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Ursula's Maiden Army

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In the fifth century, when the Roman-Britannia men leave their island home to fight on the continent defending the Roman Empire, their women and children seem like easy pickings for the other residents of Britannia. Knowing that the Picts, Hibernians and Saxons will at a minimum plunder, but more likely rape and kill, Princess Ursula knows she must lead the left behind with boldness. Her plan is to raise an army of women to defend their people. Enlisting her best friends Pinnosa, Brittola, Cordula, Martha and Saula to assist her, they establish an all female military that effectively defeats their adversarial neighbors in combat.

When their men fail to return home as expected, Ursula and her inner circle believe most are dead as Rome is falling to the barbarians. They need a new plan that provides them with male allies and mates. Ursula leads her eleven thousand all female army onto the continent heading to Germania for an unheard of marriage of two giant forces. However, instead of reaching their wedding destination, URSULA'S MAIDEN ARMY battles the Huns knowing that of they lose, death would be the most comfortable fate.

This is a terrific fifth century historical fiction based on the limited knowledge (more legend than factual) of Saint Ursula the martyr of Cologne, Germany. The action-packed story line brings alive the era through the eyes of the sextet of females, which Philip Griffin shows his writing skills by making each of the six contain different personalities. Fans of ancient era thrillers will appreciate this rendering of a legendary courageous warrior woman and her army of fighting females.

Harriet Klausner

URSULA'S MAIDEN ARMY is a work of historical fiction based loosely on the legend surrounding Saint Ursula. According to the author's notes in the book, there is a popular German legend that surrounds a young woman who was sainted by the Catholic Church hundreds of years after her death. She had lived in the fourth or fifth century A.D., at about the same time that Rome collapsed. According to the legend, Saint Ursula led a band of armor-clad virgins on a mission. The names of Ursula's closest friends survived in the legend, and these are featured in the book.

URSULA'S MAIDEN ARMY tells the story of Britannic Princess Ursula and her band of loyal friends. The young women are all aristocrats, well-educated and schooled in hunting and weaponry. They are devastated when their intended husbands are all sent away with the Britannic forces to fight for Rome. While the men's army is away, Ursula's homelands are exposed to raiders and invaders of all sorts. This leads Ursula to form her women's army to protect her people. The force's efforts are a huge success at home, which encourages the women to attempt an even bolder campaign.

Since details about Ursula's real-life exploits are few, the author of URSULA'S MAIDEN ARMY, Philip Griffin, had to take quite a few liberties when writing the book. For example, no one knows exactly what the mission was that led Ursula and her all-female army from their homes, so Griffin supplied one. No one knows what these women endured on their campaign, so Griffin offers readers a possible scenario. And no one knows exactly what fate befell them, except that the bones of thousands of women form the foundation of the ancient St. Ursula's Church in Cologne, Germany. This mystery led Griffin to create an event so devastating that it would explain the deaths of that many young women.

This is an interesting tale for readers of historical fiction. It offers a great deal of information about ancient military campaigns and weapons. Sometimes too much information. I found parts of it dry and skipped chunks of text where the characters discussed military matters. That sort of information might be fascinating to some, but I just wanted to get back to the story. I was also irritated by the religious fervor demonstrated by one particular young woman, together with the fact that her friends consistently just went along with her zealotry. Finally, I had some trouble believing that Ursula's troops enjoyed as much success in their battles as they did. These were essentially girls who were trained by other girls, and they fought against battle-hardened men. Yet time and again, Ursula's army walked away virtually unscathed.

All in all, URSULA'S MAIDEN ARMY is an intriguing peek at the sorrows and triumphs of life fifteen hundred years ago. It is clear that this piece of historical fiction is very heavy on the fiction, but it is an entertaining story nevertheless.

Reviewed by: K. Osborn Sullivan

"Out of love for our land, our people, and our beloved home!
For the defense of the Province, and to the glory of God...
The women of Britannia shall fight!"

The story of Ursula and the 11,000 martyrs is the stuff of legend. In fact, so little is known about Ursula and her life that in 1969 the Catholic Church suppressed her cult as part of a larger revision of the canon of saints because of doubts about her historicity.

In Ursula's Maiden Army, Philip Griffin provides his own take on the legend of Saint Ursula and her maidens, creating an adventure story in which Ursula and her friends become the commanders of an
all-female army.

The story begins in Roman Britain where teenage Ursula is the daughter of a Christian king. When the provincial armies are conscripted into the service of Rome, Britain is left virtually unprotected, making it easy prey for Hibernian and Pict raiding parties as well as the warring Saxons. With the encouragement of her friend Pinnosa, Princess Ursula creates an army of women to protect and defend Britain while the men are away. Led by Ursula, Pinnosa, and their friends, Brittola, Cordula, Martha, and Saula, the First Athena is a resounding success. However, as its fame spreads to Europe, the First Athena becomes a target of the enemies of both Britain and Rome.

Ursula's Maiden Army is a moving tale of love, loyalty, honor, and friendship. It is well-paced and its action-packed plot will keep readers interested. In Ursula, Pinnosa, Brittola, Cordula, Martha, and Saula, first-time novelist Griffin has created surprisingly full-bodied female characters, characters that will stick with readers long after they have put this book down.

