The term ‘feminist’ would have been anachronistic in the Tudor period, but surely we would not hesitate to call the lady, who would be queen, Anne Boleyn, a feminist? All ten women, from Catherine Par to Margaret Beaufort, lived their lives in a way that challenged the patriarchal world they lived in. Each chapter is dedicated to one remarkable woman, ahead of her time. It explores her achievements and examines the impacts she had on a male-dominated world, while placing her in the context of her particular circumstance and background. These Renaissance women, from the high born to the merchant class, were rule breakers, they railed against the rigid social norms of their time and stand out vividly against a backdrop of domestic servitude.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Introduction: Domesticity and Doctrine
• Margaret Beaufort: Mother of a Dynasty
• Margaret Pole: ‘A Strong and Constant Man’
• Katherine of Aragon: Humble and Loyal
• Anne Boleyn: The King’s ‘Concubine’
• Catherine Parr: Writer and Survivor
• Anne Askew: Heretic and Poet
• Bess of Hardwick: Much-Married Visionary
• Gráinne (Grace) O’Malley: Pirate Queen
• Aemilia Lanier: The Dark Lady
• Arbella Stuart: The Forgotten Queen
• Notes
• Plates