#watchers of outremer

[suzannahnatters]

all RIGHT:

Why You're Writing Medieval (and Medieval-Coded) Women Wrong: A RANT

(Or, For the Love of God, People, Stop Pretending Victorian Style Gender Roles Applied to All of History)

This is a problem I see alllll over the place - I'll be reading a medieval-coded book and the women will be told they aren't allowed to fight or learn or work, that they are only supposed to get married, keep house and have babies, &c &c.

If I point this out ppl will be like "yes but there was misogyny back then! women were treated terribly!" and OK. Stop right there.

By & large, what we as a culture think of as misogyny & patriarchy is the expression prevalent in Victorian times - not medieval. (And NO, this is not me blaming Victorians for their theme park version of "medieval history". This is me blaming 21st century people for being ignorant & refusing to do their homework).

Yes, there was misogyny in medieval times, but 1) in many ways it was actually markedly less severe than Victorian misogyny, tyvm - and 2) it was of a quite different type. (Disclaimer: I am speaking specifically of Frankish, Western European medieval women rather than those in other parts of the world. This applies to a lesser extent in Byzantium and I am still learning about women in the medieval Islamic world.)

So, here are the 2 vital things to remember about women when writing medieval or medieval-coded societies

FIRST. Where in Victorian times the primary axes of prejudice were gender and race - so that a male labourer had more rights than a female of the higher classes, and a middle class white man would be treated with more respect than an African or Indian dignitary - In medieval times, the primary axis of prejudice was, overwhelmingly, class. Thus, Frankish crusader knights arguably felt more solidarity with their Muslim opponents of knightly status, than they did their own peasants. Faith and age were also medieval axes of prejudice - children and young people were exploited ruthlessly, sent into war or marriage at 15 (boys) or 12 (girls). Gender was less important.

What this meant was that a medieval woman could expect - indeed demand - to be treated more or less the same way the men of her class were. Where no ancient legal obstacle existed, such as Salic law, a king's daughter could and did expect to rule, even after marriage.

Women of the knightly class could & did arm & fight - something that required a MASSIVE outlay of money, which was obviously at their discretion & disposal. See: Sichelgaita, Isabel de Conches, the unnamed women fighting in armour as knights during the Third Crusade, as recorded by Muslim chroniclers.

Tolkien's Eowyn is a great example of this medieval attitude to class trumping race: complaining that she's being told not to fight, she stresses her class: "I am of the house of Eorl & not a serving woman". She claims her rights, not as a woman, but as a member of the warrior class and the ruling family. Similarly in Renaissance Venice a doge protested the practice which saw 80% of noble women locked into convents for life: if these had been men they would have been "born to command & govern the world". Their class ought to have exempted them from discrimination on the basis of sex.

So, tip #1 for writing medieval women: remember that their class always outweighed their gender. They might be subordinate to the men within their own class, but not to those below.

SECOND. Whereas Victorians saw women's highest calling as marriage & children - the "angel in the house" ennobling & improving their men on a spiritual but rarely practical level - Medievals by contrast prized virginity/celibacy above marriage, seeing it as a way for women to transcend their sex. Often as nuns, saints, mystics; sometimes as warriors, queens, & ladies; always as businesswomen & merchants, women could & did forge their own paths in life

When Elizabeth I claimed to have "the heart & stomach of a king" & adopted the persona of the virgin queen, this was the norm she appealed to. Women could do things; they just had to prove they were Not Like Other Girls. By Elizabeth's time things were already changing: it was the Reformation that switched the ideal to marriage, & the Enlightenment that divorced femininity from reason, aggression & public life.

For more on this topic, read Katherine Hager's article "Endowed With Manly Courage: Medieval Perceptions of Women in Combat" on women who transcended gender to occupy a liminal space as warrior/virgin/saint.

So, tip #2: remember that for medieval women, wife and mother wasn't the ideal, virgin saint was the ideal. By proving yourself "not like other girls" you could gain significant autonomy & freedom.

