Fabulous Women of History
I’m an historical novelist. What I love doing is finding amazing and fabulous people, especially women, who have been written out of history, and then bringing them back to life as accurately as possible, telling their stories in a compelling and entertaining way.
The reason that the majority of the central characters in my novels are women is because it was men who, until recently, wrote history, and women - no matter what their talents or achievements - tended to be excluded.
HISTORY IS FULL OF FABULOUS WOMEN
…… it’s their stories which are unknown.
The exceptions, of course, were the wives of famous men, or women of a morally questionable nature. These women are much less interesting than those women who were written out of history and lost to us, yet who accomplished extraordinary things.
An example of such a woman is Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the most brilliant artists of the late Renaissance. The story about her rape and revenge can be found in my latest novel, HIS HEAD ON A PLATTER. Yet she has only recently become recognized, and is still largely unknown to most people, whereas other equally brilliant Renaissance artists, such as Leonardo, Michelangelo, Tintoretto, Titian and Caravaggio, are internationally famous.
So here are some of the extraordinary women I’ve written about in my books. Some might be familiar to you, but others may not.
GERTRUDE BELL - the fabulous 19th Century adventurer who created Iraq
Gertie, a British adventurer, was the woman who advised Lawrence of Arabia on his war efforts against the Turks, and went on to create modern Iraq. She’s pictured here in 1921 accompanied by Winston Churchill and Lawrence.
My book detailing her conquests ‘Bell of the Desert’ is available to buy here.
Boadicea….or Boudica as she was known to the Iceni in Roman Britain
This amazing woman led a revolt by the Britons against the might of the Roman Army, and almost won. But she and her daughters were caught, imprisoned, raped and left to rot on a rubbish heap.
The Tale of Bodeicea or ‘Boudica’ is available to read in my book ‘Warrior Queen: The Story of Boudica, Celtic Queen’; Also available in its Spanish translation ‘El Imperio de la Reina’
Artemisia Gentileschi - history’s forgotten genius
In her painting Judith Cutting Off The Head of Holofernes, we see Artemisia’s self portrait as the woman wielding the knife. After Artemisia was raped by the painter Tassi, she devoted her life to painting women taking revenge against the hegemony of men.
GRACE O’MALLEY - The notorious Irish Pirate Queen
Grace O’Malley ruled a flotilla of pirate ships and was the enemy of Queen Elizabeth 1st. When the English queen captured Grace’s son, the fearless Irish-woman sailed to her castle at Greenwich, and alone demanded to speak with the monarch.
I have written of the great Grace O’Malley in my book ‘The Pirate Queen’
JEZEBEL - falsely maligned ancient queen
Poor Jezebel has been maligned throughout history as an immoral seducer of men.
The truth of history is that she was a young woman who loved nature gods, and when she tried to introduce them into ancient Israel, ruled by a weak King Ahab, she ran foul of the nation’s patriality.
It was really the Prophet Elijah whom people followed. And it was the austere Prophet who ensured her downfall.
Get your copy of ‘Jezebel’ today.
FLORA MACDONALD - heroine of Scotland.
Everybody knows the Skye Boat Song ”….speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing…onwards the sailors cry….”
But the real heroine, the woman who saved the weak and inane Bonnie Prince Charlie’s life, was Flora Macdonald. It was she who risked her life to save his by rowing a boat across the treacherous waters of the Hebrides to allow him to escape after the disastrous Battle of Culloden.
Here Marvellous story is detailed in my book ‘The Pretenders Lady’
Mary, mother of Jesus
We know virtually nothing about Mary, Jesus’ mother.
‘The Book of Mary’ tells the story of Christ’s Passion, but from the point of view of his mother, Mary.
