Let’s be honest: lockdown sucks!  But it does mean there’s more time for reading.  Over the next couple of weeks, I will review 10 books which all Royal History Geeks should add to their reading list.

Perhaps it’s the work of fiction writers.  Maybe it’s the discovery of Richard III’s remains.  But whatever the reason, the latter half of the 15^th century has never attracted so much popular attention.  If only we had a wealth of source material to satisfy the curiosity.

And what we do have – records of Parliament, patent rolls and a chronicle or two – focus on the exploits of men.  That’s typical of medieval history.  But it’s only half the story.

The long-running Wars of the Roses were a series of conflicts which saw women step outside their usual sphere of influence.  It was Queen Margaret of Anjou – and not her husband Henry VI – that led the Lancastrian fight back against York in 1460.  It was the plotting of Margaret Beaufort and Elizabeth Woodville that bought Richard III’s regime crashing down.  It was Margaret of York, not either of her brothers, who came close to destroying Henry Tudor.

It would be tragic if those stories were lost to us.  Thanks to the brilliant ‘Blood Sisters’ by the talented Sarah Gristwood, such a travesty is avoided.

The brilliant book is a collective biography of seven women who were at the centre of events in the latter 1400s.  It records the high-profile exploits of the heroines already mentioned.  But it also shows how women constituted a hidden but powerful network of influence which played a part in shaping politics.  Cecily Neville, Anne Neville and Elizabeth of York would each played a crucial role in shaping our history.  Even if they had to do it through sons, fathers, brothers and husbands.

The book is underpinned by an ocean of research.  Yet every chapter is lively and accessible.  Gristwood began her career as a journalist.  It’s clear that writing remains one of her major gifts.  Despite its length and density, it’s easy to read the book in a few sittings.  Helpfully, given the number of heroines called ‘Margaret’, Gristwood uses culturally appropriate names to help the reader distinguish between them.

Popular historical fiction has partially distorted public understanding of this era.  The book is not written as a response to the beautifully produced but controversial ‘White Queen’ series of 2013.  It was published before the series aired.  But because it covers a similar range of characters it is an essential tool for anyone wanting to separate the fact from fiction.    

There is almost nothing I would change about this work.  It is stunning and studious.  But if I were being picky, I would eliminate Anne Neville from its pages.  I have yet to be convinced that her contribution to history was particularly meaningful.  In my view she should not benefit from the same attention as the remaining six heroines.  But on balance, this is not a significant complaint.  Afterall, to the true Royal History Geek, there’s no such thing as too much history.

In recent years, more attention has been given to the role women played in medieval history.  Fiction in particular has tended to suggest that they were the prime instigators of social shifts and political upsets.  As a feminist this appeals to me.  As a historian I’m more cautious. 

But in this researched and readable account, Gristwood demonstrates beyond doubt that this was a time when women broke the mould.  They stepped outside expectations and rightly deserve to be called the authors of our history. 

For any fan of the Wars of the Roses era, this book won’t just make an enjoyable addition to the reading list.  It will shed light on a crucial dynamic to the conflicts that we are unlikely to come across in other accounts of the period. 

Blood Sisters: The Women Behind the Wars of the Roses, is available from Amazon.

However, please consider supporting your local book seller.  If you are based in the UK, search for your local book seller at the Book Seller Associations website.