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Natalie Donnell, PhD

@nataliedonnell.bsky.social
233 followers 238 following 12 posts

Historian of women in early modern Europe, political power, transregionality, and network analysis. nataliedonnell.com - feministhistories.substack.com

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Reposted by Natalie Donnell, PhD
Ivy @becauseivy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
It's Thinking Thursday, delete your robots
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Natalie Donnell, PhD @nataliedonnell.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
How very exciting 🤩
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William Shakespeare @shakespeare.lol · 25/08/2026
[Exit Queen.]
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Jessica Smith @thedaybooks.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
It’s nice to see everyone’s textual analysis of The Odyssey It’s almost like the humanities give you entertainment, feelings, pleasure, and fun/interesting stuff to talk about, as well as lenses into both past and current society
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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Magnificent portrait of a woman, 1620, by Artemisia Gentileschi. She was born on this day in 1593.
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marybeard @wmarybeard.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
for a defence of the humanities, see towards the end of this interview www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-Lu...
youtube.com
Mary Beard on power, politics and why "most ages feel turbulent when you're living through them"
YouTube video by BBC Politics
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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
😬
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Joseph M. Adelman @jmadelman.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
There is something deeply early-modern-historian-funny about Spain's path through the knockout rounds involving Austria, Portugal, and Belgium in succession, with either France or Morocco waiting in the semifinal if they advance.
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Catherine Fletcher @catherinefletcher.info · 07/07/2026
History books by women are also available
Screenshot of Facebook post from Magdalen College reading:

Whether you’re coming up to Oxford, going to another uni, or just thinking about applying to study history, these books should help!

If you are studying at Magdalen from October, please note that this is not the official reading list, just some suggested summer reading, although there may be some overlap.

Here’s the list:
1) the Past and the Present by Lawrence stone - a thematic collection of essays that explore how history as a discipline has evolved, coving traditional methodologies and new social science approaches

2) history and social theory by Peter Burke - an interdisciplinary text looking at the relationships between history and the social sciences - looking at what social theory can offer historians

3) A History of Histories by J W Burrow - a whirlwind tour through 2500 years of historiography looking at how epics, chronicles, monographs, and professional histories have shaped cultural memory and identity


4) The Pursuit of History by John Tosh - is one of the most widely used introductions to historiography, it’s an accessible yet comprehensive guide to the fundamental questions, methods, and evolving practices of historical scholarship.

5) Studying History by Jonathan Black and Donald MacRaild - a well respected guide to studying history at university.

As well as reading these, which should help you study history, you should read as much as you can about anything that excites you. Ask yourself “what’s my Roman Empire”… is it the Roman Empire? Is it the relationship between fashion and politics? Is it the enclosure act, or the Russian royal family? Whatever it is, read as much as you can about it. 

Happy reading! 

