Femina

A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It

By: Janina Ramirez

Narrated by: Janina Ramirez

A groundbreaking reappraisal of medieval femininity, revealing why women have been written out of history and why it matters

The Middle Ages are seen as a bloodthirsty time of Vikings, saints and kings; a patriarchal society that oppressed and excluded women. But when we dig a little deeper into the truth, we can see that the “Dark” Ages were anything but.

Oxford and BBC historian Janina Ramirez has uncovered countless influential women’s names struck out of historical records, with the word FEMINA annotated beside them. As gatekeepers of the past ordered books to be burned, artworks to be destroyed, and new versions of myths, legends and historical documents to be produced, our view of history has been manipulated.

Only now, through a careful examination of the artifacts, writings and possessions they left behind, are the influential and multifaceted lives of women emerging. Femina goes beyond the official records to uncover the true impact of women, such as:

• Jadwiga, the only female king in Europe
• Margery Kempe, who exploited her image and story to ensure her notoriety
• Loftus Princess, whose existence gives us clues about the beginnings of Christianity in England

In Femina, Ramirez invites us to see the medieval world with fresh eyes and discover why these remarkable women were removed from our collective memories.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Interesting

I liked the continuous time line and the connections to various people through the ages.

interesting, not as feminist as one would fear

I liked this book very much. The title and the blurb made me a bit hesitant, because I don't care for extreme views nor for people with a point to prove. But this is a well-rounded collection of stories of people (yes, of the female variety, but that isn't really the point) that normally fall through the cracks of time. Very informative and well narrated.

Reimagining the lives of medieval women

Being invited into the discoveries in each chapter and appreciating the bookend reimagined narratives of warrior princess that begins the book and transgender people in London that ends this queer feminist history marking it’s time in the present

It’s mostly about the wealthy and powerful

I was hoping for more about the lives of ordinary women. The last chapter starts to go there but only skims the surface

Great.

Exploratory surgery in historical form. This opens up slices of the period you won’t find anywhere else (and shows you why that was), and does so interestingly and entertainingly. If half of the history you’re reading isn’t written by women, you’re getting less than half of the whole picture.