer who, himself, makes an appearance in Blanche’s Story. In the epigraph to my book Chaucer describes women thus:

‘And what is better than wisedoom? Womman.

And what is better than a good woman? Nothyng.’1

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Notes: 1. Geoffrey Chaucer, ‘The Tale of Melibee’ The Canterbury Tales.

Images: The Great Cowcher Book (DL 42/2, fol. 231r, the property of His Majesty The King in Right of His Duchy of Lancaster and is reproduced by permission of the Chancellor and Council of the Duchy of Lancaster.); Photos of Henry IV, Nicholaa de la Haye and Gwenllian of Wales are ©Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS.

To Buy the Book:

Just click on the link to buy: Feisty Females

About the Author:

Rosanna McGlone

Rosanna McGlone is a writer and journalist. Her book, The Process of Poetry -which explores the development of early drafts of poems by some of the country’s leading poets- was number 1 on Amazon and featured on Radio 4’s Front Row. The sequel, The Making of a Poem, focuses on the work of Australian foremost poets. She has written more than 100 features for the national press, including: The Guardian, The Independent, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian. Rosanna has written memoirs, community plays and collected oral histories. Feisty Females, a creative response to The Great Cowcher Book, a medieval book, is out on June 8th 2025.

To find out more follow Rosanna at @rosannamcglone.bsky.social

*

My Books:

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

Out Now! Scotland’s Medieval Queens

Books by Sharon Bennett Connolly

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)

Available now from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Books 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 for pre-order 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. 

Royal Historical Society

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

A Slice of Medieval

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Michael Jecks, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. 

Every episode is also now available on YouTube.

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Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram.

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©2025 Sharon Bennett Connolly, FRHistS and Rosanna McGlone

Wordly Women: Carol McGrath

Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

Today in my Wordly Women, author spotlight series, I have a chat with Carol McGrath. Carol is one of those people I can spend a day with, just discussing history from dawn to dusk. Indeed, we have done on a couple of occasions.

So, it was wonderful to get the chance to talk with Carol about her writing, both fiction and non-fiction.

Over to Carol…

Sharon: Carol, what got you into writing?

Carol: I loved writing as a child and even made my own little books, mostly mysteries. Originally loving art, I wanted to be a book illustrator. However, I came to be passionate about the stories of the past and, as a child, was very influenced by writers such as Rosemary Sutcliff and Geoffrey Treece. Later, of course, Jean Plaidy took over and, after her, Anya Seton. It was an honour when at the age of thirteen I was asked to present my own story about the Children’s Crusade to an English inspector at my school. I wrote poetry as well. So, I guess my own reading and interest in History inspired me to write. As it can do, life got in the way and I became a teacher and loved it. I was even Head of a History Department for a time so there was no time to pursue writing. In those days teaching was a wonderful career and all consuming. Family, too, was all consuming. From the 1990s onwards, I began to take evening courses to keep up my interest in writing. There was a two year certificate in creative writing at Oxford, an MA in creative writing from Queens University Belfast and finally a Phd programme at Royal Holloway. It’s not for everyone to go an academic route but it was wonderful for me and helped me find my voice as well as specific writing interests and genres. The MA and Phd courses focused me. They enhanced what I hope was always there, the ability and love of writing.

Sharon: You write both fiction and non-fiction-is one harder than the other?

Carol: That’s a great question. I studied English, Medieval History and interestingly Russian History and politics at University, Q.U.B. I enjoy both kinds of writing. They are different disciplines. I feel the Phd programme helped me with writing non-fiction because of thesis work. When I research and write it’s all consuming for me, whether for fiction or non-fiction. What I do find hard is to research and write both disciplines at the same time. I am currently in contract for Headline for two Tudor novels. After this, maybe another non-fiction. Pen & Sword still approach me with wonderful suggestions but since these books do take time, a lot of time, the non-fiction is on hold. To answer your question, I guess for me fiction is easier although I like writing both. I adore the research and am a member of the Bodleian Library Oxford which is fabulous.

