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Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England
An innovative take on Magna Carta history that examines the impact and influence of women. 39. No man shall be taken, imprisoned, outlawed, banished or in any way destroyed, nor will we proceed against or prosecute him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land. This clause in Magna Carta was in response to the appalling imprisonment and starvation of Matilda de Braose, the wife of one of King John’s barons. Matilda was not the only woman who influenced, or was influenced by, the 1215 Charter of Liberties, now known as Magna Carta. Women from many of the great families of England were affected by the far-reaching legacy of Magna Carta, from their experiences in the civil war and as hostages, to calling on its use to protect their property and rights as widows. Ladies of Magna Carta looks into the relationships—through marriage and blood—of the various noble families and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta, and its aftermath—the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. Including the royal families of England and Scotland, the Marshals, the Warennes, the Braoses, and more, Ladies of Magna Carta focuses on the roles played by the women of the great families whose influences and experiences have reached far beyond the thirteenth century.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 2, 2020
Initial review: This book is very detailed and well researched - those with an interest in this period will find it to their liking and a useful resource for their own investigations.
Further review and analysis can be read here @ Melisende's Library
Further review and analysis can be read here @ Melisende's Library
June 16, 2020
Following her Heroines of the Medieval World and Silk and the Sword, Sharon Bennett Connolly throws much needed light on the lives of the high-born women of thirteenth-century England. Calling them Ladies of Magna Carta is not a suggestion that they played any particular role in the drafting of that famous charter, nor are they to be found prowling on the edges of Runnymede and shouting out to their men, ‘Make sure you get that in there too!’ As Connolly points out in the beginning, the original charter contained only a single clause that mentioned the word woman (femina) and that was to restrict her right to accuse anyone of the death of anyone except her husband. The men at Runnymede were out to protect their own rights, in this case their right to face an accuser in trial by combat, which was denied to them when the plaintiff was a woman. They were certainly not indifferent to the stake of women in the charter and made sure to safeguard their inheritances and dowers and the right of widows to remain single or to marry whomever they wanted. The reason was simple. These women were their wives, mothers, sisters and daughters. Whatever affected them affected their menfolk. In this sense, it’s more useful to see Magna Carta as the product of disgruntled families squaring off against the king.
The Ladies then are the first generation of aristocratic women whose lives in some way influenced or were influenced by the charter. That means, inevitably, that there’s some man not just lurking in the shadows of this impressive compilation, but stealing the show in some instances. If this moves certain readers to complain ‘Him again?’, they will just have to get over the fact that it was a man’s world, written by men about other men for the most part. It wasn’t fair, but to isolate these women within the chronicles and writs in which they appear would make some very light and dull reading indeed.
Connolly even goes out on a limb by deciding to put the ladies on hold to give an account of the events that lead up to Magna Carta. There’s King John’s rise to power and the abuses of his reign, as well as that hopelessly dysfunctional family he grew up in. It’s a well-trod story, but of course not everyone is familiar with it and there’s nothing more frustrating than a historian who cannot be bothered to indulge newcomers. Connolly’s version of the first Plantagenets is superbly concise. No distractions or detours, hitting all the right nails on the head, until John, having repudiated the charter in 1215, has to defend his kingdom from rebellious barons in league with the French royal family, and he dies in the midst of it. The regents for the new king, Henry III, reissue the charter, which takes on the name Magna Carta the following year, and now Connolly can delve into the lives of the women of that age.
The first, Matilda de Braose, is remembered for the cruel manner of her death, starved to death with her son in the dungeons of Windsor. Certainly their fate figured into Clause 39 of the charter, which stipulates that no one was to be ‘destroyed in any way without the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land’. There is more to Matilda here than victimhood in Connolly’s portrayal. We hear the legend of her carrying stones in her skirt to build a castle and of her stout defence of Paincastle against the Welsh. Her sister Loretta, who became a renowned recluse, had been deprived of her dower by John. Clause 7 sought to end that injustice, at least in theory.
In terms of heroics, few of the ladies, men for that matter, can match Nicolaa de la Haye. She had inherited the post of castellan of Lincoln from her father and was still in command of the castle thirty years later when the French and rebels began to bombard the walls. In one of his last acts, John named Nicolaa sheriff of Lincolnshire, the first woman to hold that office in England. The injustice inflicted on her came after Magna Carta, when turncoat William Longespee wanted Lincoln for himself. He was the husband of our next lady, Ela of Salisbury. She was a great heiress, given in marriage to Longespee because he was an illegitimate son of Henry II, and she is one of the first women on record to invoke the protection of widows from remarriage and heiresses from disparagement. This occurred when Longespee was presumed lost at sea and the all-powerful justiciar sent his nephew, an ordinary knight, to seek Ela’s hand. Not even shining up his armour helped. ‘Get lost’, she told the much embarrassed younger man. In her widowhood, Ela served as the sheriff of Wiltshire and in a much larger capacity than Nicolaa did in Lincolnshire.
Most of the ladies presented here have no overt connection to the specific clauses of Magna Carta, for example the five daughters of William Marshal. On the other hand, Marshal’s son Richard violated the charter when he denied his brother’s widow Eleanor, sister of Henry III, her proper dower. As for the king himself, his opponents constantly grumbled about his lack of adherence to the charter and Connolly offers us the case of Isabel d’Aubigny, who famously upbraided Henry for being a ‘shameless transgressor’ of Magna Carta after she was deprived of a quarter knight’s fee. The fact that Isabel too remained a widow without any pressure to remarry might suggest otherwise, but the official record does verify that she used intemperate words during her interview with the king. Fortunately for her and the other ladies, Henry was, unlike his father, a conscientious and forgiving sort. He not only restored the quarter knight’s fee to Isabel, but waived a fine imposed on her for later making false claims.
