Synopsis: Examines the lives and legacies of historically vilified women, questioning the truth behind accusations of witchcraft, treason, and murder.
Throughout history women, from the lowliest of the working classes to the highest echelons of society have been accused of crimes ranging from witchcraft and vampirism to treason and mass murder. Such accusations stuck particularly when it came to women who held power – the names that we most associate with maligned women today include those that we will all have heard of. The infamy of women such as Lucrezia Borgia and Elizabeth Bathory have come down to us throughout the centuries and even in the modern world, many women are needlessly and falsely vilified.
But just how true were these accusations? The Most Maligned Women in History takes a look at the lives of a number of women whose crimes have been seen as some of the most heinous, just how true the rumours were and whether their reputations are deserved.
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Morris' book revisits the myth of the wickedness of the eleven (11) women featured and this is then put into context with both the time and the original authors (ie: those with an axe to grind).
For me personally, it was a pretty basic tome with no real arguments - the "usual suspects" are covered off (ie: Lucrezia Borgia, Elizabeth Bathory, Empress Wu, Anne Boleyn, etc) - there was no-one new for me here. At times, the "vindication" consisted of a mere paragraph or two, which I found disappointing - this would have been the perfect opportunity for a more in-depth exploration of the "tarring and feathering" of our ladies.
I would suggest this would be a "starter" tome for someone interested in furthering their study / knowledge of historical women; however, much can already be found quite readily on the internet without too much effort.
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