Two Voices, One Passion: Talking Medieval Women with Sharon Bennett Connolly
When I first dreamed of creating a tour that centred on the remarkable women of the Plantagenet era, one author’s name kept coming up again and again, not just in my research, but in my heart - and that is
Sharon Bennett Connolly.
Sharon is the best-selling author of 8 non-fiction history books, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, she has studied history academically as well as just for fun – and has even worked as a tour guide at a castle. Author of the popular history blog, www.historytheinterestingbits.com, her other accomplishments include co-hosting the podcast A Slice of Medieval with fellow historical novelist Derek Birks, as well as regularly giving talks on womens history for historical groups, festivals and in schools. Her book Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest is a recommended text for teaching the Norman Conquest in the National Curriculum. She is also a feature writer for All About History, Tudor Places and Living Medieval magazines and her TV work includes Australian Television's 'Who Do You Think You Are?
Sharon has the rare gift of not only writing about medieval women, but giving them back their place in the story. Their voices, their choices, and their strength rise vividly from the page under her pen.
I first discovered Sharon’s work after my very first trip to Europe in 2017, when a dear friend and fellow history lover gave me ‘Heroines of the Medieval World’ for a Christmas gift, this was long before I even contemplated starting a tour company. Each of these incredible figures fascinated me to no end, they were not just names in dusty records; they were women with stories, courage, and voices that had too long been left in the margins. That book stirred something deep within me, a quiet pull that years later would become part of the inspiration behind the Plantagenet Heroines Tour.
Sharon will be joining us as our resident historian on the 2026 Plantagenet Heroines Tour, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Her presence brings not only expertise, but a warmth and depth that uncovers the heart behind the history.
In preparation for our time working together on the tour, I invited Sharon to be a guest on my blog, and had the absolute pleasure of asking her a few thoughtful questions about the women she writes about, the history she uncovers, and the thread she sees between then and now.
This conversation means a lot to me. Because as women, understanding those who came before us can give us a powerful sense of belonging, a connection to a long line of courage, resilience, and quiet power. These stories, while set in another time, aren’t as distant as they might seem. The strength these women carried, more often than not, silently and against all odds, helped lay the stepping stones that brought each of us here. And I truly believe, even today, that they’re still guiding us forward.
And now without any further ado, here’s what Sharon shared with me:
1. If you could pick one moment in history to experience first-hand, which would it be, and why does it resonate so much with you?
Max: Personally, I often feel that deep connection to the past, but I must admit, if I had the chance to step into history, I am not actually sure what moment I would choose to witness myself, and why it would stand out for me, there are so many to choose from!
Sharon: I would love to be at the gates of Lincoln Castle in 1216 when Nicholaa de la Haye met with King John and tried to hand him the keys to the castle, citing her great age (she was in her 60s) as a reason for her being unable to continue in her duties. John refused to take her resignation, saying that she should continue in her post as castellan until he told her otherwise. I suspect this was all play-acting; Nicholaa trying to resign in order for John to demonstrate his continued faith in her and to show those who may also be trying to get hold of the castle, such as William Longspee, Earl of Salisbury, that Nicholaa was John’s choice. Longspee was the father-in-law of Nicholaa’s granddaughter, and heir, Idonea, and would spend the rest of his life – the next 10 years – trying to wrest Lincoln Castle from Nicholaa’s safe and formidable hands. King John was in a desperate situation by 1216, the rebels had invited the son of the French king, the future King Louis VIII, to England to take the crown and John was running out of people he could trust. Knowing that Lincoln, the castle that held the east Midlands, was in safe hands was vital. And Nicholaa had already held out against one army in 1191, and would again in 1217. She was formidable, reliable and loyal – who better to hold Lincoln? John went even further to demonstrate his trust in Nicholaa in October 1216, just hours before his death, in making her Sheriff of Lincolnshire – she was the first woman to ever be appointed sheriff in her own right.
Max: Isn’t that remarkable? In so many ways, Nicholaa’s story mirrors that of William Marshal - another loyal servant of the crown, holding the line in his later years. In fact, in 1217, just a year later, it would be the 70 year old William Marshal who would be the hero in this very location, outwitting the French and tipping the balance to save England. Two loyalists, two defenders of England’s future, both in the final chapters of their lives… wow what a story that would have been to witness.
2. Is there a particular woman from the Plantagenet era whose story feels especially relevant today, either because of her actions or the challenges she faced? What is it about her story that resonates with modern audiences?
Max: I am not necessarily referring to your favourite heroine here, but rather a particular woman whose story feels especially meaningful in today’s world and what lessons you think we can draw from her experiences?