Important as Magna Carta is in all this – and Connolly includes the charter in full as an appendix – it is the lives of the ladies themselves that proves the most interesting. Long before the Lusignans came to England and stirred up a fuss, we see Alice Lusignan litigating to recover property in Yorkshire as part of her cross-Channel inheritance. There’s plenty of sadness: the fate of the Scottish princesses Margaret and Isabelle, held hostage to the marriage market for more than a decade, and John’s first wife Isabella of Gloucester, whom he divorced on the eve of his coronation. He refused to jettison her person and property, however, and kept tight control over both until his death. At one point he even had his ex-wife acting as a surrogate mother to his new wife, another Isabella.
Because there are too few names to go around here, Connolly makes every effort to tell everyone apart by using their family origins or other forms of the same name (Isabella, Isabelle, Isabel). This potential for confusion likely led her to tell their lives individually instead of in parallel, although the pitfall here is that repetition becomes unavoidable. Ordinary women also don’t figure in these stories at all. Despite its widespread publication, Magna Carta was very much a charter for the ruling class. It was not until the Provisions of Oxford (1258) and subsequent revolt of Simon de Montfort did the peasants and middling folk begin to assert their rights and power.
Interestingly, one of the last ladies Connolly presents is Simon’s daughter Eleanor, princess of Wales, although the circumstances are ironic in the least. Three decades after Isabel d’Aubigny confronted Henry III, Eleanor’s brother Amaury was being held in prison without trial, an egregious violation of clause 39. Given that Isabel had reproached the king over a paltry quarter knight’s fee, Eleanor might be expected to give the new king, her cousin Edward I, a frightful tongue-lashing over his unjust and illegal treatment of her brother. But it was a different ball game now, a much harsher age, and Eleanor knew better than to even mention Magna Carta. Instead she begged and beseeched Edward ‘with clasped hands, and with bended knees and tearful groanings...’. He remained unmoved.
It’s an instructive example. Ladies of Magna Carta begins with a quote from Winston Churchill declaring that the charter of liberties is ‘a law which is above the King and which even he must not break’. It ends with a king doing just that, and an aggrieved woman, as in the days of old, getting on her hands and knees and pleading for mercy. This is not to imply that the charter was for nought, just that its effectiveness depended on the political landscape, the spirit of the age, and ultimately on the will to enforce it. Connolly’s book is an informative and delightful read about women aspiring to control their destiny against this backdrop, but their success or failure had less to do with Magna Carta than with the timeless principles of resourcefulness, determination and knowing how to skilfully handle the big guy. It’s these qualities that make their stories inspiring.
The Ladies then are the first generation of aristocratic women whose lives in some way influenced or were influenced by the charter. That means, inevitably, that there’s some man not just lurking in the shadows of this impressive compilation, but stealing the show in some instances. If this moves certain readers to complain ‘Him again?’, they will just have to get over the fact that it was a man’s world, written by men about other men for the most part. It wasn’t fair, but to isolate these women within the chronicles and writs in which they appear would make some very light and dull reading indeed.
Connolly even goes out on a limb by deciding to put the ladies on hold to give an account of the events that lead up to Magna Carta. There’s King John’s rise to power and the abuses of his reign, as well as that hopelessly dysfunctional family he grew up in. It’s a well-trod story, but of course not everyone is familiar with it and there’s nothing more frustrating than a historian who cannot be bothered to indulge newcomers. Connolly’s version of the first Plantagenets is superbly concise. No distractions or detours, hitting all the right nails on the head, until John, having repudiated the charter in 1215, has to defend his kingdom from rebellious barons in league with the French royal family, and he dies in the midst of it. The regents for the new king, Henry III, reissue the charter, which takes on the name Magna Carta the following year, and now Connolly can delve into the lives of the women of that age.
The first, Matilda de Braose, is remembered for the cruel manner of her death, starved to death with her son in the dungeons of Windsor. Certainly their fate figured into Clause 39 of the charter, which stipulates that no one was to be ‘destroyed in any way without the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land’. There is more to Matilda here than victimhood in Connolly’s portrayal. We hear the legend of her carrying stones in her skirt to build a castle and of her stout defence of Paincastle against the Welsh. Her sister Loretta, who became a renowned recluse, had been deprived of her dower by John. Clause 7 sought to end that injustice, at least in theory.
In terms of heroics, few of the ladies, men for that matter, can match Nicolaa de la Haye. She had inherited the post of castellan of Lincoln from her father and was still in command of the castle thirty years later when the French and rebels began to bombard the walls. In one of his last acts, John named Nicolaa sheriff of Lincolnshire, the first woman to hold that office in England. The injustice inflicted on her came after Magna Carta, when turncoat William Longespee wanted Lincoln for himself. He was the husband of our next lady, Ela of Salisbury. She was a great heiress, given in marriage to Longespee because he was an illegitimate son of Henry II, and she is one of the first women on record to invoke the protection of widows from remarriage and heiresses from disparagement. This occurred when Longespee was presumed lost at sea and the all-powerful justiciar sent his nephew, an ordinary knight, to seek Ela’s hand. Not even shining up his armour helped. ‘Get lost’, she told the much embarrassed younger man. In her widowhood, Ela served as the sheriff of Wiltshire and in a much larger capacity than Nicolaa did in Lincolnshire.
Most of the ladies presented here have no overt connection to the specific clauses of Magna Carta, for example the five daughters of William Marshal. On the other hand, Marshal’s son Richard violated the charter when he denied his brother’s widow Eleanor, sister of Henry III, her proper dower. As for the king himself, his opponents constantly grumbled about his lack of adherence to the charter and Connolly offers us the case of Isabel d’Aubigny, who famously upbraided Henry for being a ‘shameless transgressor’ of Magna Carta after she was deprived of a quarter knight’s fee. The fact that Isabel too remained a widow without any pressure to remarry might suggest otherwise, but the official record does verify that she used intemperate words during her interview with the king. Fortunately for her and the other ladies, Henry was, unlike his father, a conscientious and forgiving sort. He not only restored the quarter knight’s fee to Isabel, but waived a fine imposed on her for later making false claims.