Sharon: Tell us about your books

St Sophia, Kyiv

Carol: I write both Medieval and Tudor novels currently. I wrote my debut novel that was easily published on the PhD programme. The Handfasted Wife was inspired by the Bayeaux Tapestry, specifically the image of The Burning House. I believe it represents Edith Swan-Neck and her son fleeing from the Normans probably from Harold’s estate at Crowhurst. Some Historians think this too. This novel is about Edith Swanneck and what happened to her after the Battle of Hastings. It was followed by novels about Harold’s daughters, The Swan-Daughter and The Betrothed Sister. I researched them carefully but for The Betrothed Sister about his elder daughter , Gytha, I had much knowledge about the medieval Rus, Kyiv and life in the region of Rus lands now known as Ukraine. I have spent time seeking Gytha out in Kyiv, especially The Church of St Sophia. The Swan-Daughter about Gunnhild, Harold’s second daughter is my favourite of all my books. Creatively, I linked it to the story of Tristram and Iseult. Gunnhild eloped from Wilton Abbey with Alan of Richmond, a cousin of William of Normandy. Talk about ‘sleeping with the enemy’. Again, these books were closely researched and they all follow the Historical record where it exists. The Hastings Trilogy was followed by a Tudor novel Mistress Cromwell, looking at Thomas Cromwell through his wife’s eyes. By the way, it’s on an Amazon kindle offer for April. I am currently writing the sequel, The Queen’s Sister, to be published May 2026. I have also written The Rose Trilogy about three high medieval queens and a novel called The Stolen Crown about Stephen and Matilda but really it is mostly Matilda’s story. In non-fiction Tudor Sex and Sexuality is my great debut. It’s published by Pen & Sword. It’s simply a great fun look at this topic.

Sharon: What Attracts you to the Period?

Harold’s daughter’s burial place in St Sophia Kyiv

Carol: I studied Medieval History and enjoy researching it. It’s not as brutal a time as one might think. I find I can lose myself in this era especially the twelfth century. As for the Tudors, they are absolutely fascinating with many interesting female stories to write. Besides, it’s an excuse to visit great Tudor houses such as Hever Castle. I love the portraiture from this era. Holbein is a character in my current work. As for Henry VIII, he’s larger than life. I am interested in Historical landscape and attracted to a less populated time with its villages and towns. The crafts from both eras are fabulous. I love to include crafts persons in my medieval novels.

Sharon: Who is your favourite Tudor and Why?

Carol: I am about to write Margaret Douglas’s story. It will be called The Tudor Rebel. At the moment she is my favourite Tudor because she had a clandestine love affair and was involved with fascinating Devonshire Manuscript. Ladies of Queen Anne Bullen’s court wrote poems and shared them in a similar way as we did with Twitter now X. They commented and added to each other’s verses. Meg Douglas was right in the thick of it , as was her suitor, young Tom Howard. What’s not to love about a Courtly Romance and clandestine love affair that caused terrible consequences for this pair of love birds. I studied Renaissance poetry so another favourite Tudor of mine is Sir Thomas Wyatt. He, too, has an interesting story.

Sharon: Who is your least favourite Tudor

Hever Castle

Carol: My least favourite Tudor is the sleezy, snobbish Duke of Norfolk. He was incredibly underhand to get what he wanted. And the mean, creepy Duke was an infamous wife beater although not alone in that. Very ambitious and manipulative. I’m not too keen on Stephen Gardiner either. However, I need to research that particular man further. Motivation always interests me, that and the atmosphere in which these people lived.

Sharon: How do you approach researching your topic

Carol: I read everything I can find on it in primary and secondary source material. I love notebooks so I am a great pen and paper writer. I adore burying myself in the Bodleian Library. I find great original source material there. Mind you I occasionally wonder about translations. When you come across boats that serviced King Richard’s march south from Acre on the third crusade translated as ‘snacks’ you have to smile. A misprint? I have never found out. I visit houses and castles, museums and enactments. When writing about stone masons, I learned how to carve in stone myself. I work hard at understanding an Historical mindset but I do believe a writer of fiction is always there in her novels too. It’s all about point of views and voice.

Sharon: What is your favourite Medieval or Tudor Story found in Research

Carol: Has to be the fact that Harold’s youngest son Ulf, a young hostage at the time of The Norman Conquest who was raised at the Norman Court by Robert Curthose and as a knight he likely went on the First Crusade. I found a reference in a chronicle (John of Worcester) to Ulf’s fate. I am going to write his story someday in fiction. I like the Crusades and I love tidbits about personalities that can inspire elaboration.

Sharon: What is your least Favourite Story

Carol: I could say it is how Thomas Cromwell set up Anne Bullen. When you examine this closely it has to have been a ghastly, rather complete conspiracy. Thomas Cromwell is a mixed bag as a character. He’s redeemed by Hilary Mantel and to some extent by Dermot McCullagh whose book on Cromwell is excellent. However, even if sincere, Cromwell’s reformist opinions grew completely suspect when he fell out with Anne Bullen over what to do with monastic lands. He, himself, by the way, benefited greatly. You will find out more about this in The Queen’s Sister when it is published. So, the story of Anne Bullen’s downfall is utterly horrendous. Even worse, were the accusations against the men who died with her. By the way, she was no paragon of virtue either. She was hideous to Catherine of Aragon and Lady Mary, motivated, I believe, by fear of their supporters undoing her.

