She-Wolves: England's Early Queens

http://www.renaud-bray.com

http://www.renaud-bray.com

*** Résumé en anglais seulement ***The medieval and Tudor world was built for and ruled by men. Kings were warriors who earned power through blood spilled on the battlefield. Women who sought to rule in their own right were viewed with horror and vilified as ?she-wolves.? Yet beginning 800 years ago with Matilda?daughter of Henry I, granddaughter of William the Conqueror?a handful of extraordinary women decided they would wear England?s crown. They were thwarted, betrayed, imprisoned, and condemned until the day came when England had no choice but to name a female monarch.Hosted and based on the book by Dr. Helen Castor, ?an accomplished and elegant historian? (The New York Times), and filmed on location in England and France, this captivating BBC series explores the lives of seven English queens who challenged male power, the fierce and fiery reactions they provoked, and whether, in fact, much has changed. Cambridge professor Dr. Helen Castor is a historian of medieval England, presenter of BBC Radio 4?s Making History, and author of the award-winning book Blood & Roses. Episode 1: Matilda and Eleanor The first woman to attempt to claim the English throne, Matilda?daughter of Henry I, granddaughter of William the Conqueror?was hours from her coronation in 1141 when an angry mob chased her away. Her daughter-in-law, Eleanor of Aquitaine, led a rebellion against her own husband. Neither won the crown, but both ensured that the dynasty would continue.Episode 2: Isabella and Margaret Isabella and Margaret were both young French girls and political pawns when they were married to English kings: Isabella to Edward II in the 14th century, Margaret to Henry VI 100 years later. Isabella was accused of murder and Margaret of plunging England into the Wars of the Roses. Shakespeare later dubbed Margaret ?She-wolf of France.?Episode 3: Jane, Mary and Elizabeth In 1553, the death of a 15-year-old boy caused an unprecedented political crisis. Edward VI was Henry VIII?s only male heir. For the first time in English history, all of the contenders for his crown were female: Lady Jane Grey, the staunchly Catholic Mary Tudor, and Elizabeth I, who showed how capably and gloriously a woman could rule.