Important as Magna Carta is in all this – and Connolly includes the charter in full as an appendix – it is the lives of the ladies themselves that proves the most interesting. Long before the Lusignans came to England and stirred up a fuss, we see Alice Lusignan litigating to recover property in Yorkshire as part of her cross-Channel inheritance. There’s plenty of sadness: the fate of the Scottish princesses Margaret and Isabelle, held hostage to the marriage market for more than a decade, and John’s first wife Isabella of Gloucester, whom he divorced on the eve of his coronation. He refused to jettison her person and property, however, and kept tight control over both until his death. At one point he even had his ex-wife acting as a surrogate mother to his new wife, another Isabella.
Because there are too few names to go around here, Connolly makes every effort to tell everyone apart by using their family origins or other forms of the same name (Isabella, Isabelle, Isabel). This potential for confusion likely led her to tell their lives individually instead of in parallel, although the pitfall here is that repetition becomes unavoidable. Ordinary women also don’t figure in these stories at all. Despite its widespread publication, Magna Carta was very much a charter for the ruling class. It was not until the Provisions of Oxford (1258) and subsequent revolt of Simon de Montfort did the peasants and middling folk begin to assert their rights and power.
Interestingly, one of the last ladies Connolly presents is Simon’s daughter Eleanor, princess of Wales, although the circumstances are ironic in the least. Three decades after Isabel d’Aubigny confronted Henry III, Eleanor’s brother Amaury was being held in prison without trial, an egregious violation of clause 39. Given that Isabel had reproached the king over a paltry quarter knight’s fee, Eleanor might be expected to give the new king, her cousin Edward I, a frightful tongue-lashing over his unjust and illegal treatment of her brother. But it was a different ball game now, a much harsher age, and Eleanor knew better than to even mention Magna Carta. Instead she begged and beseeched Edward ‘with clasped hands, and with bended knees and tearful groanings...’. He remained unmoved.
It’s an instructive example. Ladies of Magna Carta begins with a quote from Winston Churchill declaring that the charter of liberties is ‘a law which is above the King and which even he must not break’. It ends with a king doing just that, and an aggrieved woman, as in the days of old, getting on her hands and knees and pleading for mercy. This is not to imply that the charter was for nought, just that its effectiveness depended on the political landscape, the spirit of the age, and ultimately on the will to enforce it. Connolly’s book is an informative and delightful read about women aspiring to control their destiny against this backdrop, but their success or failure had less to do with Magna Carta than with the timeless principles of resourcefulness, determination and knowing how to skilfully handle the big guy. It’s these qualities that make their stories inspiring.
May 12, 2020
“Ladies of Magna Carta” was an interesting look into the lives of several of the leading women of the thirteenth century and how their experiences shaped aspects of one of England’s most famous and influential documents. Although we think of medieval women as having little to no role in politics or public life, Sharon Bennett Connolly proves us wrong by introducing us to women like Nicholaa de la Hay who was not only a sheriff in her own right, but held off invaders from her castle three different times. After a few chapters setting the scene by giving the reader a detailed biography of King John and the actions he took that caused his barons to rise against him-ending in the creation of the Magna Carta- each chapter is devoted to one woman of the time period. Often it becomes confusing trying to keep everyone straight because so many names are similar, and because the same people cross paths, fight, and marry each other, but if you accept that you won’t be able to keep all of the background people straight you’ll save yourself some confusion. The only real frustration I had with this book was the tendency towards repetition. Sometimes it seemed as if the same paragraphs were being used in multiple places to explain the same thing, which wasn’t necessary even when trying to remind the reader who we related to who. Overall a well researched book with interesting views into the lives of several fascinating women.
May 14, 2024
This is a good book for people who haven't necessarily studied English history, and for people interested in women's history. While at times it is a little repetitive, that's because one could choose to read just one chapter or another, if one is only curious about a particular woman or family. (However, if you don't know much about King John and the Magna Carta, the first two chapters are essential.)
I had picked up this book via interlibrary loan because Facebook had been giving me ads for a mystery series revolving around Ela of Salisbury. I'm not much for mysteries and was curious about this 13th century woman sheriff in England. Turns out, she's pretty cool, but not as amazing as Nicolaa de la Haye. Nicolaa was not only a sheriff, but she defended a city and turned the tide of the revolt/invasion of the rebels and their French allies. In her 60s. Even King John spoke nicely of her.
Seeing as women like Nicolaa de la Haye and Ela of Salisbury were influential, one might expect other great things of the various featured ladies of the time of the Magna Carta. Unfortunately, there are far more troubling stories that happy ones. The last lady chronicled spent her entire life in the confines of a priory so she could not help the rebellious Welsh.
I learned a lot from this book, which is readable for a casual scholar.
I had picked up this book via interlibrary loan because Facebook had been giving me ads for a mystery series revolving around Ela of Salisbury. I'm not much for mysteries and was curious about this 13th century woman sheriff in England. Turns out, she's pretty cool, but not as amazing as Nicolaa de la Haye. Nicolaa was not only a sheriff, but she defended a city and turned the tide of the revolt/invasion of the rebels and their French allies. In her 60s. Even King John spoke nicely of her.
Seeing as women like Nicolaa de la Haye and Ela of Salisbury were influential, one might expect other great things of the various featured ladies of the time of the Magna Carta. Unfortunately, there are far more troubling stories that happy ones. The last lady chronicled spent her entire life in the confines of a priory so she could not help the rebellious Welsh.
I learned a lot from this book, which is readable for a casual scholar.
February 27, 2022
I think this book offers some background on women who lives during the period of the Magna Carta. It isn't always easy to piece together the history of women during this period much less their influence. But given they were mothers, daughters and wives of the men we know about I more than positive they had some influence on the Magna Carta. Good read for people interested in the period, the document or the sometimes hidden role of women in history.