Sharon: Are there any other eras you would like to write about?

Carol: Absolutely The English Civil War. I have a novel that’s unfinished called The Queen’s Tulip so watch this space. I also have a bottom drawer novel I may polish up that’s set in Edwardian Ireland. To my credit, Andrew Motion, my MA outside examiner, praised the first five chapters of The Damask Maker and it won me, along with short stories, a distinction on my MA.

Sharon: What are you working on now?

Carol: I am editing The Queen’s Sister about Elizabeth Seymour who married Gregory Cromwell. It’s her story but also covers Thomas Cromwell’s downfall. It’s due in to my editor at Headline on May 1st. My agent beta read it and says she loves it so that’s encouraging. I am now researching and planning The Tudor Rebel about Meg Douglas, Henry VIII’s errant niece.

Sharon: What do you love most about being a writer

Carol: It is the opportunity to express myself creatively. I feel very privileged to be busily doing something I thoroughly love. I never expected to be published and I am fortunate because it just happened for me, initially with a small publisher who was bought out by Headline in 2019.

About the Author

Following a first degree in English and History, Carol McGrath completed an MA in Creative Writing from The Seamus Heaney Centre, Queens University Belfast, followed by an MPhil in English from University of London. She is published by Headline. The Handfasted Wife, first in a trilogy about the royal women of 1066 was shortlisted for the RoNAS in 2014. The Swan-Daughter and The Betrothed Sister complete this highly acclaimed trilogy. Mistress Cromwell, a best-selling historical novel about Elizabeth Cromwell, wife of Henry VIII’s statesman, Thomas Cromwell, was republished by Headline in 2020. The Silken Rose, first in a Medieval She-Wolf Queens Trilogy, featuring Ailenor of Provence, saw publication in April 2020. This was followed by The Damask Rose. The Stone Rose was published April 2022. The Stolen Crown 2023 and July 2024 The Lost Queen about Berengaria of Navarre and The Third Crusade. Carol writes Historical non-fiction as well as fiction. Sex and Sexuality in Tudor England was published in February 2022 by Pen & Sword. She speaks at Conferences and gives interviews. Her new novel The Queen’s Sister will be published in May 2026. She lives in Oxfordshire and in the Mani, Greece.

Where to find Carol

Website (Subscribe to her newsletter via the drop down menu on the web-site Home Page); Amazon; The Stolen Crown

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My books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

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)

Available now from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books

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. 

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. In episode #43, Derek and I chat with Carol about Berengaria of Navarre and The Lost Queen. 

Every episode is also now available on YouTube.

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Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram.

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©2025 Sharon Bennett Connolly, FRHistS and CarolMcGrath

Cover Reveal!

Sharon Bennett Connolly6 Comments
Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters from the Conquest
Here’s a taster – the back cover….

Don’t scroll down!

Be patient!

As many of you may know I have spent the last year on a project that was originally titled ‘The Medieval Princess: Royal Daughters from the Conquest to the Wars of the Roses’. It was one of those projects that seemed to go on and on, with no end in sight. But then, at the end of April, it was done. With one tiny snag. The reason it had seemed never-ending was the word count: a whopping 143,000 words!

Cover reveal coming – be patient!

What does that mean in terms of a physical book? Well, it was 50% more words than in my contract and would come out at a book-and-a-half – about 500 pages.

Just wait a little longer…

It is not a surprise, really, Mary Anne Everett Green’s The Lives of the Princesses of England from the Norman Conquest was published in six volumes in the19th century; the first 3 volumes covered the medieval period. So, I knew all along it was going to be a challenge to bring the book in at under 100,000 words.

And I failed miserably!

Stop scrolling – cover reveal coming soon….

Luckily, I have a very understanding editor and her first words, when I confessed my massive word count, was, ‘well, we’re not going to make you cut 20,000 words. Let’s split it in two!

What a relief!

Not long now…

So, I have spent May splitting the books, polishing off book no. 1 and changing the introduction and conclusions so they are relevant to that particular book. And we have settled on titles. The first book is entitled Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest and will look at the English princesses from the daughters of Harold II to King John.

Nearly there….

I still have work to do on book no. 2, Princesses of the Later Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets, which will include all the royal daughters from Henry III to Edward IV. There will be more on that at the end of the summer…

It’s time!

Did you peek?

So, here it is. The cover for Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters from the Conquest

Drum roll please….

Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters from the Conquest

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 from the Conquest will explore 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: Royal Daughters from the Conquest

Almost as interesting as the marriages these girls made are the ones that were never realised. Many English princesses were betrothed, or proposed as brides, three or more times before they were married. Their failed marriage proposals demonstrated their influence and worth on the international royal marriage market, as well as the changing allegiances between countries and the making and breaking of international friendships.

