Powerful Women of the Medieval World

By: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong

Throughout history, women have played integral roles in family, society, religion, government, war - in short, in all aspects of human civilization. Their contributions have often shaped history and shifted the axis of power for later generations of women. And yet, unearthing their stories from the historical record has often been a challenge, with the ordinary difficulties of preserving information across the generations increased by centuries of historical bias and gender expectations.

In Powerful Women of the Medieval World, Professor Dorsey Armstrong will introduce you to 10 amazing women who played vital roles in the Middle Ages, whether they wielded power from an imperial throne like Empress Theodora, led armies like Joan of Arc, or altered the course of Christian theology like Hildegard of Bingen. All of these women were from different times and places, yet they share the honor of having impacted the world in crucial ways. Their impact on history and society also shines a light on the conditions of ordinary women, those who did not have the chance to build such phenomenal legacies, but who nevertheless played vital roles in the family, the community, and the world at large.

While many of these women achieved power thanks to singular opportunities and unusual crises, they also share an indefinable quality that propelled them to seize the unpredictable chances they were given. As you examine the stories of these remarkable women, you will get a unique opportunity to unearth invaluable context and see history from a new perspective, one that can provide a richer understanding of the past and how it has shaped the world we live in today.

©2021 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2021 Audible Originals, LLC.

One of my favorites out of all my Audible reads

Clear, concise and still humorous, this subject focus "class" entertained and informed me for two days this last week. I knew some of all but two of the featured women (two of whom were favorites to read of) and I had never drawn all the connections that the "instructor" brought to light in her discussion. I love it when the patchwork of my understanding of history is filled out to include the rich details that were shared in such an engaging way. If I could, I would thank this author/"instructor". I was highly engaged 😁

Excellent!

I thoroughly enjoyed this course just as I have the others done by Armstrong. She’s a great story teller. I’m so happy to have found this, and I would love to hear more from her.

fantastic listen

who knew there were so many smart, powerful and influencing women in the early centuries. Will definitely recommend this to others

Fascinating

I knew the stories of some of the women discussed here but even then I learned new information. The history of the Mongol Queens was outstanding and so interesting, it gave me a whole new view of Gengis Khan. Overall a great presentation.

Dorsey, I love you

Audible, you do not have enough Dorsey Armstrong courses. Get it together. She is seriously the best.