February 1, 2023
Långt ifrån inspirerande men absolut inte dålig.
April 24, 2020
3 stars
This review is based on an ARC ebook received for free from NetGalley. I am not being paid to review this book and what I write here is my own opinion. My rating scale is below.
review
First of all, go into this book knowing that it is some Dense Reading.
The first two chapters are devoted to introducing King John II and establishing the timeline leading up to the Magna Carta, but extra attention and detail is given to his female relations, from his sisters and his mother, the admirable Eleanor of Aquitaine, to his wives, both named Isabella. This will turn out to be the modus operendi for the entire book, writ large. Each chapter opens with an accounting of a man’s life, and then goes about filling the gaps and embellishing the details with the women who affected, or were affected by, the men.
It is a little disappointing that most chapters are more biographies of men than of women. Women are presented in the context of their families, though some receive longer, more detailed treatments as individuals, such as Nicholaa de la Haye, the first female sheriff in England who served as castellan and commanded her castle for the duration of three sieges, one taking place after her sixtieth year and turning the tide in the long-standing war between England and France. Mostly, though, women are mothers, wives, and daughters to men, although within that framework they still accomplish some remarkable feats.
That said, it is of necessity that the information be structured so. For one thing, few contemporary writers saw fit to chronicle women’s lives unless they were writing hagiographies, particularly in accounts that can be used for reliable primary source material, so there’s a scarcity of information to be acknowledged. Furthermore, not only is there a paucity of primary source material discussing women, there is an entire complex era into which Connolly must contexualize her subjects, and in so doing she must - unavoidably - discuss male subjects.
To that end, the regular reminders of which Richard, William, and Isabella, etc. we’re reading about are less annoying than useful. That said, tracking names and actions is sometimes made difficult when individuals’ titles, notable deeds, and relations interrupt sentences. However there is a good deal of rehashing events, so over time it is possible to sort out what happened when, and involving whom. Toward the end there is an abrupt divergence from the eponymous figure of the chapter into a parallel life led by a Welsh princess which might catch readers by surprise, but Connolly ties them together again at last.
There were some spelling errors (“sew” instead of “sow” appears more than once), but otherwise this is a thoroughly-researched, carefully crafted work whose author has taken great pains to comb through historical documents to bring to light the lives of these 12th- and 13th century ladies who have long gone overlooked in historical texts. The book also includes in the appendices the text of the 1215 Magna Carta, a list of the twenty five enforcers of the Magna Carta, The 1217 Charter of the Forest, as well as extensive chapter-by-chapter notes.
One of the key takeaways from this book, in my opinion, was that in order to become a (somewhat) independent and empowered woman in 12th- and 13th century England, one must marry very young, outlive one’s powerful husband, and then lay claim to every possible property that might be granted by birth, marriage, or other means, and defend them tirelessly for the rest of one’s days, either by feats of arms or in the courts, while maintaining good relationships with one’s siblings. And even then, it might not work out. It sounds exhausting, to be honest, but still significantly better than being a peasant.
rating scale
1 star - I was barely able to finish it. I didn't like it.
2 stars - It was okay. I didn't dislike it.
3 stars - It was interesting. I liked it.
4 stars - It was excellent. I really liked it.
5 stars - It was extraordinary. I really hope the author wrote more things.
This review is based on an ARC ebook received for free from NetGalley. I am not being paid to review this book and what I write here is my own opinion. My rating scale is below.
review
First of all, go into this book knowing that it is some Dense Reading.
The first two chapters are devoted to introducing King John II and establishing the timeline leading up to the Magna Carta, but extra attention and detail is given to his female relations, from his sisters and his mother, the admirable Eleanor of Aquitaine, to his wives, both named Isabella. This will turn out to be the modus operendi for the entire book, writ large. Each chapter opens with an accounting of a man’s life, and then goes about filling the gaps and embellishing the details with the women who affected, or were affected by, the men.
It is a little disappointing that most chapters are more biographies of men than of women. Women are presented in the context of their families, though some receive longer, more detailed treatments as individuals, such as Nicholaa de la Haye, the first female sheriff in England who served as castellan and commanded her castle for the duration of three sieges, one taking place after her sixtieth year and turning the tide in the long-standing war between England and France. Mostly, though, women are mothers, wives, and daughters to men, although within that framework they still accomplish some remarkable feats.
That said, it is of necessity that the information be structured so. For one thing, few contemporary writers saw fit to chronicle women’s lives unless they were writing hagiographies, particularly in accounts that can be used for reliable primary source material, so there’s a scarcity of information to be acknowledged. Furthermore, not only is there a paucity of primary source material discussing women, there is an entire complex era into which Connolly must contexualize her subjects, and in so doing she must - unavoidably - discuss male subjects.
To that end, the regular reminders of which Richard, William, and Isabella, etc. we’re reading about are less annoying than useful. That said, tracking names and actions is sometimes made difficult when individuals’ titles, notable deeds, and relations interrupt sentences. However there is a good deal of rehashing events, so over time it is possible to sort out what happened when, and involving whom. Toward the end there is an abrupt divergence from the eponymous figure of the chapter into a parallel life led by a Welsh princess which might catch readers by surprise, but Connolly ties them together again at last.
There were some spelling errors (“sew” instead of “sow” appears more than once), but otherwise this is a thoroughly-researched, carefully crafted work whose author has taken great pains to comb through historical documents to bring to light the lives of these 12th- and 13th century ladies who have long gone overlooked in historical texts. The book also includes in the appendices the text of the 1215 Magna Carta, a list of the twenty five enforcers of the Magna Carta, The 1217 Charter of the Forest, as well as extensive chapter-by-chapter notes.