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 from the Conquest is due for release in the spring of 2026, with Princesses of the Later Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Plantagenets coming in the summer.

I can’t wait for you to read them!

About the Author:

Sharon Bennett Connolly

Sharon Bennett Connolly is the bestselling author of several non-fiction history books. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Sharon has studied history academically and just for fun – and has even worked as a tour guide at a castle. She also writes the popular history blog, http://www.historytheinterestingbits.com and co-hosts the podcast A Slice of Medieval, alongside historical novelist Derek Birks. Sharon regularly gives talks on women’s history, for historical groups, festivals and in schools; her book Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest is a recommended text for teaching the Norman Conquest in the National Curriculum. She is a feature writer for All About History, Tudor Places and Living Medieval magazines and her TV work includes Australian Television’s Who Do You Think You Are?

Her previous books include: 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 and Scotland’s Medieval Queens: From St Margaret to Margaret of Denmark.

Wordly Women: Samantha Wilcoxson

Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

Today we are hopping across the pond for the next chat in my Wordly Women series. Joining me is Samantha Wilcoxson. Author of fiction novels mainly based in the late medieval and Tudor eras and and non-fiction books on the American Revolution, Samantha’s books – literally – span the Atlantic divide. Samantha has a knack for getting into the heads of the people she is writing about. Her book, Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen, about Elizabeth of York, is still one of the most insightful novels I have ever read.

Sharon: What got you into writing?

Samantha: What got you into writing? I have always loved reading and used to write dozens of book reviews every year. Many of those books were historical fiction and nonfiction. When I was considering ways to earn money while a stay-at-home mom, my husband suggested I write a book. I had never considered taking this step, so the first obstacle was deciding what I would want to write about. It didn’t take me long to settle on Elizabeth of York, and I quickly became passionate about the project. That novel turned into a series, and I’ve ventured into other historical eras since then.

Sharon: Tell us about your books.

Samantha: Each of my novels explores the life of a real historical figure in a way that helps readers connect with them on a personal level. My Plantagenet Embers series includes three novels featuring Elizabeth of York, Margaret Pole, and Mary I. It also has three novellas that offer new points of view of the same events by focusing on Margaret Beaufort, Elizabeth Woodville, and Reginald Pole. Then I moved into US history with my next two novels. Luminous is biographical fiction of real life radium girl Catherine Wolfe Donohue, and But One Life explores the life of American Revolution soldier Nathan Hale. My nonfiction books are Women of the American Revolution and a newly released biography of James Alexander Hamilton.

Sharon: What attracted you to the Tudors?

Samantha: When I started writing the series that ended up covering the early Tudor era, I was actually obsessed with the Wars of the Roses. I thought Elizabeth of York was an unsung heroine, so I started with her with no real intention of writing about the Tudors! This is actually a great insight into my writing. I never know what is coming next.

Sharon: So, what is coming next?

Samantha: I am currently writing a trilogy set during the Wars of the Roses for Sapere Books. It includes multiple women’s points of view. For example, book one has chapters featuring Marguerite of Anjou, Cecily Neville, and Anne Beauchamp. That one is in editing, and I’m working on book two, which will add the perspective of Elizabeth Woodville and others.

Sharon: How do you approach researching your topic?

Samantha: This depends a lot on whether I’m writing fiction or nonfiction. For novels, I largely depend on biographies already written, but for nonfiction I look for more primary resources like personal letters and diaries. For either, I like to visit locations important to the people I’m writing about so that I can include details about the places they experienced.

Sharon: You also write US history non-fiction.

Samantha: Tell us your ‘favourite’ story you have come across in your research? My research into James Alexander Hamilton uncovered loads of interesting discoveries, partly because nobody else has really written about him. I held letters written between James and Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, John Quincy Adams, and so many others. (Gotta admit, it was tempting to try sneak that JQA letter into my bag!) I think the most fun story I came across, besides John Quincy writing about being too old to stay up all night at a lively Hamilton party, was learning that James was part of the crew of the schooner America for which the America’s Cup is named.

Sharon: Tell us your least ‘favourite’ US history story you have come across in your research?

Samantha: I don’t know if I would call it a least favorite, but I decided to write a novel about Nathan Hale because I often came across quotes attributed to him such as, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country” but very little else about who Hale was. What happened in this young man’s life to create such bravery and patriotism? Few references to him offered much, so I decided to dig in and reveal the story of Nathan Hale before his famous execution during the American Revolution.

Sharon: Are there any other eras you would like to write about?

