HistoryExtra podcast Trailblazers and troublemakers: women who made French history
Mar 11, 2026
Katherine Pangonis, a medieval historian and author of A History of France in 21 Women, reframes French history through overlooked women. She explains why women were sidelined, how she picked 21 illuminating lives, and spotlights figures from Christine de Pizan to Josephine Baker. The conversation also covers sources, gender expression, and the tricky legacies of celebrated women.
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Women Actively Shaped French History
- Women shaped pivotal moments in French history even when excluded from official narratives.
- Katherine Pangonis chose 21 women whose lives illuminate events like the Revolution by revealing alternative political and social perspectives.
Structural Barriers Hid Women's Histories
- Exclusion of women from French history is both deliberate and inadvertent due to male-dominated literacy and institutional reluctance.
- Statues in Paris honor women visually but often provide no contextual information, masking their contributions.
Christine de Pizan Built a Writing Career After Widowhood
- Christine de Pizan became the first female writer to earn a living from writing after widowhood and limited inheritance.
- She produced illuminated manuscripts, secured patrons, and defended women in her writings, later retiring to a convent.