One of the key takeaways from this book, in my opinion, was that in order to become a (somewhat) independent and empowered woman in 12th- and 13th century England, one must marry very young, outlive one’s powerful husband, and then lay claim to every possible property that might be granted by birth, marriage, or other means, and defend them tirelessly for the rest of one’s days, either by feats of arms or in the courts, while maintaining good relationships with one’s siblings. And even then, it might not work out. It sounds exhausting, to be honest, but still significantly better than being a peasant.
rating scale
1 star - I was barely able to finish it. I didn't like it.
2 stars - It was okay. I didn't dislike it.
3 stars - It was interesting. I liked it.
4 stars - It was excellent. I really liked it.
5 stars - It was extraordinary. I really hope the author wrote more things.
April 7, 2021
Ladies Of The Magna Carta is a non-fiction book about a selection of women who either lived around the time of the 1215 Magna Carta, or women who were affected, influenced by or made use of the clauses within the document.
Almost all were members of the peerage or the royal families of England, Scotland and Wales. For instance, there are chapters for Nicholaa de la Haye, Ela of Salisbury as well as the daughters of King John, to name just a few that were talked about in this book.
The author sets the scene of the era with an introduction to King John, including how he got to the throne and what led to the barons' demand for the Magna Carta document. In the appendix, there is a copy of all sixty-three of its clauses as well as a list of the barons chosen to enforce it.
Although at the time the Magna Carta document was almost immediately ignored by the king, it was re-enforced upon his death and it became a very important document, as it meant that future kings could no longer be above the law and therefore could no longer seize lands and goods without the proper legal writs in place. It is said that the Magna Carta started England on the road to a democratic government.
I thought the subject matter was fascinating; I live just a few miles from King John’s castle in Odiham, where it is said the king set out from when he went to Runnymede to sign the document. The author has done a remarkable job of piecing together the lives of so many women in this early medieval period when documentation about women was rare; in fact, often it was through their fathers, brothers and husbands that the author found details of many of these women during her research.
Then there is the complication of popular women’s names, such as Eleanor, Joan, Matilda and Isabel appearing many times, although I thought that the author did a good job of differentiating between them. It did mean some overlapping of details in places, but it was often needed to show the full lifeline of each of the women.
This book would make ideal research material for writers of historical fiction set in this era, or I could recommend it to readers who have an interest in King John and the famous Magna Carta.
Almost all were members of the peerage or the royal families of England, Scotland and Wales. For instance, there are chapters for Nicholaa de la Haye, Ela of Salisbury as well as the daughters of King John, to name just a few that were talked about in this book.
The author sets the scene of the era with an introduction to King John, including how he got to the throne and what led to the barons' demand for the Magna Carta document. In the appendix, there is a copy of all sixty-three of its clauses as well as a list of the barons chosen to enforce it.
Although at the time the Magna Carta document was almost immediately ignored by the king, it was re-enforced upon his death and it became a very important document, as it meant that future kings could no longer be above the law and therefore could no longer seize lands and goods without the proper legal writs in place. It is said that the Magna Carta started England on the road to a democratic government.
I thought the subject matter was fascinating; I live just a few miles from King John’s castle in Odiham, where it is said the king set out from when he went to Runnymede to sign the document. The author has done a remarkable job of piecing together the lives of so many women in this early medieval period when documentation about women was rare; in fact, often it was through their fathers, brothers and husbands that the author found details of many of these women during her research.
Then there is the complication of popular women’s names, such as Eleanor, Joan, Matilda and Isabel appearing many times, although I thought that the author did a good job of differentiating between them. It did mean some overlapping of details in places, but it was often needed to show the full lifeline of each of the women.
This book would make ideal research material for writers of historical fiction set in this era, or I could recommend it to readers who have an interest in King John and the famous Magna Carta.
April 26, 2020
Fascinating book! It was interesting to read about women living at the time of the insuing of the Magna Carta and to learn about what chapters were addressed to them and in what respects.
True, not much is known about the biographies of those medieval women. What is well known about them is their value on the marriage market meant to further their husbands' and their own families' own worth and not their own. They were pawns to dispose of as pleased their families. That was their own and true influence on the men who governed them!!! Only as widows they could theoretically decide on whether they wanted to marry or not according to the Magna Carta.
Much on the book is about the families of women, that is to say the male part. I found nevertheless interesting to read about differences in those various families in their relationship with their daughters and wives. A few of these medieval women did have a louder voice than was usually expected: 2 became Sheriffs, for instance.
What disturbed me was the repetition of several passages when relating to some event already depicted. I had the feeling that these passages were identical word for word to what I already read in a previous chapter.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book!
True, not much is known about the biographies of those medieval women. What is well known about them is their value on the marriage market meant to further their husbands' and their own families' own worth and not their own. They were pawns to dispose of as pleased their families. That was their own and true influence on the men who governed them!!! Only as widows they could theoretically decide on whether they wanted to marry or not according to the Magna Carta.
Much on the book is about the families of women, that is to say the male part. I found nevertheless interesting to read about differences in those various families in their relationship with their daughters and wives. A few of these medieval women did have a louder voice than was usually expected: 2 became Sheriffs, for instance.
What disturbed me was the repetition of several passages when relating to some event already depicted. I had the feeling that these passages were identical word for word to what I already read in a previous chapter.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book!
May 31, 2020
This is the third book by this author who has a very readable style of writing.
Focusing on Magna Carta and the women of the time it shows how they had minor influences on the charter itself but also how it's terms effected them.
A few of the women featured do disappear slightly behind their husbands but given how little is known of women of this age that isn't surprising.
As someone who reads a lot of both reference and fiction from this period there weren't any figures I wasn't already familiar with but the presentation gave a fresh voice and different perspective to their lives
Focusing on Magna Carta and the women of the time it shows how they had minor influences on the charter itself but also how it's terms effected them.
