History remembers kings, generals, and conquerors.
It is far less reliable on everyone else.

In 1878, archaeologists uncovered what appeared to be the ultimate Viking warrior burial. Sword, axe, spear, two sacrificed horses, and a strategic gaming set, all placed with unmistakable military honour. For more than 140 years, scholars cited the grave as proof of elite male warrior culture.

Then modern DNA testing revealed the truth. The warrior was a woman. She had been there the entire time.

Sword Sisters of the Medieval World takes readers on a gripping journey through twenty extraordinary true stories of female warriors, commanders, rebels, spies, and rulers who shaped medieval history while official records quietly looked the other way. From Norse shieldmaidens and samurai women to pirate queens and castle defenders, this book builds a compelling and often shocking case. Women did not stand at the edges of medieval warfare. They stood at its centre.

Inside, you will meet:

• The Viking warrior whose grave rewrote archaeological assumptions after a century of certainty
• Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, fortress-builder and military strategist written out by later chroniclers
• Jeanne de Clisson, who turned grief into naval warfare and terrorised royal fleets across the Channel
• Khutulun, the Mongol princess who defeated hundreds of challengers in combat before choosing her own destiny
• The Trưng Sisters, who led a rebellion against empire and became enduring symbols of resistance
• Tomoe Gozen and Nakano Takeko, legendary onna-bugeisha whose skill in battle was undeniable even when their legacy was not
• Grace O’Malley, the Irish pirate queen who negotiated with Elizabeth I as an equal, not a subject

Across Europe, Asia, and the Norse world, women commanded armies, defended cities, led rebellions, ran intelligence networks, and altered the outcomes of wars. Some fought openly beneath banners. Others shaped events from the shadows. All were real. All were formidable. And many were deliberately overlooked.

Written with Terri Gallagher’s trademark blend of narrative drive, historical insight, and sharp observational wit, this is popular history at its most engaging. Carefully researched yet highly readable, Sword Sisters of the Medieval World invites readers to question what they think they know about the past and discover the extraordinary stories hidden between the lines of traditional history.

If you enjoy compelling true history, powerful women’s stories, medieval warfare, and surprising historical revelations, this book offers a bold and fascinating perspective on a world that was never quite as male-dominated as we were taught to believe.