Samantha: I always have a few ideas brewing but am committed to the next couple of books on the Wars of the Roses right now. I have started a bit of research into a historical event that occurred near my home in Michigan in 1847 that I would like to consider for a future project. I’m not one of those writers who has the next five years planned out and I tend to impetuously strike out in new directions, so we’ll see what happens.

Sharon: And finally, what is the best thing about being a writer?

Samantha: Besides spending my day reading, writing, and learning about history, I love the flexibility of being a writer. I began as a stay-at-home mom, and I still appreciate the ability to easily set my work aside for a few days if one of my adult children needs anything. I’ve also made many friends in the writing community who make me feel less alone as a history nerd and have provided amazing support and encouragement for each of my book projects.

About the Author:

Samantha Wilcoxson is an author of emotive biographical fiction and nonfiction featuring history’s unsung heroes. Her novel Luminous has been named Book of the Year by Ruins & Reading and Yarde Book Reviews. Samantha’s most recent work is the first biography of James Alexander Hamilton, published by Pen & Sword History. She is currently writing a Wars of the Roses trilogy for Sapere Books. When not reading or writing, Samantha loves sharing trips to historic places with her family and spending time by the lake with a glass of wine.

Where to find Samantha Wilcoxson:

Website; Instagram; Amazon Author Page; Newsletter Signup; Goodreads; Pinterest; Twitter; Shop Direct; Audible

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My books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

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)

Available now from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books

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. 

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Michael Jecks, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. Every episode is also now available on YouTube.

*

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram.

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©2025 Sharon Bennett Connolly, FRHistS and Samantha Wilcoxson

The Poetic Life of Margaret of Scotland, Dauphine of France

Sharon Bennett Connolly6 Comments
Margaret Stewart, Dauphine of France

Margaret of Scotland was the eldest daughter of James I, King of Scots, and his wife, Joan Beaufort. James had been king since the age of 12, though the first 18 years of his reign had been spent in English captivity, where he had fallen in love with Joan, the granddaughter of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford. James’s release had been successfully negotiated in 1423 and the marriage was politically favourable to the English, who saw it as an opportunity to improve relations with Scotland while, at the same time, drawing Scotland away from France, their traditional ally.

James I returned to Scotland in April 1424, with his new bride – and queen– at his side. Margaret was born in the royal apartments at the Dominican Friary in Perth, on Christmas Day in 1424. She was joined in the nursery by five sisters during the next ten years, Isabella, Eleanor, Joan, Mary and Annabella. Twin brothers were born in 1430, Alexander and James, but only James survived past the first few months.

In 1425, an embassy arrived from France, seeking little Margaret’s hand in marriage for Louis, son and heir of Charles VII:

Margaret’s mother, Joan Beaufort

The king [of Scots] was pleased to respond favourably to so distinguished an embassy, and forthwith sent as a solemn embassy to the king of France with a specific brief and commission the venerable men sir Henry Lychton bishop of Aberdeen, sir Edward Lauder archdeacon of Lothian, and Sir Patrick Ogilvie knight (the sheriff of Angus and justiciar of Scotland). Whereupon there was an agreement on both sides; and five years later, when each was of marriageable age, there came as envoys from the king of France La Hire the king’s maitre d’hôtel along with the distinguished cleric Master Aymer; and in terms of their commission they arranged the betrothal of the said eldest daughter of the king. The girl was sent to France by her father a little later, namely 1436, surrounded by a distinguished following of attendants, and in the following year she was married.1

The marriage proposal was to accompany the renewal the Franco-Scottish alliance. France’s king, Charles VII had given his ambassadors the task of asking for Margaret’s hand in marriage for his son, Louis, the dauphin. Born in July 1423, Louis was just 18 months older than his future bride. However, James I hesitated, reluctant to give the French the army of 6,000 men that they wanted as part of the alliance. Charles VII was in a precarious position in France at the time. The Hundred Years War was raging and, despite the fact his father had died in 1422, he would not actually be crowned king until July 1429. In fact, Henry VI of England had already been crowned King of France and it was only due to the efforts of Joan of Arc that Charles VII’s fortunes would change. James, therefore, held off from agreeing to the alliance, and used it to strengthen his position in negotiations with the English.

Margaret arrives in Tours for her wedding, from a 15th-century work by Jean Chartier.

In 1435, the marriage of Margaret and the dauphin was finally agreed and the young bride, still only eleven years old, set out for France the following year. The princess only narrowly escaped her father’s fate when the English fleet attempted to capture her en route:

the dauphiness luckily made her escape and landed at La Rochelle. She rested at Nieul Priory which is two leagues from La Rochelle without notice being taken of her until such time as the [arch-] bishop of Rheims, with the bishops of Poitiers and Saintes and the worthy sires de Graville, Gaucourt and ‘Pontissey’ welcomed her and lodged her honourably in a splendid place for more than two months until the marriage was celebrated at Tours in Touraine. This was performed there by the archbishop of Rheims with the greatest possible ceremony, in the presence of the king and queen and also of the queen of Sicily (the mother of the queen of France). Once the wedding had been formally celebrated, the Scots (except the few who remained with the dauphiness) were much gratified with various presents and after a safe voyage arrived home.2

She left by ship from Dumbarton in March 1436, with an entourage worthy of a princess; she was escorted by several of the leading lords of the realm, a household of 140 persons in royal livery and more than 1,000 troops. The French fleet in which she sailed landed on the Île de Ré, near La Rochelle, on 17 April and made a formal progress to Tours. On 24 June she met her future husband for the first time, in the great hall of the castle at Tours, and the young couple embraced formally. They were married the next day, in the castle’s chapel.

Margaret’s father, James I, King of Scots

Celebrated by the Archbishop of Reims, it was a rather subdued affair, for a royal wedding. The continuing state of warfare with England had stretched the French royal finances to the limit. The reception was not as lavish as the Scottish guests might have expected and was cut short to preserve funds, the scandalised Scots being quickly ushered out. And almost immediately after the wedding celebrations, most of Margaret’s Scottish household was sent home, with just a handful of her native attendants allowed to stay with the new dauphine. Owing to the tender age of the young couple, they were not expected to consummate the marriage for another few years, so Margaret was given into the guardianship of Queen Marie, Charles VII’s wife, and continued her education under the queen’s supervision. Petite, pretty and delicate, Margaret soon became the darling of the French King and Queen.

Louis, on the other hand, had a strained relationship with his father, one that would eventually be expressed in open rebellion; as a result, he was rarely at court. When Louis asked the king for an allowance with which to set up a household for himself and his young wife, his father refused, despite being happy to give Margaret money to indulge herself. At one time, Charles VII gave Margaret 2,000 livres to buy herself furs and silks, and yet he refused to pay off Louis’ debts. Margaret also received grants directly from the king, rather than her husband, as might have been expected.

Margaret’s husband, the future King Louis XI

In 1437 the marriage was consummated and Margaret, now approaching her thirteenth birthday, was given her own household. Relations between the dauphin and dauphine were not helped by Louis’ strained relationship with his father and it seems that comparisons were made between Louis’ unimpressive looks and Margaret’s beauty – although malicious English chroniclers would insist that Louis was repelled by Margaret’s ‘evil soured breath’.

Margaret was allowed no part in court politics. The dauphine’s role in France was limited to formal occasions and court ceremonials, such as the celebrations for the marriage of the king’s niece, Margaret of Anjou, to Henry VI of England, which Margaret attended in 1445. As with her father before her, Margaret had a passion and talent for writing poetry and, although she enjoyed court life, she became increasingly bored with it. She retreated more and more to her own chambers with her ladies and spent her days and evenings writing and reading poetry. Her evenings were so taken up in this style, that she often retired to bed long after Louis had fallen asleep.

Margaret was also renowned as a patroness of literature. She had several poets in her household, including Jehanne Filleul, whose works have survived to this day, and the Viscount de Blosseville. De Blosseville wrote one of the three laments to the dauphine, written before her death. Another such lament was possibly written by her sister Isabella, it was certainly in her possession.

As the years passed and the couple remained childless, Margaret’s lifestyle caused further discontent within the marriage, and more unhappiness for the young princess as her husband expressed his displeasure. There is some suggestion that Margaret deliberately prevented herself from falling pregnant by drinking vinegar, and by tightly lacing her bodices – although this may also have been for vanity, and to keep her svelte figure. There were also followed accusations of impropriety within Margaret’s rooms when, at Christmas 1444, Jamet de Tillay, a member of the king’s household, entered her chamber during one of her private poetry evenings and subsequently spread rumours about ‘wanton princesses’.

Margaret perceived it as a personal attack and became increasingly distressed, complaining that Jamet had turned the king and dauphin against her. Although Jamet tried to apologise, Margaret would not hear of it. By the summer of 1445 the dauphine was very ill.

Tomb of Margaret Stewart in the Saint-Laon Church, Thouars

Having accompanied the court on pilgrimage she fell ill on 7 August and by the next day she was feverish and suffering from fits of coughing. Her doctors diagnosed an inflammation of the lungs. In her delirium, she blamed Jamet de Tillay for her impending demise and swore she had never done Louis any wrong. As she approached death, Margaret calmed down and forgave Jamet, on her ladies’ instigation. Having received the last rites, Margaret died on 16 August 1445, at Châlons-sur-Marne; she was just twenty years old. The dauphine was laid to rest in the Cathedral of St Étienne in Châlons; in 1479 her body was moved by her husband, now Louis XI, to the chapel of the Holy Sepulchre in the Abbey Church of Saint-Laon in Thouars, where Margaret had founded a chaplaincy.

Following her death, Louis destroyed every piece of poetry and writing that Margaret had ever produced. None of her work survived her husband’s purge. However, her patronage of poets has at least ensured she had a worthy legacy. Louis went on to marry Charlotte of Savoy and was the father of Anne de Beaujeu, regent of France for her brother King Charles VIII.

Notes:

1. Bower, Scotichronicon, V 8, p. 249; 2. ibid, p. 251

Sources:

Calendar of documents relating to Scotland, Vol. 4; M. H. Brown, ‘Joan [née Joan Beaufort]’, oxforddnb.com; Amy Licence, Red Roses: Blanche of Gaunt to Margaret Beaufort; Nigel Tranter, The Story of Scotland; John of Fordun’s Chronicle of the Scottish Nation; Walter Bower, Scotichronicon; Andrew Wyntoun, The orygynale cronykil of Scotland; Richard Oram, editor, The Kings and Queens of Scotland; Rosalind K. Marshall, Scottish Queens 1034–1714; Nigel Tranter, The Story of Scotland; David Ross Scotland, History of a Nation; Liber pluscardensis, edited by Felix James Henry Skene; James I, King of Scots, The Kingis Quair, edited by James, William MacKean, Walter W. Skeat, Alexander Gardner

Images:

Courtesy of Wikipedia

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My books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

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)

Available now from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books

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. 

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Michael Jecks, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. Every episode is also now available on YouTube.

*

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram.

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©2025 Sharon Bennett Connolly, FRHistS

Wordly Women: Heather R. Darsie

Sharon Bennett Connolly2 Comments

In a special episode of my Wordly Women interview series, Heather R. Darsie drops by on her blog tour celebrating the publication of her new book, Katharine of Aragon, Spanish Princess: ‘I am Not as Simple as I May Seem’. Do have a look at the other stops on the tour to geta taste of this wonderful new biography.

So, Heather, What got you into writing?

Heather: As silly as this sounds, I can’t remember originally. My dad had an electric typewriter that he let me use to write stories beginning when I was probably eight years old. I continued writing stories and poems through high school (14 to 18 years old in the USA), which culminated in a play based off Edgar Allen Poe’s “Annabel Lee” when I was in my final year of high school. My play was called Annalise, wherein the wife was dying of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis of which my paternal grandfather passed away. The husband slowly went mad, to the point where the wife’s had to intervene. The theme of the play was tragedy. My high school put on the play, I was in the local newspaper, and invited to host a workshop at the statewide high school theatre festival.

After graduating from high school, I went to university and majored in German Languages and Literature, then pursued my Juris Doctorate in American Jurisprudence. Along the way, I studied abroad in Costa Rica and France, learning Spanish and French, too. I have had numerous opportunities to travel to France, Spain, Germany, and various countries in Central America, which have all contributed to keeping my language skills sharp.

I became heavily interested in Tudor history in around 2010. By early 2015, I grew tired of reading the same-old, same-old about Anna of Cleves, a German woman. I asked Claire Ridgeway of the Anne Boleyn Files if I could contribute a post on Anna to her website, to which Claire kindly agreed. Thereafter encouraged and emboldened, I sent a letter in my very best German to the mayor of the current City of Cleves, and my research took off from there. The combination of a life-long interest in writing, linguistic education, research and analytical skills from my juris doctorate, combined with the history community’s encouragement is how I arrived here, ten years on.

Sharon: Tell us about your books.

Heather: I view myself as a Tudor-adjacent historian. The persons and events I choose to focus on should be recognizable am most interested in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, which began recognizing itself that way in the early 16th century. Specifically, anyone or anything connected to the von der Marks, which is Anna of Cleves’ family (she was “of Cleves” much like Princess Mary Tudor would be “Mary of England” in another country) or the Habsburgs. My first two nonfiction books, Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King’s Beloved Sister and Children of the House of Cleves: Anna and Her Siblings are effectively German history books. My third nonfiction book, Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain looks at just that, the husbands and wives of the Scottish-to-English Stuart dynasty. The dynastic intermingling with continental European families is fascinating. I wrote a novella during the pandemic, Diary of a Plague Doctor’s Wife, set during the last outbreak of the Black Death in 1720s Marseille. The parallels to our own experiences 300 years later with Covid-19 were eerie to me at the time of writing.

Sharon: What attracts you to the Catherine of Aragon?