A few of the women featured do disappear slightly behind their husbands but given how little is known of women of this age that isn't surprising.
As someone who reads a lot of both reference and fiction from this period there weren't any figures I wasn't already familiar with but the presentation gave a fresh voice and different perspective to their lives
May 25, 2020
You can find my full review here: https://allthebookblognamesaretaken.b...
I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love that historians are now looking much more closely at women of these tumultuous periods, seeing how their lives were impacted and changed. I enjoy Connolly's works, she's a thorough historian. Full review to come.
I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love that historians are now looking much more closely at women of these tumultuous periods, seeing how their lives were impacted and changed. I enjoy Connolly's works, she's a thorough historian. Full review to come.
June 10, 2020
This book is highly recommended and the author is a very skilful as a historian. Has the gift to explain the history of the time in a clear and engaging manner.
It is fair to point out that this book is not a standard 'Women's history', which would have been incredibly difficult to write for the 13th century: There is little emphasis on the economic activity of women, or how women's religious orders operated, though there is a short section the life of an anchorite.
The ladies featured in this book largely owed their status on how they stood in relation to men, either through marriage or kinship. For example most of the chapter about Ela of Salisbury is about her husband William Longspee, an illegitimate son of Henry II, who became an earl due to marrying Ela. Though we learn that Ela managed estates well and established religious foundations, the focus on William of Salisbury seems unavoidable. Another issue is that it is also hard to think of women who dictated or wrote about their own lives until Julian of Norwich and Margery Kemp in the 15th century, historians can only rely on the writings of men, nearly always connected to the Church.
Yet the strength of the book is to show the whole range of lives of these individual aristocratic women. Some are tragic such as Eleanor of Brittany. Sister to Arthur of Brittany, King John's nephew and rival to the throne. Arthur died in captivity in 1203, possibly a little later, most probably killed on John's orders. Eleanor lived out her life in comfortable captivity in a series of castles for the rest of her life, John and his successor Henry III refused to release her. The aforementioned Matilda de Braose, who refused to offer her sons, perhaps grandson, as hostage to King John, died as a prisoner in either Windsor or Corfe Castle. The author's case is that Matilda's death, most likely from starvation, inspired clause 39 of Magna Carta against arbitrary imprisonment, banishment and execution. Whilst the predicament of Loretta de Braose from the same family, inspired clauses 8 and 9 of Magna Carta, which are concerned with the rights of widows.
King John's widow Isabelle of Angouleme is depicted as being quite ruthless though she may have assisted Henry III by abandoning him after King John died in 1216 and returning to Angouleme the following year Certainly Isabelle's marriage to Hugh de Lusignan , originally betrothed to her own daughter Joan ( of England) seems controversial.
It is helpful to have a chapter on the much neglected. Isabella of Gloucester, King John's first wife , who was never crowned. And a chapter about Joan of Wales , an illegitimate daughter of King John who was caught having an affair, and her husband Prince Llewelyn had her lover hanged and imprisoned her for a year. The author also notes Joan of Wales skills as a diplomat when her father and husband were at war in 1211, and also during the 1220's when Joan's half brother, Henry III was king.
Nicolaa de la Haye of Lincoln held Lincoln Castle three times under siege most notably in 1217, and gets a well deserved mention. Rescuing her led to William Marshall's march on Lincoln, leading to a defeat of the Rebel Barons and their French allies. Eleanor de Montfort held onto Dover Castle in 1265 for a short time whilst grieving for the loss of her husband Simon de Montfort and their eldest son Henry at Evesham.
The account of the numerous females of William Marshall's family did quite complicated, and have to admit had to keep re-reading this . The whole of the Magna Carta -1215 version- is reproduced along with the Forest Charter. But above all got a great deal from reading this book.
It is fair to point out that this book is not a standard 'Women's history', which would have been incredibly difficult to write for the 13th century: There is little emphasis on the economic activity of women, or how women's religious orders operated, though there is a short section the life of an anchorite.
The ladies featured in this book largely owed their status on how they stood in relation to men, either through marriage or kinship. For example most of the chapter about Ela of Salisbury is about her husband William Longspee, an illegitimate son of Henry II, who became an earl due to marrying Ela. Though we learn that Ela managed estates well and established religious foundations, the focus on William of Salisbury seems unavoidable. Another issue is that it is also hard to think of women who dictated or wrote about their own lives until Julian of Norwich and Margery Kemp in the 15th century, historians can only rely on the writings of men, nearly always connected to the Church.
Yet the strength of the book is to show the whole range of lives of these individual aristocratic women. Some are tragic such as Eleanor of Brittany. Sister to Arthur of Brittany, King John's nephew and rival to the throne. Arthur died in captivity in 1203, possibly a little later, most probably killed on John's orders. Eleanor lived out her life in comfortable captivity in a series of castles for the rest of her life, John and his successor Henry III refused to release her. The aforementioned Matilda de Braose, who refused to offer her sons, perhaps grandson, as hostage to King John, died as a prisoner in either Windsor or Corfe Castle. The author's case is that Matilda's death, most likely from starvation, inspired clause 39 of Magna Carta against arbitrary imprisonment, banishment and execution. Whilst the predicament of Loretta de Braose from the same family, inspired clauses 8 and 9 of Magna Carta, which are concerned with the rights of widows.
King John's widow Isabelle of Angouleme is depicted as being quite ruthless though she may have assisted Henry III by abandoning him after King John died in 1216 and returning to Angouleme the following year Certainly Isabelle's marriage to Hugh de Lusignan , originally betrothed to her own daughter Joan ( of England) seems controversial.
It is helpful to have a chapter on the much neglected. Isabella of Gloucester, King John's first wife , who was never crowned. And a chapter about Joan of Wales , an illegitimate daughter of King John who was caught having an affair, and her husband Prince Llewelyn had her lover hanged and imprisoned her for a year. The author also notes Joan of Wales skills as a diplomat when her father and husband were at war in 1211, and also during the 1220's when Joan's half brother, Henry III was king.
