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Divine Women: The War of the Word

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Divine Women - War of the Words

04/11/2013 GMT

The War of the Word

Divine Women

BBC World News - Divine Women, The War of the Word

Bettany reveals the remarkable women from history who left their mark on their faiths.

Series uncovering the hidden history of women in religion. Bettany Hughes discovers how the Dark Ages turned out to be a golden age for a few remarkable women.

Award-winning historian Bettany Hughes discovers how the period known as the Dark Ages was in fact a golden age for a few remarkable women. She finds that education and the written word became vital tools for these women. First, she looks at Theodora, a prostitute turned empress, who allied herself with Mary the Mother of God to rule over a great Christian empire. Then she looks at the legacy of the wives of the prophet Muhammad, including Khadija, the first convert to Islam and Aisha, whose words are still read by over two billion men and women today. Bettany also discovers the story of Wu Zetien - a courtesan who harnessed the power of a philosophy, Buddhism, to become the only woman to rule China as emperor. Finally, Bettany explores the history of St. Hilda, a great educator and wise woman, who presided over the crucial conference, the Synod of Whitby, which decided when Christians in Britain celebrated Easter, and cemented the islands' links with Rome and Europe. Bettany Hughes concludes that these extraordinary women across the globe used their courage, charisma and sheer brainpower to put the female of the species back in the heart of religion. Their incredible achievements still shape our lives today.

BBC World News

BBC  World News

Tracing the hidden and often controversial history of women in religion.

Bettany Hughes sets out on an epic journey across continents and back in time to trace the hidden and often controversial history of women in religion.

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