#magdalencollege #oxford #bookstagram #historystudent
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Ian Walker @fenlandgent.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
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Ian Kikuchi @curatorian.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
This is a brilliant story. Hooray for archives, and for their staff and volunteers. 📝📄🗄️🗃️ www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
theguardian.com
‘Vanishingly rare’ copy of US Declaration of Independence found by volunteer in UK archives
One of 11 surviving copies of ‘Exeter printing’ and only one known outside US was taken from American privateer ship
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Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies @acmrs.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Whether Rowlands intended it, “A Courtesan’s Humor” (1607) offers a portrayal of sex work as labor governed by market forces, professional risk, and the pragmatics of survival. Read more works of women's voices penned by male authors in HE WORDS ME free from ACMRS Press: ow.ly/Z4uz50Zjklc
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Jesse Locker @jessemlocker.bsky.social · 13/09/2024
“Capivard, ou cochon d’Eau au Pied d’un Bananier” ("Capybara, or Water Pig, at the Foot of a Banana Tree"), from François Froger, Relation d’un voyage fait en 1695, 1696, et 1697 aux côtes d’Afrique, détroit de Magellan, Brésil.. (Paris, 1698), p. 123 #capivara #brasil #earlymodern
An engraving of a capybara sitting under a banana tree enjoying a snack
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J. Emory Parker 🏳️‍🌈 @jaspar.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
When I was a kid growing up in the south it was really popular to wear “what would Jesus do?” bracelets
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Alison Fisk @alisonfisk.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Kitty paw prints on a Roman clay tile! 😻 🐾 A tiny moment in time preserved in clay some 2,000 years ago when a kitten walked across this wet clay tile which was lying out to dry before firing. Lullingstone Roman Villa, Kent 📷 by me #Caturday #Archaeology
My photo shows two kitten pawprints imprinted on a Roman red clay roof tile (tegula). There are two prints, one print near the upper left corner of the tile and another below it closer to the centre. Each imprint has four toe pads arranged in a gentle arc at the top of a larger central pad. There are no visible claw marks (unlike with dogs prints) as cats usually retract their claws when walking. 
The imprints were made as a kitten walked across a wet clay tile which was lying out to dry before firing. The tile was found at Lullingstone Roman Villa in Kent, where it is on display at the site museum.
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Miles, knitting screaming agony werewolf @queermedieval.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
I simply think you shouldn't be allowed to 1) have enough money to solve world hunger and 2) not do that.
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Christine Kooi @christinekooi.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Yesterday in Antwerp I got to see Pieter Bruegel's "Dulle Griet" for the first time with my very own eyes. Women storming the gates of hell. What a marvelous painting! #earlymodern
Chaotic, busy painting of women charging in battle
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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
2/2 On this day in 1568, upon orders of Alba's Council of Blood, Counts of Egmont and Horne are executed for heresy & treason in Brussels. Egmont's wife & eleven children seek asylum in a nearby convent.
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Catherine Fletcher @catherinefletcher.info · 24/05/2026
somewhat odd, given Leonardo’s observations on the damaging role of money in the world
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Art Herstory @artherstory.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Portrait of a Woman, 1555, by #CatharinaVanHemessen ( #CaterinaVanHemessen, #CaterinaDeHemessen; Flemish, 1527/1528–after 1567). Held at the Fitzwilliam Museum, data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/1524 #artherstory #womenartists
A portrait, about half length, of a somber-looking white woman standing against a green background. She wears a dark head covering and a dark gown, with white touches at wrist and a modest white collar. There is a spotted fur draped around her shoulders and descending down her front on both sides. She holds her hands in front of her, the left over the right; a simple ring is visible on the ring finger of her left hand.
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American Historical Association @historians.org · 08/05/2026
A federal judge granted the motion for a summary judgment on all counts in favor of the AHA, @acls1919.bsky.social, and @modernlanguage.bsky.social in our lawsuit to restore the NEH, ruling that the mass termination of grants was “unlawful, unconstitutional, ultra vires, and without legal effect." 🗃️
historians.org
Federal Judge Rules to Restore National Endowment of the Humanities Funding In Historic Case - AHA
Statements From American Council of Learned Societies, American Historical Association, and Modern Language Association on the Ruling FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 7, 2026 - This afternoon US District J...
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Daniel Bellingradt @dbellingradt.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
This #earlymodern print was to be used by 4 singers, standing on the four sides of the broadside, enjoying the get together. Part of the title says: for four voices, composed for children: "Mit vier Stimmen, für die Kinder Componieret". The year is 1571. 🎵 #skystorians
A print with musical notation, printed in four directions. This is a broadside, access it over here: https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/view/bsb00096485?page=,1
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Catherine Fletcher @catherinefletcher.info · 26/02/2026
Hello Bluesky! My new book, THE FIREARM REVOLUTION, is out on 14 April. It’s about how a new technology changed society, and how hard it was to control. Here’s a little thread of what’s inside:
Cover of book with text in yellow reading: The Firearm Revolution: From Renaissance Italy to the European Empires, overlaid on an image of an angel in seventeenth-century dress with wings and a long gun.
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Natalie Donnell, PhD @nataliedonnell.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
I was so pleased when @onthetudortrail.bsky.social invited me to speak on the Talking Tudors podcast about the life and legacy of Margaret of Austria. It was a great conversation - and it's available now wherever you listen! talkingtudors.podbean.com/e/margaret-o...
talkingtudors.podbean.com
Episode 339 - The Life of Margaret of Austria: Queen, Princess & Regent with Dr Natalie Donnell | Talking Tudors
In this episode of Talking Tudors, host Natalie Grueninger speaks with historian Dr Natalie Donnell about the life and career of Margaret of Austria. Born in Burgundy and raised at several European courts, Margaret was the long-serving regent of the Netherlands. The conversation covers Margaret’s education under powerful women, her role raising and supporting Charles V, her diplomatic success in the 1529 'Ladies' Peace', her patronage of the arts, and her legacy as a capable and influential female ruler until her death in 1530. VISIT DR DONNELL'S WEBSITE https://www.nataliedonnell.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO FEMINIST HISTORIES https://feministhistories.substack.com/ TAKEAWAY 'The Theatre of the World' by Abraham Ortelius Find out more about your host at https://www.nataliegrueninger.com Support Talking Tudors on Patreon!
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Natalie Donnell, PhD @nataliedonnell.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Closing out women's history month with a post honoring Anne of France, whose leadership embodied the virtues of women supporting women at the late medieval court. Enjoy! feministhistories.substack.com/p/anne-of-fr...
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Lena (they/them) 🩷💛🩵 @petalsketch.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
i love this book so much “Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose. It is a seeking that be who wishes may know the cosmic secrets of the world and they that dwell therein.” - Zora Neale Hurston (Dust Tracks On a Road)
photo of the first page of chapter 10 in Zora Neale Hurston’s autobiography “Dust Tracks On a Road” with a red outline around the opening paragraph which reads:

“Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose. It is a seeking that be who wishes may know the cosmic secrets of the world and they that dwell therein.”
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Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Chile blocks $2.5 billion mine to protect Humboldt penguin habitat. Chile’s courts have permanently rejected a massive iron and copper mining project near the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve, safeguarding one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems in the Pacific buff.ly/hXH6Vhy #ShareGoodNewsToo
buff.ly
Chile confirms rejection of Dominga mining project: environmental victory in defense of the Humboldt penguin - Noticias Ambientales
The Court of Appeals of the northern region of Chile confirmed the rejection of the Dominga mining project, promoted by the multinational Andes Iron. The
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Alethea Kontis 알리티아 @aletheakontis.com · 19/03/2026
Bless the person who said, “Sure, why not” to the initial gopher suggestion. Because those of us who think way, way outside the box KNOW we sound insane, but we would save the world if we could find exactly this kind of support. www.popularmechanics.com/science/envi...
popularmechanics.com
43 Years Ago, Scientists Dropped Gophers Onto a Volcano. Today, They’re Tiny Heroes.
It started as a go-for-broke experiment, but it wound up saving an ecosystem.
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Karin Wulf @kawulf.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
V diff context but this morning I started a conversation about the insistence on protecting “heroes.” From presidents to priests if we can’t let ppl do heroic things (usually in collaboration!) without making them singular unassailable heroes we devastate historical integrity — and civic function.
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Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Generational talent
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Christine Kooi @christinekooi.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Always make students aware of their choices, my fellow academics. wordpress.aber.ac.uk/librarian/?p...
wordpress.aber.ac.uk
Wait a Minute…What If I Don’t Want to Use AI?
AI is everywhere right now. It writes summaries, explains theories, fixes grammar, and recommends playlists.But here’s the thing nobody says out loud: you’re allowed not to use it. Whether you feel…
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Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @mayor.nyc.gov · 13/03/2026
Let there be as much outrage from politicians in Washington when kids go hungry as there is when I break bread with New Yorkers.
Senator Tuberville on x writing a response to the @endwokeness account 

Original tweet from @EndWokeness - “less than 25 years apart”
Image 1 - the twin towers as they are hit by a the planes on 9/11/2001
Image 2 - Mayor Mamdani sitting on a prayer rug while hosting an Iftar  at city hall

Quote tweet from Senator Tuberville - “the enemy is inside the gates.”
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Tobias Wilson-Bates @phdhurtbrain.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Man, one of the most depressing aspects of modern scholarship is finding a great article and then looking up the scholar to see what else they’ve done and just catching a glimpse of an abbreviated career hopping between visiting positions and publishing great pieces before disappearing from academia
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Feral Maui Hermit @mauigreg.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Even if you are 100% convinced that Democracy is already dead and our votes won't count... PLEASE VOTE ANYWAY! I'm begging everyone. There is a critical mass of voter turnout that will be too big to fix. Please vote, no matter how bleak it seems.
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Christine Kooi @christinekooi.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
For International Women's Day, here is Katharina Schütz Zell of Strasbourg (1497-1562), the first known female Protestant reformer. She wrote a number of evangelical pamphlets calling for the reform of the church, despite the disapproval of her male colleagues, with whom she occasionally clashed.
Black and white portrait of Katharina, wearing a cap and a high collar.
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Dr Liam Sims @liamsims.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Sometimes I too feel ‘misbound but perfect’, Francis Jenkinson. Written in a copy of Gaspar Ens’s book on Dutch discoveries in the New World (Cologne, 1612). @theulspeccoll.bsky.social N*.5.51(G).
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MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 01/03/2026
A PSA from Thomas Massie:
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weird medieval guys @weirdmedieval.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
ow, france, 15th century
a medieval drawing of a woman falling and hitting her head on the ground with a serene expression on her face
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Senator Bernie Sanders @sanders.senate.gov · 05/02/2026
If Jeff Bezos could afford to spend $75 million on the Melania movie & $500 million for a yacht to sail off to his $55 million wedding to give his wife a $5 million ring, please don't tell me he needed to fire one-third of the Washington Post staff. Democracy dies in oligarchy.
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Mark Gongloff @markgongloff.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
We’re supposed to believe this is a domestic terrorist attacking ICE with a gun
A photo of the man murdered by ICE today, just before the shooting. He’s standing and holding a phone in his right hand and holding his empty left hand to the sky and looking behind him at a woman running away while an ICE agent closes in on him from the front. On the ground behind the man is a woman that the victim will soon try to help, leading several ICE agents to attack him and pin him to the ground, before shooting him several times.
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Seth Cotlar @sethcotlar.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Weird to be commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Am Rev while living under a government that has a) sent armed troops to occupy cities perceived to be too rebellious, b) rendered largely irrelevant the representative branch of government, and c) claimed imperial right to rule other countries.
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Daniel Bellingradt @dbellingradt.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
A man travelling within the lines of a text printed in 1621. Enjoy this short 🧵 for #skystorians and friends of news flows.
A detail of a broadside showing a man, a postal messenger with a letter in his hand, positioned within a text part. More details in the thread
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Natalie Donnell, PhD @nataliedonnell.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
Loved kicking off 2026 with one of my first and favorite historical figures! Louise de Clermont: Catherine de Medici's Closest Friend open.substack.com/pub/feminist...
open.substack.com
Louise de Clermont: Catherine de Medici's Closest Friend
The first half of her fifty-year career at the center of the French court
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Micheline White @michelinewhite.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
Just re-listened to this fantastic episode with Natalie Donnell. Mary of Hungary is so fascinating. @nataliedonnell.bsky.social @sixteenthcgirl.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/h...
podcasts.apple.com
Habsburg Women: Matriarchs of Power
Podcast Episode · Not Just the Tudors · 2025-09-22 · 47m
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Natalie Donnell, PhD @nataliedonnell.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
My first research article is out today with the Sixteenth Century Journal! It's been a long road for this one. "Networks of Affection and Alliance: Catherine de Medici and Female Political Practice during the Minority of Charles IX," available now! www.journals.uchicago.edu/eprint/TG44V...
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🕸️ Cobweb Curtains For Zoosha 🦇 @brianvan.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
So it turns out... the US air travel system was incredibly, deeply dependent on federal funding to just run day-to-day all this time, to the benefit of private airline shareholders, when everyone thinks that state-run trains are leeching off the government. Weird!
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