Art and cultural historian Dr Janina Ramirez joins Dan on today's episode to tell the stories of three incredible medieval women: Aethelfled, a warrior queen who crushed the Vikings, Jadwiga, the first Queen Regent of Poland and Hildegard of Bingen, an 11th century polymath abbess who became a 20th century feminist icon and saint. They all ruled, influenced and changed history but are often left out of the narrative of the Middle Ages.

Janina's new best-selling book 'Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It' is out now.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and mixed by Dougal Patmore

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