Queens, Rebels and the Women Who Shaped 1066

Queens, Rebels and the Women Who Shaped 1066 explores the remarkable women whose influence helped define the Norman Conquest and transform 11th-century England.Historian Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Silk and the Sword, joins Rebecca to bring women such as Emma of Normandy, Lady Godiva, GYtha of Wessex, and Edith of Wessex out of the historical footnotes and place them at the center of the story. From queens who guarded royal treasuries and negotiated dangerous dynastic politics to mothers who resisted William the Conqueror and preserved Harold II’s bloodline, these women were far from passive observers.The conversation also uncovers the likely truth behind Lady Godiva’s legendary “naked” ride, examines whether Emma of Normandy was betrayed by a forged letter, and investigates the mysterious Elfgifu scene in the Bayeux Tapestry. Who was she—and was the cleric offering a blessing, delivering a reprimand, or exposing a scandal?Discover the queens, rebels, mothers, and survivors who shaped 1066—and whose legacies continued within the English royal family for centuries.--Host: Rebecca LarsonGuest: Sharon Bennett-Connolly