Nicolaa de la Haye of Lincoln held Lincoln Castle three times under siege most notably in 1217, and gets a well deserved mention. Rescuing her led to William Marshall's march on Lincoln, leading to a defeat of the Rebel Barons and their French allies. Eleanor de Montfort held onto Dover Castle in 1265 for a short time whilst grieving for the loss of her husband Simon de Montfort and their eldest son Henry at Evesham.
The account of the numerous females of William Marshall's family did quite complicated, and have to admit had to keep re-reading this . The whole of the Magna Carta -1215 version- is reproduced along with the Forest Charter. But above all got a great deal from reading this book.
July 11, 2020
The year of 1215 marked a turning point in English history with the sealing of a rather unique document; the Charter of Liberties, or as we know it today, the Magna Carta. It was a charter from the people to a king demanding the rights that they believed that they deserved. Those who sealed it were rebel barons who were tired of the way King John was running the country, yet instead of asking for his removal, they wanted reform. The clauses mostly concerned the problems of the men who made the charter, however, there were three clauses that dealt with women specifically. In her latest book, “Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England”, Sharon Bennett Connolly explores the lives of the women who were directly impacted by this document.
I would like to thank Pen and Sword for sending me a copy of this book. I enjoyed the last book that I read by Sharon Bennett Connolly and so when I heard that this book was going to be released, I knew I wanted to read it. I did not know much about thirteenth-century English history and the Magna Carta, so I was excited to start this new adventure.
In order to understand why the Magna Carta was considered an essential document for the time that it was forged, Connolly dives into the life of King John. His life and legacy will touch each and every woman in this book so it is vital to understand how John ran England while he was king. Although Connolly tends to be slightly repetitive with information about John, it is imperative that we as readers understand the significance of this reign and why it led to the Magna Carta, which radically changed English history forever.
Now, when one thinks about women who lived during thirteenth-century England, we tend to think about women whose marriages and bloodlines would interlace the numerous noble families of the time. Though some of the tales follow this pattern, there were some women and families who went against the norm. Women like Matilda de Braose, whose horrific imprisonment and starvation that led to her death, paved the way for clause 39 of the Magna Carta. There were also extremely strong women, like Nicholaa de la Haye, who was England’s first female sheriff and gained power and prestige by her own merits. These women acted as peacemakers by marrying foreign princes, or they were married to rebels against John. And of course, there were women who knew John well, like his wife Isabella of Angouleme, who had a very negative reputation because of John.
What I enjoyed about this book is how Connolly shared stories from women of many different walks of life. They were all so different and so unique. Connolly’s meticulous research and her true passion for this time paired with her easy to understand writing style make this book an engaging and insightful read. I found this an absolutely delightful read. If you want a fantastic book that introduces you to the world of the Magna Carta and the women who directly affected by this charter, I highly recommend you read, “Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England” by Sharon Bennett Connolly.
I would like to thank Pen and Sword for sending me a copy of this book. I enjoyed the last book that I read by Sharon Bennett Connolly and so when I heard that this book was going to be released, I knew I wanted to read it. I did not know much about thirteenth-century English history and the Magna Carta, so I was excited to start this new adventure.
In order to understand why the Magna Carta was considered an essential document for the time that it was forged, Connolly dives into the life of King John. His life and legacy will touch each and every woman in this book so it is vital to understand how John ran England while he was king. Although Connolly tends to be slightly repetitive with information about John, it is imperative that we as readers understand the significance of this reign and why it led to the Magna Carta, which radically changed English history forever.
Now, when one thinks about women who lived during thirteenth-century England, we tend to think about women whose marriages and bloodlines would interlace the numerous noble families of the time. Though some of the tales follow this pattern, there were some women and families who went against the norm. Women like Matilda de Braose, whose horrific imprisonment and starvation that led to her death, paved the way for clause 39 of the Magna Carta. There were also extremely strong women, like Nicholaa de la Haye, who was England’s first female sheriff and gained power and prestige by her own merits. These women acted as peacemakers by marrying foreign princes, or they were married to rebels against John. And of course, there were women who knew John well, like his wife Isabella of Angouleme, who had a very negative reputation because of John.
What I enjoyed about this book is how Connolly shared stories from women of many different walks of life. They were all so different and so unique. Connolly’s meticulous research and her true passion for this time paired with her easy to understand writing style make this book an engaging and insightful read. I found this an absolutely delightful read. If you want a fantastic book that introduces you to the world of the Magna Carta and the women who directly affected by this charter, I highly recommend you read, “Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England” by Sharon Bennett Connolly.
January 5, 2021
Who's never heard about the Magna Carta or the Bad King John? They exist in our conscious memory but how much do we actually know about Magna Carta?
In this book, Sharon Bennett Connolly explores the role of women behind the Magna Carta.
The clause 39 ("No man shall be taken, imprisoned, outlawed, banished or in any way destroyed, nor will we proceed against or prosecute him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land") was promulgated in response to the imprisonment and starvation of Matilda de Braose, the wife of one of King John’s barons.
Matilda de Braose is just one of many fascinating women whose lives are described in this book.
Others include:
Nicholaa de la Haye who served as chatelaine of Lincoln castle and sheriff of Lincolnshire.
Isabella of Angoulême, the wife of King John, whose reputation was attacked by medieval chroniclers. Known as the "She-Wolf of France", she was only twelve when she married John.
Isabella, Countess of Norfolk, daughter of William, King of Scots (William the Lion), and his queen, Ermengarde de Beaumont.
Eleanor of Brittany, granddaughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose brother Arthur was designated heir to the throne of England and its French territory by his uncle, Richard I, and murdered by King John.
This is a great book about strong females, some of whom carved out successful careers and whose names and deeds are still told and re-told today.