Finally a bonus tip: if writing about medieval women, be sure to read writing on women's issues from the time so as to understand the terms in which these women spoke about & defended their ambitions. Start with Christine de Pisan.

I learned all this doing the reading for WATCHERS OF OUTREMER, my series of historical fantasy novels set in the medieval crusader states, which were dominated by strong medieval women! Book 5, THE HOUSE OF MOURNING (forthcoming 2023) will focus, to a greater extent than any other novel I've ever yet read or written, on the experience of women during the crusades - as warriors, captives, and political leaders. I can't wait to share it with you all!

[dimsilver]

this heartbreaking segment from the end of The House of Mourning by @suzannahnatters 🤝 Till We Have Faces

[incorrect-koh-posts]

Masterlist of KoH-related Novels

Below you'll find a list of every novel I know of that is set in the same period as Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven (2005), covers at least some of the same events and features some or all of the historical figures that also appear in the film. The list will be updated occasionally as I work my way through. Enjoy!

✷ English-language novels & novels available in translation

1879: Lady Sibyl's Choice (Emily Sarah Holt) -> thoughts

1937: The Leper King (Zofia Kossak, originally published in Polish) -> thoughts

1954: Knight Crusader (Ronald Welch)

1965: The Wandering Unicorn (Manuel Mujica Lainez, originally published in Spanish) -> thoughts

1969: The Knights of Dark Renown (Graham Shelby) -> thoughts

1989: Alamut (Judith Tarr)

1991: The Dagger and the Cross (Judith Tarr)

1992: Pagan's Crusade (Catherine Jinks)

1996: Jerusalem (Cecelia Holland) -> thoughts

1998: The Book of Saladin (Tariq Ali)

1998 - 2000: Arn the Knight Templar series (Jan Guillou, originally published in Swedish)

The Road to Jerusalem (1998)

The Knight Templar (1999)

The Kingdom at the End of the Road (2000)

2004: Crusader King (Susan Peek)

2006: Sand Daughter (Sarah Bryant)

2007: The Leper Crown (George Morgan)

2009 - 2021: The Magdalen Cycle series (Scott R. Rezer)

#1: The Leper King (2009)

#2: The Pawns of Sion (2015)

#3: The Gambit Queen (2021)

2011: The King's Witch (Cecelia Holland)

2011 - 2013: Saladin trilogy (Jack Hight)

Eagle (2011)

Kingdom (2012)

Holy War (2013)

2011 - 2023: The Last King of Legends series (Serafia Cross)

#1: The Kingmakers (2011)

#2: In the Face of Trials (2012)

#3: The Sovereign Gambit (2015)

#4: The King's Last Deeds (2023)

2012 - 2017: Outremer Chronicles series (Peter Tolladay)

#1: The Templar's Apprentice (2012)

#2: The Harsh Mistress (2014)

#3: The Thorn in the Crown (2016)

2014 - 2016: Balian d'Ibelin series (Helena P. Schrader) -> thoughts

#1: Knight of Jerusalem (2014)

#2: Defender of Jerusalem (2015)

#3: Envoy of Jerusalem (2016)

2018: Templar Silks (Elizabeth Chadwick)

2018 - 2020: The Brotherhood series (K. M. Ashman)

#1: Templar Steel (2018)

#2: Templar Stone (2019)

#3: Templar Blood (2020)

2018 - 2023: Watchers of Outremer series (Suzannah Rowntree)

#2: The Lady of Kingdoms (2019)

#5: The House of Mourning (2023)

2020: The Leper King (Peter Busby)

2020: The Land Beyond the Sea (Sharon Kay Penman) -> thoughts

✷ Non-English novels not available in translation:

1959: L'Étoile de Pourpre (Serge Dalens & Pierre Joubert, French comic)

1999 - 2017: Die Templerin series (Wolfgang & Rebecca Hohlbein, German)

#3: Die Rückkehr der Templerin (2004)

#4: Das Wasser des Lebens (2008)

#5: Das Testament Gottes (2011)

#6: Das Band des Schicksals (2017)

2002: Thibaut ou la Croix Perdue (Juliette Benzoni, French)

