Posh southern bird on a Midlands jolly or the best queen the English never had?

We’re celebrating Women's History Month with a discussion of one of the most important individuals in English history. Eldest daughter of King Alfred the Great of Wessex and descended from Mercian royalty, Æthelflæd came to rule Mercia in her own right following the death of her husband, Æthelred. Working alongside her brother King Edward the Elder, Æthelflæd staved off Viking attacks and conquered new territory for the inchoate English kingdom. Often overlooked in favour of her male kin, we explore the remarkable life and career of the leader who may have inspired Tolkien’s warrior princess, Éowyn, shieldmaiden of Rohan.