The so-called “Wars of the Roses” is one of the most fascinating periods of English history. There is the uber-king, Henry V, vanquishing the enemy in France and inspiring his troops (and Shakespeare!) to a stunning victory at Agincourt. There’s his son, the under-king, Henry VI. Crowed as a child, Henry VI never came anywhere near the ease or effectiveness on the throne his father had. There are the York brothers, Edward, George, and Richard. All sons of Richard Duke of York, the three brothers displayed a level of ambition and ruthlessness that led to of them to the crown of England. And there are some Beauforts and Nevillles and Tudors lurking about as well.

I can tell you right now that one of my very, very favorite things about this time period is the women!!

They weren’t all dressed in armor and riding into battle like Joan of Arc, but the English women involved in the Wars of the Roses were fierce, fearless, and fantastic. They were queens, and almost-queens, and duchesses, and all-around fighters. They were also mothers and daughters and sisters who had a level of access to the of course male leaders of the time. These women broke the rules—and I mean BROKE the rules—and made new ones. Working from the inside, they changed everything.

There are some terrific books about these women, and I’d like to share three with you:

**She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth by Helen Castor.

**Blood Sisters: The Women Behind the Wars of the Roses by Sarah Gristwood.

**Uncrowned Queen: The Fateful Life of Margaret Beaufort, Tudor Matriarch by Nicola Tallis.

History shows us what's possible.