2007: Las Lanzas de Jerusalén (Georges Bordonove, Spanish)

2019: Die Assassinin (Alexandra Cavelius, German)

✷ Tangentially related:

1946: mentions of KoH characters in The World is not Enough (Zoé Oldenbourg)

1997: Queen of Swords (Judith Tarr), about Baldwin's grandmother Melisende

[suzannahnatters]

one of my favourite weird historical facts is that the Assassins once threatened Saladin by sneaking into his tent and leaving one of their distinctive knives on his pillow, along with two cakes of the bread only they made. "hi, these scones verify that we can kill you. bon appetit!"

(this weird medieval fact brought to you by the House of Mourning line edits, which I am nearly finished!)

[suzannahnatters]

ok yes fine my book does have a love triangle in it but hear me out, the two options also happen to be the two worst men in the world. one of them is a wolf and the other is a snake. one of them is a vampire and the other is a policeman. one of them is a leper and the other deserves to be. nobody's done it this way before

[suzannahnatters]

Sticking my head in to say that for the first time ever, I'm participating in the Smashwords 2024 End of Year Sale! ALL my historical fantasy books are discounted, with series starters just 99c and THE WEREWOLF OF WHITECHAPEL free.

Get them here!

[suzannahnatters]

trads: alas for the noble days of yore, when men were macho dipsticks and women were fainting lilies the noble days of yore: In this same year, on the Feast of Our Lady in August, King Henry was crowned king of Jerusalem at Tyre. Brother Bonnacorso, Archbishop of Tyre, crowned him. And great festivities were held at Tyre. And when the king came to Acre, they put on a festival that lasted fifteen days in a place at Acre called the Auberge of the Hospital of St. John, where the Hospitallers had a very great palace. It was the loveliest festival anyone had seen for a hundred years, with amusements and jousts with blunted lances. They re-enacted the stories of the Round Table and also of the Queen of Feminie, with knights dressed up like women jousting together. Then they had nuns who were dressed as monks and who jousted together, and they role-played Lancelot and Tristan and Pilamedes and many other fair and delightful and pleasant scenes. - The "Templar of Tyre", 13th century chronicler, as translated by Paul Crawford

[suzannahnatters]

wild how every other piece of media I've seen dealing with the 1187 siege of Jerusalem gives the random male protag a romance with Queen Sibylla, despite the fact that one of the most obvious historical facts about her is that she was devoted to her own husband

wild how each of those is by a dude

--

anyway, THE HOUSE OF MOURNING is releasing in just under a month, DV - the first work of historical fiction I know of to foreground the experience and agency of women in the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem at this time (unless you count the previous books in the WATCHERS OF OUTREMER series!)

[suzannahnatters]

*cough* I just need to inform y'all that this is PRECISELY what I am doing with Sibylla in THE LADY OF KINGDOMS and the upcoming sequel THE HOUSE OF MOURNING

Yknow what. I’m just gonna say it.

It’s about time we have a fictional princess who actually enjoys being a princess.

She enjoys the politics. She enjoys the diplomacy. And she enjoys the balls and banquets and attention and pretty dresses and that doesn’t make her a dumb shallow bimbo or some regressive anti feminist handmaid or whatever the kids say these days about women who don’t fall in line with their Strong Female Character power fantasies.

All the princesses urging for ‘something more’ that’s all fine and good but I’m ready to see a princess who appreciates that being a princess is already a lot!

[suzannahnatters]

HEY GUYS I'M COMING TO THE US LET'S MEET UP ~ Book Signing Event!!! ~ WHERE: Barnes & Noble Polaris in Columbus, Ohio WHEN: June 11th from 2-5 PM WITH: RJ Anderson, W.R. Gingell, Rosamund Hodge, and Joanna Ruth Meyer!