Sharon: Oh, that’s a hard one. I think most of their stories would resonate with modern audiences, particularly female audiences. Things have changed and moved on, but women across the world are still fighting for the rights and recognition that have been denied them throughout the centuries. I often think of Isabel d’Aubigny, Countess of Arundel, whose knight died, leaving an underage son as heir. The knight also held land from the king, so King Henry III appropriated all the knight’s lands until the heir came of age, including the land that rightfully belonged to Isabel. Isabel was having none of it and presented herself in front of the king, demanding justice – and the return of her lands. Berating Henry III for ignoring Magna Carta, Isabel demanded ‘Where are the liberties of England, so often recorded, so often granted, and so often ransomed?’ She accused the king of being a ‘shameless transgressor’ of the liberties laid down in the Great Charter, breaking his sworn oath to uphold its principles. What I wouldn’t give to have been in that meeting!
Max: Imagine standing before the king, not just to plead for justice, but to demand it. Isabel’s courage really speaks for itself.
3. As a historian, how do you balance your passion for the past, with the excitement of sharing those stories with people who are discovering it for the first time?
Max: As lovers of the past, we’re all used to that eye-roll when we start talking history! With such an extensive knowledge, it must be a challenge not to slip into “academic mode” when speaking with those listeners less familiar with the subject. I would love to know how you keep your storytelling engaging for everyone?
Sharon: I don’t assume people have fore-knowledge of the subject. When I’m talking with people, I start at the beginning and tell the story. Most people don’t know the stories of the women, anyway, beyond a superficial level, so I’m on safe ground. And even those who have, won’t have heard the story the way I tell it – and certainly won’t have heard my theories or arguments about some of the women. When I’m speaking, I try not to get bogged down in sources and dates – I can save that kind of thing for the books. Going into too much detail of where the information comes from or when precisely events happened takes people out of the story. So, I try to keep it fast-paced and interesting – and entertaining. I love talking history and hopefully that enthusiasm rubs off on my audience. The occasional gaff, off-the-cuff joke or light-hearted observation seems to help too.
Max: That’s definitely the opposite of me — once I get talking, you can’t shut me up! I ramble on and on and on… just ask my kids 😄
4. When it comes to the Plantagenet era, what’s the most unexpected thing you’ve discovered during your research, and how has it possibly changed your perspective on history?
Max: We all have those “Wow how fascinating” moments when a discovery about the past catches us completely off guard. Can you tell us about the most surprising revelation you’ve come across, and has it deepened your understanding of this period?
Sharon: I am going to go right back to when I started writing Heroines of the Medieval World here and say that the most unexpected thing was the women’s stories, that they had been overlooked, sidelined, ignored, or written out of history for so many years – and that no one had ever thought to put them back in! Yes, we’ve always known about Eleanor of Aquitaine and the other queens, and Joan of Arc, who did the impossible, but most of the achievements of women have been overlooked. So, I wanted to put their stories back into the narrative. After all, how can you have an accurate, balanced account of history if half the people involved in it are simply ignored? It was a revelation, to discover that women did and achieved so much more than simply sitting at home, sewing and raising children, waiting for their knightly husbands to come home. It has been such a privilege to tell their stories.
Max: I couldn’t agree more. It’s staggering how many incredible stories have been hidden for so long — and how much richer our understanding becomes when they’re finally told.
5. As a historian, if you had to highlight one thing that links the past with the present, what would it be? What’s the thread that connects the two in your mind?
Max: I love this question, which is why I left it to last… I feel that seeing the parallels between the past and our own time help us to better understand both eras, but if you had to pinpoint one key element that ties the medieval period to the world today, what would it be?
Sharon: Family. No matter what period of history you study, nor whether its royals, nobles or ordinary people, the thread through it all is family. They may be dysfunctional, they may be loyal, they may be murderous, but the family is always at the centre of the story. That’s one of the reasons I loved telling the story of the Warenne earls of Surrey. They were cousins to the Plantagenets, but they were such a more grounded family. There were no family feuds, no stealing of each others’ lands and titles – when one went off on crusade, his brother looked after the family lands and ensured the succession of his niece. That’s not to say there weren’t scandals, arguments with the crown and failures, but the family kept it together. And even relationships with half- siblings were close and supportive.
Max: I agree about family, but for me, it’s always been ‘story’ — the way it weaves us together, helping us understand where we’ve come from and who we are becoming.
The Conversation Continues…
If these incredible insights have stirred your curiosity, you’re not alone.
I’m absolutely over the moon to have Sharon joining me on the 2026 Plantagenet Heroines Tour in April. Her passion, depth of knowledge, and gift for storytelling will bring these remarkable women to life in the very places where their stories unfolded.
Together, we’ll walk where they walked, reflect on the strength they showed, and, perhaps most important, we’ll continue this very conversation in person, surrounded by the echoes of their world.
➤ You can explore more of Sharon’s work through the links below.
➤ And if you’d like to be part of our incredible journey in April, full details for the Heroines Tour are available here.
