How Women’s History Affects Fiction in the Dark Ages

Welcome to the first edition of my monthly newsletter, Outtakes of Historical Novelist, which will take you behind the scenes of my novels set in the Dark Ages.

Women’s History Month, which is March, is a perfect time to reflect on the enormous debt of gratitude I, and other novelists, owe to historians. Without their scholarship, I would run the risk of 21st century characters in period clothing.

So in my books, you won’t find a girl refusing a suitor because she has no feelings for him. You will find girls and women arguing with their male guardians about why a man is a good or bad match, based on what the union can do for the family and in one case, fear for her own life.

Although early medieval times were far from a feminist’s paradise, women were not passive. A high-ranking woman could serve as her husband’s chief of staff, treasurer, and diplomat. Mothers often defended the rights of their sons after the boys’ fathers died. One widowed queen, Gerberga, crossed the Alps with two little boys in tow to seek aid from the Lombard king, Charlemagne’s furious ex-father-in-law. (For more on that story, see my blog.)

And then we have women like Chiltrude, the heroine and inspiration for my forthcoming novel, Duchess of the New Dawn (June 16, 2026). If we are to believe the Continuation of Fredegar, after the death of Mayor of the Palace Charles Martel in 741, his daughter, Chiltrude, “did what her wicked stepmother told her: with friends’ help, she went secretly over the Rhine to Duke Odilo of the Bavarians, who married her against the wishes and without permission of her brothers.”

Chiltrude’s decision to elope was dangerous on multiple levels. Although Charles Martel never had the title of king, he ruled Francia. People who got in Charles’s way, including his own nephews, had a convenient habit of disappearing or dying.

And travel was not pleasant or safe. Travelers risked unpredictable weather, murderous bandits, and being robbed by hosts. They also believed demons, ghosts and other otherworldly creatures haunted the forest they traversed. Plus, they had to endure unappetizing food.

If you’re looking for fiction with bold heroines, consider the Dark Ages. You can check out my novels at kimrendfeld.com.

Duchess of the New Dawn has gotten a couple of very nice reviews:

“Two things stood out to me in Duchess: the fact that it was a deep dive into a time and place (the Frankish kingdom in the 8th century) that we seldom see in fiction, and the extraordinary main character, Chiltrude.”—Tinney Heath

“[I]t reflected the period of history well. Religion was also a large part of everyday life and it was interesting to see how it ruled the character’s lives.”—Rosie Amber

For Tinney’s and Rosie’s full reviews, visit Duchess’s Goodreads page. While you’re there, add it to your “want to read” list.

BookSirens has included Duchess among its “Women’s Fiction ARCs You’ll Love.” To get a digital advanced reader copy (ARC) of Duchess and others while supplies last, you can nab a free book from BookSirens. If you like the novel, I would very much appreciate an honest review.

You can also preorder Duchess of the New Dawn now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other vendors.

On my blog, my latest post is about Pippin and Bertrada, Chiltrude’s brother and sister-in-law, who appear as characters in three of my novels. Pippin was the most powerful man in Francia when he asked the pope about divorcing his wife after two years without conceiving a child. The pope said no. What happened next is surprising. Read about Pippin and Bertrada’s unlikely romance.

My first two novels, The Cross and the Dragon and The Ashes of Heaven’s Pillar, are part of an ongoing promotion, “Sail into the past with Historical Fiction!” The 40+ books span ancient times to the 20th century, multiple countries and multiple continents. The promotion lasts until March 16. Check it out here: https://books.bookfunnel.com/nowboarding/r2m1pw4v9u.

Many of you are receiving this email because you subscribe to my blog, Outtakes of a Historical Novelist. I still plan to post to the blog as a complement to this newsletter on the fourth Tuesday of the month (or thereabouts), with a focus on the history behind my fiction and other matters of curiosity.

If you want to keep getting this newsletter on the second Tuesday of the month (or thereabouts), you don’t need to do anything. If you would prefer otherwise, no hard feelings. Just scroll down to the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom.