Explore this collection of books foregrounding medieval women as active leaders in political, religious, and cultural history.
Matilda
Catherine Hanley
Matilda was a daughter, wife, and mother. But she was also empress, heir to the English crown—the first woman ever to hold the position—and an able military general. Hanley’s biography explores Matilda’s achievements as military and political leader, and sets her life and career in full context.
The Virgin Warrior
Larissa Juliet Taylor
Whether a lunatic, a witch, a religious icon, or a skilled soldier and leader, Joan of Arc’s contemporaries found her as extraordinary and fascinating as the legends that abound about her today. From her early years to the myths and fantasies that have swelled since her death, Taylor teases out a nuanced and engaging story of the truly irresistible “ordinary” girl who rescued France.
Vagabond Princess
Ruby Lal
Situated in the early decades of the magnificent Mughal Empire, this first ever biography of Princess Gulbadan offers an enthralling portrait of a charismatic adventurer and unique pictures of the multicultural society in which she lived. Vagabond Princess offers a portal to a richly complex world, rife with movement and migration, where women’s conviviality, adventure, and autonomies shine through.
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Ralph V. Turner
Renowned for her beauty, hungry for power, headstrong, and unconventional, Eleanor travelled on crusades, acted as regent for Henry II and later for Richard, incited rebellion, endured a fifteen-year imprisonment, and as an elderly widow still wielded political power with energy and enthusiasm. This gripping biography is the definitive account of the most important queen of the Middle Ages.
Blanche of Castile, Queen of France
Lindy Grant
This is the first modern scholarly biography of Blanche of Castile, whose identity has until now been subsumed in that of her son, the saintly Louis IX. A central figure in the politics of medieval Europe, Blanche was a sophisticated patron of religion and culture. Lindy Grant’s engaging account reveals Blanche as a vibrant and intellectually questioning personality.
Daughter of Venice
Holly S. Hurlburt
Caterina Corner, a Venetian noblewoman and the last Queen of Cyprus, led a complex and remarkable life. This study considers for the first time the strategies of her reign, negotiating Venetian encroachment, family pressures, and the challenges of female rule.
Julian of Norwich, Theologian
Denys Turner
For centuries readers have comfortably accepted Julian of Norwich as simply a mystic. In this astute book, Denys Turner offers a new interpretation of Julian and the significance of her work. This book marks a new stage in the century-long rediscovery of one of the greatest theological thinkers in the English language.
