Hello everyone and welcome to episode 148 women, 1066 and marriage.

In last week's episode we spent some time talking about Anglo-Saxon attitudes and how

they affected women in particular. This week each time for 1066 and all that.

As far as women were concerned was it a good thing, a bad thing or just a thing.

And we are also going to revisit that fine old institution of Marriaga.

It actually just for once I think I've managed to control my incontinence and stick to a reasonable

length for a change. You're hoi.

More than once gentle listener I have reflected the traditional view of English historians

through the ages about the good old Anglo-Saxons. How they were the golden days of honest men

and women and freedom. When men were men, women were women and small, furry creatures from

Alpha Centurri were small furry creatures from Alpha Centurri. When both ends of the pineapple

were as smooth as the softest of baby's bottoms. But then came the normans with steely eyes,

sharp swords and bad haircuts. And the good old English freedoms were a thing of the past

and the yoke of French oppression lay heavy on the necks of honest folk. Until at last

they forgot to speak French. And the sun rose again over the green hills of this fair

and pleasant land.

Right.

Anyway, such rubric applies very much to the rights and roles of women. Doris and Frank

Stanton were as fine a pair of Anglo-Saxon historians as ever dawned on open-toed sandal.

You'll probably remember Frank since I'm sure I referred to him in my Anglo-Saxon years,

given that he's still the historian that defines study of the age. But I may not have

mentioned Doris. It was Doris who really bore down on the argument that the normans had

...