Word Watch

The names and fates of Henry VIIIThe King of England from 1509 to 1547, best known for his six wives. 's six wives are drilled into British school children from an early age. Everyone knows the main characters. There was Catherine of Aragon, the bitter, infertileUnable to have children. first wife. Ann Boleyn, then witch. Jane Seymour, his favourite. Anne of Cleves, the ugly one. Katherine Howard, the promiscuousHaving lots of romantic partners. one. And Catherine Parr, who nursed the fat, diseased Henry into old age.

But Six Wives, a new TV series by the historian Lucy Worsley, will attempt to cast these women in a new light. She says they have been misjudged by history - in reality they were modern thinkers, and fascinating people in their own right.

Take Catherine of Aragon. She was not bitter and infertile at all, says Worsley. The daughter of a fearsome Spanish warrior queen, she was pregnant six times, and she helped Henry to rule during their 26-year marriage, even defending England from invading Scots while he was away.

Meanwhile, Anne Boleyn was "an admirable, forward-thinking woman," with an ambitious streak that 21st Century women can admire. Anne of Cleves, after her divorce, was one of the wealthiest women in England. Katherine Howard was not a "harlot" but a victim of child abuse. Catherine Parr was the first woman to publish under her own name in English.

Modern audiences will recognise something in each of them, says the show's producer. "They were wealthy, privileged young people who all knew each other. Court life was like Made In Chelsea."

Worsley is not the first historian to focus on retelling the past through female eyes. History has traditionally been more focused on the decisions of powerful men. But feministsPeople who call for women's rights with the aim of achieving gender equality. There are different ideas within the feminist movement. in the 20th Century began to rediscover the lost tales of important women. This is how we know about people liken Ada LovelaceAn English mathematician known as the first computer programmer. , Sophia SinghAn Indian princess who became a prominent British suffragette. and Constance LeathartThe first woman to hold a pilot's licence during World War Two. .

Could Henry's wives be even more important than the king himself?

Of course not, say some. Henry had all the power in these relationships, not to mention the country. It is not sexist to say so - his daughters were both powerful monarchs as well - it is just the way that things were. For a long time throughout history, men were usually in charge. That is beginning to change, but it is foolish to pretend otherwise.

Think again, say others. Henry had the crown, but his wives influenced some of his biggest decisions. When he was in his early years as king, Catherine of Aragon was his closest adviser. He broke with Rome to be with Anne Boleyn, a decision that changed Britain forever. Catherine Parr helped to promote ProtestantismThe umbrella term for a wide variety of movements that trace their roots to a schism in the Catholic Church in the early 16th Century. Protestants are united by a number of core beliefs, but there is much diversity among its movements.. Women have always played important roles in history - you just have to look a little deeper.

Q & A

Witch: Anne Boleyn was executed after she was found guilty of witchcraft, incest and adultery - false charges invented to discredit her.

Warrior queen: Catherine's mother was Isabella I of Castile, who united Spain by her marriage to Ferdinand II of Aragon. The couple ruled together, and Isabella often handled military affairs.

Scots: In September 1513, Catherine was Regent while Henry was away. When Scotland invaded, she helped to lead the English armies to victory. The Scottish King James IV was killed, although Catherine was not present at the battle.

Child abuse: Katherine Howard was still a teenager when she married, and was executed two years later for adultery. Worsley says she was raised in a 'lax' boarding school, where men were allowed into her bedroom when she was just 13.

Rome: The English Reformation rejected the Catholic Church in favour of Protestantism.

Does it matter who was more important? It matters how we think of the men and women who shaped our past, because this reflects our current attitudes. In March this year, a survey by English Heritage found that 40% of people thought that women did not have as much impact on history as men. This is a fascinating statistic. Is it simply because there were more male leaders? Does that mean that only leaders change history?

I don't know, does it? It's a classic historical debate. More traditional historians believe that the world's events are driven by the decisions of just a handful of powerful people. More recently, people have begun to think of history as a complex tapestry, which has been intricately woven by every member of society. If this is true, women have been just as important as men.