Richard the Lionheart travelled to far-flung realms, went on crusade, met kings and popes, and exerted a great deal of influence on the world around him…
And so did his sister.
The sons of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine have been the subject of much historical attention, but their daughters have been curiously overlooked.
The youngest of them, Joanna, led a particularly extraordinary life full of adventure and danger – and not a little controversy – that was more than a match for those of any of her brothers, including the famed Lionheart himself.
This is Joanna’s story, and also an exploration of the wider world of the 12th century as seen through the eyes of a woman who was a princess and a pioneer, a warrior and a wife, a captive, and a queen.
Lionessheart: The Life and Times of Joanna Plantagenet by Catherine Hanley is published on 20 March, 2025.
Read Catherine’s Historia feature about Joanna’s extraordinary life.
There are many more ideas for historical reading in our list of over 160 books published this year.
