What was life really like for women in the medieval period? How did they think about sex, death and God? Could they live independent lives? And how can we hear their stories?

Lucky for us, Hetta Howes has asked all these questions and come up with some pretty compelling answers, all neatly told in her new book Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife.

In this special episode, Charlie Higson chats with Hetta about the lives of four incredible women from this period, Marie de France, a poet; Julian of Norwich, a mystic and anchoress; Christine de Pizan, a widow and court writer; and Margery Kempe, a "no-good wife".

It's a fabulous listen!

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Thomas Becket. Lord High Chancellor, Archbishop Of Canterbury and close friend of Henry II. What could possibly go wrong??

Well, enough to get him chopped up by four of Henry's knights, that's what!

The question Charlie Higson wants to know the answer to though is 'how'? What precipitated his spectacular fall from grace? Why was he killed? And who stuck the 'A' in the middle of his name?

Luckily, Nicholas Vincent from the University Of East Anglia is on hand to provide answers.

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In this second episode of Willy Willy Harry Stee - Series 3, Charlie Higson takes a deep dive into the religious wars of the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries.

Helping Charlie to navigate this complex period is Professor Jonathan Phillips, Professor Of Crusading History at the Royal Holloway University Of London and author of many books on this subject including The Crusades: 1095 - 1204.

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