Katherine Pangonis Talk

We were thrilled to welcome back alumna and author Katie Pangonis (class of 2008) to speak to History students about her newly published book.

With the stories of women conspicuously absent in books written about the Crusades, Katie’s new book aims to redress the balance. In Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule she explores the role women played in the governing of the Middle East during periods of intense instability, and how they persevered to rule and seize greater power for themselves when the opportunity presented itself. Speaking to GCSE and A Level students in the library over lunch, Katie explained how queens and princesses tend to be presented as passive transmitters of land and royal blood.  However, in reality, women ruled, conducted diplomatic negotiations, made military decisions, forged alliances, rebelled, and undertook architectural projects. Thank you to Katie for coming back and shining a light on the stories of forgotten women.