Heather: Like Anna of Cleves, I felt there was more to her than the end of her marriage with Henry VIII. Specifically, I wanted to know more about Katharine’s family dynasty and Katharine’s early time in England, and share that with readers.

Sharon: Who is your favourite Tudor and why?

Heather: For queens, I am drawn to Catherine Parr. She seemed the most savvy when it came to navigating Henry VIII and the dangerous politics of the Tudor court. I am very intrigued by Thomas Cromwell in his position as a lawyer. He was very clever; I hope to write about him someday.

Sharon: Who is your least favourite Tudor and why?

Heather: I do not have a least favorite, but I do think the most tragic was Anne Boleyn, who was foisted by her own petard. I am finding that more and more as I work on my next book, If any Person will Meddle with My Cause: The Judicial Murder of Anne Boleyn.

Sharon: How do you approach researching your topic, especially when most of the sources are Spanish?

Heather: I start with finding articles on JSTOR, then checking the footnotes for sources. From there, I go to Google Play, Archive.org, the Spanish library websites, etc. for old manuscripts. Like many English books, several of the old, out-of-copyright ones are available for free. The Spanish language is not a barrier for me, since I hear or read it most days a week at work.

Sharon: Tell us your ‘favourite’ Catherine of Aragon story you have come across in your research.

Heather: I really enjoyed reading about all of the pageants she viewed during her formal entry into London. It must have been quite the time for her.

Sharon: Tell us your least ‘favourite’ Catherine of Aragon story you have come across in your research.

Heather: Katharine was having a difficult time with Spanish grammar in her letters toward the very late 1520s and early 1530s. This could be indicative of the extreme stress that she was under during that time, or the isolation she was experiencing and being unable to speak Spanish with anyone, or both. I found it tragic and poignant. I don’t believe I remarked on that in my book.

Sharon: Are there any other eras you would like to write about?

Heather: I am interested in doing a little more on the late 16th to early 17th century. Otherwise, I am fairly happy with the time frame that I work in now, but exploring more individuals and courts.

Sharon: What are you working on now?

Heather: I am finishing up the aforementioned book, If any Person will Meddle with My Cause: The Judicial Murder of Anne Boleyn. I am completing an epic as well, which I will self publish likely later this year, that has heavy Greek mythology themes. Our heroes go on a quest to bring back the Olympians and restore justice to the human world. The epic is clocking in at about 3, 600 lines right now. I suppose it makes me a poet along with an author.

Sharon: And finally, what is the best thing about being a writer?

Heather: Sharing knowledge.

About the book:

Katharine of Aragon is more in the public consciousness now due to the TV show ‘Spanish Princess’. Katharine has of course been an interesting historical figure for quite some time because she is the first wife of the infamous Henry VIII. This book provides a new perspective on Katharine because it includes far more background on her Spanish upbringing, Spanish culture, and how that continued to define her in England during her first fifteen years in the country. Additionally, Heather uses rich primary sources, such as ‘The Receyt of Ladie Kateryne’, which have either not been sourced or infrequently referred to in other biographies about Katharine. In this, Heather’s multilingual abilities – especially her fluent Spanish – are put to good use. No one, for example, has considered he rippling impact of terminating Katharine’s marriage on the Trastamara and Habsburg dynasties in Europe. Katherine was as important abroad as she was in England.

Buy Katharine of Aragon, Spanish Princess: ‘I am Not as Simple as I May Seem’

About the author:

Heather R. Darsie, J. D. is an independent researcher specializing in early modern history. She describes herself as a “Tudor-adjacent” historian, focusing on the Holy Roman Empire and England in the early 16th century. She is the author of four nonfiction books: Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King’s Beloved Sister, Children of the House of Cleves: Anna and Her Siblings, Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain, and Katharine of Aragon, Spanish Princess: I am not as Simple as I May Seem. She self-published the novella Diary of a Plague Doctor’s Wife. Her primary career is as an attorney. Heather lives in Illinois with her loving husband, wonderful stepchildren, and three raucous parrots.

Where to find Heather:

Website: MaidensAndManuscripts.com; Instagram: @hdarsiehistory; X: @hrdarsiehistory; Threads: hdarsiehistory; Facebook: Heather R. Darsie, Historian; BlueSky: @hrdarsiehistory.bsky.social

*

My books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

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)

Available now from Amazon and Pen and Sword Books

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. 

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Michael Jecks, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. Every episode is also now available on YouTube.

*

Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online store.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

You can be the first to read new articles by clicking the ‘Follow’ button, liking our Facebook page or joining me on Twitter, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram.

*

©2025 Sharon Bennett Connolly, FRHistS and Heather R. Darsie