BBC Four HD

She-Wolves: England's Early Queens

Helen Castor

Lucy Swingler

Ross Wilson

Sam Anthony

She-Wolves: England's Early Queens: Episode 1: Matilda and Eleanor

Documentaries

Factual: History

Matilda and Eleanor

Episode 1

Episode 1: Matilda and Eleanor

BBC Four - She-Wolves: England's Early Queens, Matilda and Eleanor

Helen Castor looks at the lives of Matilda and her daughter-in-law, Eleanor of Aquitaine.

How Matilda almost became the first woman to be crowned queen of England in her own right, and how Eleanor of Aquitaine was more than the queen of courtly love.

In the medieval and Tudor world there was no question in people's minds about the order of God's creation - men ruled and women didn't. A king was a warrior who literally fought to win power then battled to keep it. Yet despite everything that stood in their way, a handful of extraordinary women did attempt to rule medieval and Tudor England. In this series, historian Dr Helen Castor explores seven queens who challenged male power, the fierce reactions they provoked and whether the term 'she wolves' was deserved.

Eight hundred years ago, Matilda came within a hair's breadth of being the first woman to be crowned queen of England in her own right. Castor explores how Matilda reached this point and why her bid for the throne ultimately failed. Her daughter-in-law Eleanor of Aquitaine was an equally formidable woman. Despite being remembered as the queen of courtly love, in reality during her long life she divorced one king and married another, only to lead a rebellion against him. She only finally achieved the power she craved in her seventies.

BBC Four

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

Historian Dr Helen Castor explores the lives of seven English queens

Historian Dr Helen Castor explores the lives of seven English queens who challenged male power, the fierce reactions they provoked and whether the term 'she-wolves' was deserved

BBC HD

BBC Two

BBC Two is a TV channel that started broadcasting on the 20th April 1964.

BBC Two Scotland

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

Accessibility links

Programme Index

She-Wolves: England's Early Queens

Episode 1: Matilda and Eleanor

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Series

BBC Four HD

About BBC Four