Let me just rave about my chums for a minute - - R.J. Anderson, who writes wonderful, old-school YA fantasy about fairies and faith! (Try KNIFE, I couldn't put it down)

- W.R. Gingell, author of beloved Aussie urban fantasy series THE CITY BETWEEN (my fave is BETWEEN WALLS but you have to read the whole thing)

- Rosamund Hodge, author of dark and bittersweet parables of sin, redemption, and stabbing things (if you haven't read CRIMSON BOUND what are you even doing with yourself)

- Joanna Ruth Meyer, author of heartfelt and evocative YA fantasies (INTO THE HEARTLESS WOOD is the cottagecore tree siren story you never knew you needed).

- And ME, your favourite author of ridiculously over-researched historical fantasy!

(- Also possibly a sixth MYSTERY AUTHOR watch this space)

IF you want to purchase books, you can snag a copy of DARK CLOUDS on the day, or if there's a specific title you want, be sure to call B&N Polaris at (614) 854-0339 and ask them to order it in for you.

11 June! Please come! Bring any books you want signed! It will be SO thrilling to meet you!

[suzannahnatters]

Hello,

I’ve been following you for a while. But some thing you have just posted has resonated with me. I’m writing my dissertation for my MA in creative writing and it’s an historical fiction set in the third crusade. And one of the big things that I am doing is trying to unpick the stereotyping and assumptions of the role of women and also the Templars in that time. You made reference to the Muslim writers. Could you share particular works that you have read that are useful in regards to the women in Outremer. At the moment I’m focused on the recruitment drive around Wales in 1188. But this is definitely something I want to explore later.

really interested to read your work.

Hey! Thanks for reaching out on a subject I'm so enthusiastic about!

Women in the Third Crusade include some lady knights captured at the siege of Acre by Saladin's army and a female archer in green who helped resist a Saracen assault on Frankish fortifications for hours one afternoon before being killed. You can read about these in Francesco Gabrieli's ARAB HISTORIANS OF THE CRUSADES.

For the lay (non-academic) reader, Geoffrey Hindley's A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES contains many errors of fact and interpretation and I would not ordinarily recommend it, except for chapter 6, on women in the Crusader states, which is actually a very decent introduction to the subject! I would also recommend reading some decent historical overview of the history of the Crusader states which will introduce you to some of the major players, like Morphia, Melisende and her sisters, Agnes of Courteney, Sibylla, Isabella I, Lucy of Tripoli, Isabella d'Ibelin and Eschiva d'Ibelin of Beirut...try Christopher Tyerman's magisterial, detailed and accurate GOD'S WAR: A NEW HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES.

For the reader who isn't afraid of academic reading, have I got recommendations for you...

Susan B Edgington's GENDERING THE CRUSADES contains a brilliant collection of essays on various aspects of life for women during the crusades.

Helen J Nicholson's book SYBIL OF JERUSALEM reconstructs the life of Sibylla, one of the many ruling queens of the Crusader States. Forthcoming is also Danielle E A Park's FULK AND MELISENDE which will detail one of the most amazing queens, and her partnership with her much older husband, with whom she fought and won an early power struggle!

One book I'm aware of but haven't read on this subject is also Katherine Pangonis' QUEENS OF JERUSALEM - it looks written for a more popular audience but tackles some of the most interesting ladies of the 12th century crusader states.

Another very recent publication from the grand dame of crusader scholarship is Helen J Nicholson's WOMEN IN THE CRUSADES which I would love to read but haven't yet!

James Brundage's 1991 article on "Marriage law in the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem" will add helpful context. Bernard Hamilton has a brief and mostly descriptive article on "Women in the Crusader States: the Queens of Jerusalem (1100-1190)".

Two articles that are not strictly about the Crusades but have helped me understand the period better in general are Katherine Hager's "Endowed with manly courage: Medieval perceptions of women in combat" on women warriors and Susan Mosher Stuard's 1995 article "Ancillary evidence for the decline of medieval slavery" which is highly relevant to the Crusader states given their numerous population of male and female slaves.

I hope you do read the WATCHERS OF OUTREMER books and enjoy them, too! I do find myself writing about a lot of the historical women I hear about, although I can't claim to be a real historian writing careful nonfiction!

