4.01 Popesses: Female power and the papacy
/Introducing the topic for the fourth season of The Other Half Podcast
CHAT: Ellen Alpsten on The Tsarina's Daughter
/In what feels to me a lifetime ago, but was actually only about 12 months, I spoke to Ellen Alspten on the podcast about her book 'Tsarina.
Since then - and I can only assume because of it - the book has gone on to be tremendously successful. It has been shortlisted for the Author’s Club’s Best First Novel award, got a starred review from Booklist and has sold so well that it already has a sequel - 'The Tsarina's Daughter'.
I spoke to Ellen earlier this week about it. Enjoy!
3.21 The Samurai, the Wrestler and the Slave
/To finish off the third season of The Other Half, we cover three final women: Tomoe Gozen, Khutulun and Escrava Anastacia.
3.20 Rani of Jhansi (2) Written in blood that cannot be erased
/As rebellion sweeps India, Rani Lakshmibai fights for her nation's independence and becomes its most famous heroine.
CHAT: Claire Miles, the Hisdoryan
/Today I speak to one of my favourite history bloggers. Claire is history blogger that lives in the darkest depths of rural Mid Wales (her words). Her great belief is that it’s okay to live in the past and her blog is all about the latest history books to read and the latest period dramas to watch. You can also find the latest historical travel inspiration for when you have a spare day or two and want to travel back in time!
3.19 Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi (1) I will not give up my Jhansi
/Rani Laksmibai is one of the great heroines of modern India - a warrior queen who fought against British rule of her country.
CHAT: Elodie Harper on 'The Wolf Den'
/Elodie Harper is a reporter and presenter at ITV News Anglia. She's worked as a journalist for the past decade, including for Channel 4 News, ITN and BBC Radio with a focus on crime reporting in Norfolk, where her first two novels are set.
The Wolf Den takes her in a new direction and to a new time period in the lupanar of Ancient Pompeii.
Buy Elodie's book from Blackwells or, if you're not from the US or Canada, from your local bookstore. You can also get it from Amazon, but I reckon Jeff Bezos has enough money.
3.18 Emilia Plater: Poland is not yet lost
/After her country was stolen from her, a young countess from Lithuania took up arms to get it back.
3.17 Sacagawea (3) A tool of divine direction
/Sacagawea completes her journey to the Pacific and back again - making electoral history along the way - as well as looking at how she has been remembered by generations of Americans.
3.16 Sacagawea (2) Journey to the past
/Sacagawea saves the Corps twice and runs into her family.
3.15 Sacagawea (1) Go west young woman
/For me, there is only one woman in US history that truly fits the folk heroine bill, the one with more rivers, mountains and memorials in her honour than any other woman in American history - Sacagawea.
3.14 Njinga (3) Angolan Gloriana
/Njinga finally achieves ultimate victory and finally rules the nation whose throne she had assumed so many years before. But could she manage to safely pass the kingdom off to her chosen successor.
3.13 Njinga (2) Life on the Run
/We travel to the lands that make up modern Angola into the era of European colonialism and expansion, slavery and subjugation to tell the story of one of Africa’s greatest queens.
3.12 Njinga (1): Rise of an African Queen
/We travel to the lands that make up modern Angola into the era of European colonialism and expansion, slavery and subjugation to tell the story of one of Africa’s greatest queens.
3.11 Joan of Arc (4) Ever Shining, Ever Glorious
/After Joan's death, France triumphed in the Hundred Years War, and which led to Joan’s rebirth as a true heroine of France and of liberty all over the world.
3.10 Joan of Arc (3) Out of fear of the fire
/Joan of Arc goes through months of penetrating and humiliating interrogation and trial as her captors seek to break her will and achieve moral as well as military victory
3.09 Joan of Arc (2) God's Will is Done
/After winning the faith of the Dauphin, Joan travels to her date with destiny at the besieged city of Orléans.
3.08 Joan of Arc (1) The Maid of Orléans
/Joan of Arc or Jeanne la Pucelle is the prototypical folk heroine - she is the gold standard on which they are all judged. Today we see how a teenage peasant girl persuaded a prince to let her lead his armies against the old enemy.
3.07 Tamar of Georgia (2) The Lioness of the Caucasus
/With her position at home secure, it was time for Tamar to make her mark on history, both on the battlefield and in building her cultural legacy
Listen to Mily Balakirev's Tamara, played by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra
3.06 Tamar of Georgia (1): King of Kings, Queen of Queens
/In twelfth century Georgia, a woman comes to the throne. Her people had never had a queen before, and the nation was surrounded by enemies. Tamar would have her work cut out to survive.