Margaret of Anjou

09/25/23 • 35 min

2 Listeners

Dr. Eleanor Janega continues Gone Medieval’s special series exploring Medieval Queens with a look at Margaret of Anjou, who rose to become a figurehead, and even a military leader, when her husband King Henry VI suffered bouts of mental illness. She became one of the principal figures in the Wars of the Roses and at times personally led the Lancastrian faction, being praised for “her valiant courage and undaunted spirit.”

Eleanor explores Margaret’s remarkable life and influence with medieval scholar Dr. Joanna Laynesmith

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Eleanor explores Margaret’s remarkable life and influence with medieval scholar Dr. Joanna Laynesmith

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Previous Episode

Emma of Normandy

Matt Lewis continues Gone Medieval’s special series showcasing Medieval Queens with a look at Emma of Normandy, the Norman-born noblewoman who became the English, Danish, and Norwegian Queen through her marriages to Æthelred the Unready and the Danish King Cnut the Great. After Cnut's death, Emma continued to play an active role in politics during the reigns of her sons by each husband, Edward the Confessor and Harthacnut.

Matt finds out more about Emma from historian Elizabeth Norton, author of England's Queens: The Biography and She Wolves: The Notorious Queens of Medieval England.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Next Episode

Mysterious Anglo-Saxon Bone Chests with Cat Jarman

1 Recommendations

In 1642, a Parliamentarian army smashed up Winchester Cathedral, including ten beautiful, 7th century mortuary chests, that housed the mortal remains of West Saxon kings, saints and bishops. In 2014, a team of forensic archaeologists, using the latest scientific methods, attempted to identify the contents, finding an elaborate jumble of bones, and making some surprising discoveries.

In this episode, Matt Lewis catches up with Gone Medieval's former co-host Dr. Cat Jarman to talk about her new book The Bone Chests, which untangles the stories of the people within the desecrated tombs.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

You can take part in our listener survey here.