Hello there! I’m currently studying for a PhD in Archaeology at Oxford, researching the role of women in the social and political developments of 6th- and 7th-century England and France. With a worldwide readership of over 4,500 PLUS featuring regularly in Substack’s top 100 fastest-growing history publications, I share medieval history as you rarely hear it. I combine written and archaeological evidence to share the experiences of overshadowed individuals, ask challenging questions of dominant interpretations, and recommend books and writers doing a wonderful job of unearthing the past. My top 3 posts of all time have been a review of Rebecca Stott’s Dark Earth, biography of Æthelthryth of the Northumbrians (the queen who wouldn’t sleep with her husband), and my guide to Oxford’s top medieval moments.
Join our brand new medieval book club!
We’re reading ‘The Dark Queens’ by Shelley Puhak
There’s a lot of books out there on the actions of men throughout history and while these are important, they don’t always tell the whole story.
I am passionate about sharing high-quality, well-researched, and accessible history books, and I often share reviews on here of the books that I find to be embracing medieval history in a more rounded, holistic sense, such as:
Later this month, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on Terri Lewis’s recently published novel, Behold the Bird in Flight, and next month I have two incredible nonfiction books to share with you.
I want to take it further, though, than just reading books on my own and recommending them to you…
I want to read alongside you, enjoying these wonderful books together in real time, talking about them as we go.
There’s something so joyfully connecting about the experience of reading books with other like-minded souls. And when I reached out to subscribers a few months ago to ask if there was interest in a medieval history-themed book club, the response was overwhelmingly positive.
So, I’ve been working hard behind-the-scenes with subscribers to craft a book club that serves you as the heartbeat of this community of history enthusiasts, and today I’m delighted (and very excited!) to launch…
✨✨ The Medieval Musings Book Club ✨✨
This is a paid member exclusive and if you upgrade to join us, you’ll unlock…
Twice-monthly bonus posts exploring the history of the Dark Queens. For July, we have scheduled:
Murder, Power, and Royalty: The Real Game of Thrones Behind ‘The Dark Queens’.
Unearthing the Dark Queens: What the Graves Reveal.
A book prize draw for members who opt-in, gifting one of my favourite books on medieval women’s history: Femina by Janina Ramirez.
Two Substack Live sessions, exclusively for members, giving you the opportunity to ask your questions on the book
Weekly chat threads to explore the themes in the book (you can join our welcome thread HERE and post your recommendations for bonus posts HERE)
You can join in with as much or as little as you’d like: there is no obligation to engage, so if you want to read quietly on your own without speaking up you are as welcome to join as the reader who wants to converse every week. This group read is to share amazing books with YOU, however you’d like to read them.
Book 1: 'The Dark Queens by Shelley Puhak
During the months of July, August, and September 2025, we’ll be reading our first book together, as chosen by members of Medieval Musings: The Dark Queens by Shelley Puhak. There’s no set reading schedule; we’ll just aim to have finished up by the end of September so you can read at your own pace.
Not heard of ‘The Dark Queens’ before? Here’s a little snapshot from the author’s note to whet your appetite:
‘During their lifetimes, [Brunhild and Fredegund, 6th-century queens of Francia] grabbed power and hung onto it; they convinced warriors, landowners and farmers to support them, and enemies to back down. But like so many women before them, the inconvenient fact of their success was blotted out, and their biographies right along with it.
‘Among the chroniclers and historians who did make note of them, Brunhild and Fredegund were dismissed as minor queens of a minor era. And yet the empire these two queens shared encompassed modern-day France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, western and southern Germany and swaths of Switzerland…
‘Both ruled longer than almost every king and Roman emperor who had preceded them. Fredegund was queen for twenty-nine years, and regent for twelve of those years, and Brunhild was queen for forty-six years, regent for seventeen of them…
‘This book will resurrect these two queens and their relationship to sketch two scratched-out faces back into the record … [It] seeks to uncover the song they might have sung for themselves - and to give that song breath.’1
I can’t wait to read this book with you!
If you have any questions, please do pop them in the comments of this post and I’ll do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.
Shelley Puhak, 2022. The Dark Queens. London: Head of Zeus Ltd. p.xii, xxiii, xiv and xv.
I’ve bought my book 🤗
Incredibly interesting. I found the piece about why the incense church wanted to stop married bishops from existing fascinating. Follow the money.