Royal Witches

In Royal Witches, historian Gemma Hollman delves into the lives of four royal women—Joan of Navarre, Eleanor Cobham, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, and Elizabeth Woodville—accused of witchcraft in 15th-century England. While some may have sought out healing or foresight through the “dark arts,” these accusations were primarily politically motivated, highlighting the vulnerabilities faced by women in a patriarchal society. Set against a backdrop of political turmoil and blurred lines between science and magic, the book offers a compelling exploration of how such trials shaped perceptions of witchcraft in subsequent centuries.