In this book, Sharon Bennett Connolly explores the role of women behind the Magna Carta.
The clause 39 ("No man shall be taken, imprisoned, outlawed, banished or in any way destroyed, nor will we proceed against or prosecute him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land") was promulgated in response to the imprisonment and starvation of Matilda de Braose, the wife of one of King John’s barons.
Matilda de Braose is just one of many fascinating women whose lives are described in this book.
Others include:
Nicholaa de la Haye who served as chatelaine of Lincoln castle and sheriff of Lincolnshire.
Isabella of Angoulême, the wife of King John, whose reputation was attacked by medieval chroniclers. Known as the "She-Wolf of France", she was only twelve when she married John.
Isabella, Countess of Norfolk, daughter of William, King of Scots (William the Lion), and his queen, Ermengarde de Beaumont.
Eleanor of Brittany, granddaughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose brother Arthur was designated heir to the throne of England and its French territory by his uncle, Richard I, and murdered by King John.
This is a great book about strong females, some of whom carved out successful careers and whose names and deeds are still told and re-told today.
November 6, 2025
Disappointed morphing into annoyance. This book is not about the Magna Carta, and it's not about women. It's about influential families and how they warred with King John. It was super frustrating as I can read about the families of these women in great detail anywhere - I was SPECIFICALLY looking for a book about how the experiences of women affected the Magna Carta, either through the women themselves or their husbands.
The first woman examined, Matilda Braose, has her her life (starved to death with her eldest son by K John) linked to specific clauses of the Magna Carta ~ off to a great start! But from that point on until the last chapter how women affected the Magna Carta is not mentioned again. I knew most of the material from other sources already. I suppose if you are new to King John this may be informative? But it was more a regurgitation of info as compared to linking it to the Magna Carta.
The final straw is how the author treats Isabella d'Angouleme. Finally we have a woman with some agency - a woman of influence making her own decisions for her personal happiness and safety. But instead the author is dismissive "We have seen of Isabella but her own priorities above that of her English family" - Excuse me! This is a GOOD thing! Why anyone should value King John's wishes - even if they are her own kids, which she may not have wanted or loved.
Anyway, this was not remotely what I was expecting and I was greatly disappointed.
The first woman examined, Matilda Braose, has her her life (starved to death with her eldest son by K John) linked to specific clauses of the Magna Carta ~ off to a great start! But from that point on until the last chapter how women affected the Magna Carta is not mentioned again. I knew most of the material from other sources already. I suppose if you are new to King John this may be informative? But it was more a regurgitation of info as compared to linking it to the Magna Carta.
The final straw is how the author treats Isabella d'Angouleme. Finally we have a woman with some agency - a woman of influence making her own decisions for her personal happiness and safety. But instead the author is dismissive "We have seen of Isabella but her own priorities above that of her English family" - Excuse me! This is a GOOD thing! Why anyone should value King John's wishes - even if they are her own kids, which she may not have wanted or loved.
Anyway, this was not remotely what I was expecting and I was greatly disappointed.
June 4, 2020
Magna Carta was a bitter pill for King John to swallow, but one that he refused and threw out again and again. It was the events that led up to the charter that led many to distrust and fear what the king might do.
Maude deBraos was a wealthy woman, a member of one of the leading families in the land. As she fell onto the wrong side of the king, she was imprisoned along with other members of her family. King John starved her and her son to death, trying to force the capitulation of her husband.
When the bodies were found, there were marks on the son's face, from where his mother had tried to stay alive - by eating the flesh of her own son.
This was only one of the many horrors that happened under the reign of King John, but much of the women who influenced the Magna Carta are only known through their husbands and minor mentions. There are, however, many women who were influential in their own rights - and these stories are played out on the pages of this book. Learn about a female sheriff, military maneuvers and more!
Well done and fabulously written, if you enjoy history - then this is a must to add to your list! This book does not disappoint.
Maude deBraos was a wealthy woman, a member of one of the leading families in the land. As she fell onto the wrong side of the king, she was imprisoned along with other members of her family. King John starved her and her son to death, trying to force the capitulation of her husband.
When the bodies were found, there were marks on the son's face, from where his mother had tried to stay alive - by eating the flesh of her own son.
This was only one of the many horrors that happened under the reign of King John, but much of the women who influenced the Magna Carta are only known through their husbands and minor mentions. There are, however, many women who were influential in their own rights - and these stories are played out on the pages of this book. Learn about a female sheriff, military maneuvers and more!
Well done and fabulously written, if you enjoy history - then this is a must to add to your list! This book does not disappoint.
September 30, 2020
I am really enjoying the increase in medieval histories that focus on women. Yes, much of the story of these women has to be told as part of the stories of their husbands, fathers, brothers etc, but to be fair, the story of men in the era is also told as part of the stories of other men. This history is well-written and well researched and does justice to her subjects (my favorite is Nicholaa de la Haye). I also enjoyed the text of the Magna Carta was in the appendix. This is well worth reading.
July 6, 2020
I very much enjoyed this book. It tells, as the title says, the story behind the Women of Magna Carta. Unfortunately this ‘women’s” history suffers for being told through the eyes of the men who fathered, loved and married these women, but that is just the nature of history in the ,Medieval period I’m afraid.
The author does an admirable job with the evidence available and this is written in a lively, engaging style. A Great book for anyone interested in the period of Magna Carta.
The author does an admirable job with the evidence available and this is written in a lively, engaging style. A Great book for anyone interested in the period of Magna Carta.
April 17, 2020
This was interesting indeed. I know about the Kings of the times of the Magna Carta but the ladies and Queens are a bit of a mystery to me. very informative though.
Read
January 5, 2021Fascinating book, determined women!
August 7, 2020
Good for those who have an interest of this time and women of this period. And introduction to a number of women. Do get information about the men and other things as well. But there is a sense of a biography of John sort of and about the document.
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