[suzannahnatters]

fun fact: in the Middle Ages troubadours would say things like "I am Love's Assassin" because back then the Assassin sect was not quite as famous for knifing people unexpectedly as they were for unquestioning loyalty to their lord.

[suzannahnatters]

Hello! I am a big fan of your books (especially Miss Sharp and Miss Dark), and I'm SUPER excited for the upcoming book signing. On that topic, I have a question. I know that, for at least some of the authors, we can't buy books day-of; we have to preorder or special order them. Is that true for all the authors? Or will some of y'all have books available to buy the day of the event? And, if there is a difference, do you happen to know who will have books available for day-of purchase and who won't? (I know W.R. Gingell has said she won't, but I'm uncertain about you and the other authors.)

(Oh, and a side note — this event is what convinced me to finally read Echo North, and it is SO GOOD, so THANK YOU.)

Thank you for your help! <3

Hey!!! I'm so excited you'll be coming! And so thrilled you're enjoying ECHO NORTH! So, for the 11 June book signing in Columbus, OH (details here) the Polaris Fashion Center B&N will be stocking one title per author EXCEPT for W.R. Gingell. The titles are: RJ Anderson: SWIFT Rosamund Hodge: CRUEL BEAUTY Joanna Ruth Meyer: INTO THE HEARTLESS WOOD Suzannah Rowntree: DARK CLOUDS IF you would like to buy other titles by any of these authors (we all have lots available!) OR any of WR Gingell's books, then please do call the B&N on (614) 854-0339 to order the books in! That way you can pick up your order on the day AND get it signed =)

[suzannahnatters]

Morbid fact of the day: in the middle ages, if you were a rich person who died on a journey, they'd boil the flesh off your bones and take them home for burial.

One of these days I really must find out what they did with the broth.

[suzannahnatters]

THE HOUSE OF MOURNING - the darkly gothic Book 5 of my critically acclaimed WATCHERS OF OUTREMER series, a historical fantasy set in the medieval crusader states - is released!!! Here are some nice things @rosamundhodge said about the book when she was beta reading it earlier this year. Get it today, anywhere ebooks are sold!

-

From the demon-infested shadows of an enchanted house, a sorcerer plots the downfall of the crusader kingdom…and his greatest act of vengeance.

Jerusalem, 1186: They call her the White Watcher, the warrior saint guarding the beleaguered kingdom of Jerusalem with her invincible lance. But Marta Bessarion doubts she’s anything special – and all signs warn of a coming disaster.

Now allied with the demon Lilith, the cunning and ruthless Countess Sibylla is poised to seize the throne. In Damascus, Saladin has sworn to conquer the crusader kingdom. And at his side, the sorcerer Khalil plans to take his revenge on the Bessarion family once and for all.

War promises Marta a long-awaited chance to confront Khalil, but in order to defeat him, she must first uncover his darkest secrets…and venture to the heart of his power.

Some battles can’t be won, even with a magic lance.

Sometimes it takes the weak things of the world to put the mighty to shame.

Darkly gothic and steeped in magic, this is the pivotal fifth instalment of the critically acclaimed Watchers of Outremer historical fantasy series! Order today and follow Marta Bessarion through the enchanted doorways of The House of Mourning…

[suzannahnatters]

A reader asked me for recipe ideas to create themed food to go along with her WATCHERS OF OUTREMER re-read...fear not! I got you.

- For Middle Eastern vibes, try serving a platter of crispy hot flatbread and a selection of mezes to go with it! Finish with an orange (don't eat the seeds.)

- For an authentic medieval Syrian experience, withdraw to a mountain cave for 27 years. You can have 6 parched barley grains, a sip of water, as much prayer as you like, and that priceless if insubstantial bread of heaven each day.

- To re-enact the 1098 siege of Antioch as a first crusader, take a bit of shoe leather that's already travelled thousands of miles along arid roads, and a hank of freshly picked grass. Boil until intolerable and eat with a horsemeat chop, aged at least 3 weeks!

I'm sure this will give you plenty of ideas and possibly dysentery to boot 😇