TWO YEARS of Ælfgif-who?!

International Women's Day 2023

It’s Ælfgif-who?’s birthday! Two years old today!

Ælfgifu of Northampton, illustration by Pollie Scott

We are now a community 32,000 strong, which is a bigger audience than I ever could have imagined two years ago. Since my very first post International Women’s Day 2021, I have written, recorded and published 31 biographies of early medieval women! This is your yearly reminder that all of these biographies are available to read and listen to for free, at any time, in the Substack archive, and each features a beautiful individual portrait of its subject.

Perhaps you are interested in medieval queens and rulers like Emma of Normandy, Eadgifu, Osburh, Æthelflaed and Ælfwyn, Edith, Cynethryth or Balthild.

If archaeology or geology is your bag, you might want to revisit Raedwald’s queen, Eanswith, the Trumpington Girl, Bebba, or the North Elmham and Fairford Women.

If you are compelled by saintly women, visions and legends, you will certainly have fun reading about Bega, Æthelthryth, Breguswith, Margaret, or Godgifu.

If you want to know about women authors, scribes, book owners or land owners you may want to check out Hugeberc, Eadburga, Wynflaed, or Gundrada.

If you’re interested in women who were influential in Christianity you’ll want to know about Hild, Leoba, Judith or Bertha.

If you love nothing more than dissecting a political scandal you might be interested in Æthelgifu and Ælfgifu, Ælfgifu of Northampton, Osburh, Æthelgifu or Queen Eaburga.

What’s next for Ælfgif-who?

After a short pause, Ælfgif-who? is back with a vengeance. Over the next few months you can look forward to a newsletter revisiting the life one of our previous subjects with exciting new discoveries, an exploration of women’s book culture in early medieval England, an interview with Dr Eleanor Janega about her excellent new book The Once and Future Sex, a guest post about the life of a fascinating queen from across the sea, and much more. I will also be making most of the now extensive Ælfgif-who? archive by reminding subscribers of a biography drawn from the vaults every month.

Thank you to each and every one of you for your continued support - you make this newsletter thrive. Special thanks go to those of you who have opted for a paid subscription - you make this newsletter possible.