Wars of the Magna Carta
Women at war in Medieval England
England on the Brink
By 1215 King John was in serious trouble. He had upset his most important subjects in as many ways as they could count. He had lost the English dukedoms of Normandy and Brittany, and the counties of Aquitaine, Poitou, and Anjou, to Philip of France. He had taken a hand in the murder of his nephew Arthur – the heir nominated by his brother, King Richard.
He had been excommunicated by Pope Innocent III and been presented with a revolt in Wales. Latterly, he had been persuaded into signing the Magna Carta by his nobles – which he reneged on, claiming that he was forced into acceptance and had only signed it under duress. This final bad decision led to the barons inviting the French Prince Louis over the Channel to take charge of a new ‘civil’ war in England.
In 1216 John lost Westminster and fled to Winchester. Dover Castle was under siege, and England south of a line from the Wash to Bristol was in revolt. John was being pulled back and forth by the tides of war, travelling as far north as Berwick to quell the flames. By the autumn he was back in the south with the state of England in serious danger of becoming a French crown territory.
The eyes of England turn towards the Midlands, where, proud on its ridge, stands the mighty citadel of Lincoln, a stronghold since Roman times.
The Women Who Stood Firm
Lincoln must hold out if the country is to survive. Lincoln and its nearby supporting fortress of Laxton are in the hands of two redoubtable women: Nicholaa of Lincoln and Matilda of Laxton, both hereditary Keepers of the King’s Forest. Nicholaa and Matilda hold the lands of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire between the coast and the Pennines secure through the defence of their castles. They must hold firm: the central defence of England rests upon their shoulders.
This Wars of the Magna Carta book was originally released as The Women Who Saved England. It was then taken up by publishers Sapere Books and expanded into a two-part series under the encompass of ‘Wars of the Magna Carta’. It has since received five-star reviews on Amazon.
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List of chapters included in the ebook
Book 1
The Battle For England
Women at war in Medieval England
Medieval England is under siege… Perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden, Robyn Young, Alison Weir and Anthony Riches.
The Magna Carta was supposed to bring peace. Instead, the crown is once more under threat…
England, 1216
King John has lost the English dukedoms of Normandy and Brittany, and the counties of Aquitaine, Poitou, and Anjou, to Philip of France. He has been excommunicated by Pope Innocent III and though he was been persuaded into signing the Magna Carta by his nobles, he has now reneged on his promises.
The people are in uproar and the English barons have contacted the French Prince Louis to cross over the Channel and take charge of a new ‘civil’ war in England.
Dover Castle is soon under siege, and the south of England is in revolt. Attention turns towards the Midlands, where, sitting proud on its ridge, stands the mighty citadel of Lincoln. Lincoln and its nearby supporting fortress of Laxton are in the hands of two redoubtable women: Nicholaa of Lincoln, and Matilda of Laxton, both hereditary Keepers of the King’s Forest.
Nicholaa and Matilda must hold firm: the central defence of England rests upon their shoulders…
The Battle For England is the first book in the WARS OF THE MAGNA CARTA series, a thrilling fictionalised saga of pre-Tudor England: a war & military historical saga bringing medieval England to life.
Available on Amazon
Book 2
A Contest of Wills
Medieval Women Fight for Survival
Medieval England is at war… Perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden, Robyn Young, Alison Weir and Anthony Riches.
The King who reneged on the Magna Carta is dead. But will his successor bring peace to the realm?
England, 1217
King John is dead and his son, the child-king, Henry III is on the throne, supported by William Marshal – England’s greatest knight.
Thanks to two powerful women - Nicholaa of Lincoln, and Matilda of Laxton – the royal stronghold of Lincoln stood firm and defeated the rebels who threatened the crown.
But now more eyes are turning to Lincoln castle, and Nicholaa and Matilda may find themselves unable to stop ambitious men from taking everything they have fought so hard to keep…
Can these two women maintain their positions? Or will others seek to erase them from history?
A Contest of Wills is the second book in the WARS OF THE MAGNA CARTA series, a thrilling fictionalised saga of pre-Tudor England: a war & military historical saga bringing medieval England to life.
Available on Amazon
Chronicles & Curious Facts
Brief journeys into the bizarre, dramatic, and surprising truths of the medieval world.
The Women Who Kept the King’s Forests
In the period of the 13th century the Forests of England were governed by royal
Matilda of Laxton and Nicolaa of Lincoln: The Medieval Women Who Shaped King John’s Reign
When people think of King John, they often picture the Magna Carta, rebellious barons, and
Matilda of Laxton: One of England’s Most Powerful Medieval Women
Matilda of Laxton was one of the most remarkable yet overlooked medieval women in English