First published in Germany as Das Heer der Jungfrauen, Ursula's Maiden Army gained much exposure when it was featured in Die Welt, Germany's largest newspaper, as a 'paperback of the week' in December 2004.

"Out of love for our land, our people, and our beloved home!
For the defense of the Province, and to the glory of God...
The women of Britannia shall fight!"


The story of Ursula and the 11,000 martyrs is the stuff of legend. In fact, so little is known about Ursula and her life that in 1969 the Catholic Church suppressed her cult as part of a larger revision of the canon of saints because of doubts about her historicity.

In Ursula's Maiden Army, Philip Griffin provides his own take on the legend of Saint Ursula and her maidens, creating an adventure story in which Ursula and her friends become the commanders of an
all-female army.

The story begins in Roman Britain where teenage Ursula is the daughter of a Christian king. When the provincial armies are conscripted into the service of Rome, Britain is left virtually unprotected, making it easy prey for Hibernian and Pict raiding parties as well as the warring Saxons. With the encouragement of her friend Pinnosa, Princess Ursula creates an army of women to protect and defend Britain while the men are away. Led by Ursula, Pinnosa, and their friends, Brittola, Cordula, Martha, and Saula, the First Athena is a resounding success. However, as its fame spreads to Europe, the First Athena becomes a target of the enemies of both Britain and Rome.

Ursula's Maiden Army is a moving tale of love, loyalty, honor, and friendship. It is well-paced and its action-packed plot will keep readers interested. In Ursula, Pinnosa, Brittola, Cordula, Martha, and Saula, first-time novelist Griffin has created surprisingly full-bodied female characters, characters that will stick with readers long after they have put this book down.

First published in Germany as Das Heer der Jungfrauen, Ursula's Maiden Army gained much exposure when it was featured in Die Welt, Germany's largest newspaper, as a 'paperback of the week' in December 2004.

I received this book as a review copy from the publisher. "Ursula's Maiden Army" had an interesting plot with plenty of excitement and action and a bit of romance. The pacing was fairly good. However, I felt like most of the characters and setting descriptions lacked depth. Except for Pinnosa, Ursula, and Brittola, who had some unique personality traits, the characters tended to blend together due to their similarity.

While some things were described in detail, often the author used such general descriptive words that I couldn't easily visualize the object or setting. For example, the characters look "upon the villa's entrance" and I'm thinking "is he referring to a door? a gate? an arch?" The author also didn't seem very familiar with horses, ships, individual fighting, and the everyday details of armies. Some of these details weren't realistic (like women who'd never been on a galley being instant experts at working the oars in tandem and completely running the ship).

The characters followed Christianity mixed with Roman god worship (which was one of the nice tensions in the story). While this wasn't marketed as a Christian book, they did refer to God and sing praise songs to God. There was a character who tended to get preachy. The other characters considered her their moral compass, but, because she lacked depth, she sometimes came across (even to me, a Christian) as judgmental and a hypocrite.

There was no explicit sex. There was a minimal amount of British bad language. There was a minimal amount of graphic gore. Overall, I'd rate this novel as interesting, fairly clean reading.


Review by Debbie from Genre Reviews (genrereviews. blogspot. com)

Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (2/07)

Ursula's story is told by her sister. The sister who had previously forbid her name to be spoken, hoping to keep her children from danger, finally realizes that it is time to let the family legend be told. As she is presented with the head of someone said to be Ursula, proving her death, she realizes that perhaps her children need to be told about the strength and courage that ran in the family. And so the story begins.

With a style somewhat of the likes of Xena, Warrior Princess, but much more realistic and often less flowery, Ursula's story shows the courage of not only Ursula but of her tribe and fellow warriors. As she often prepares before the army of men can get there, she and her women soldiers are often put up against undeniable odds, yet still come out victorious. A time when women had their place and were thought of as anything but brave and strong, Ursula and her colleagues are easily seen as anything but a mild and meek lady. As she leads her women warriors to battle, trying to save her own homeland and fight against those who desire to overtake it, you realize the strength she brings not only Ursula, but her friends and fellow warriors, to topple even the strongest of men, from surviving a storm while lost at sea to surviving a battle after battle against both female tribes and male tribes.

Her story combines the tragedy of war with the heroism of it. It combines the strength of a female warrior, more fearless than some men, with the strength of her womanliness and tenderness that mocks even the most feminine princesses and queens of her time. Each obstacle she and her warriors are put up against can be their last as they fight other tribes to the death. Ursula's most loved companions and friends Pinnosa, Cordula, Brittola, Martha and Saula seem to give each other strength but nobody compares to the strength of Ursula herself.

Flawlessly combining their warrior strengths with their womanhood, the author tells of each lady and their beloved soldier as they watch with intent as the male tribe comes upon them. Cordula's birth of her son helps to remind you that while these women are tough as nails, they're still women through and through. Each woman has taken a vow of celibacy to insure that they never confuse themselves as common women of the day, there for a man's needs. Instead, this vow seems to create an amazing strength amongst them as they seek the love of their fellow male warriors as well yet know they cannot take their vows lightly. This vow alone creates a sense of superiority for Ursula and her tribe of virgins.

As they are forced to fight against the Huns, you realize that this fight is like no other they have gone through. The Huns are the most feared of warriors and men have fallen quickly to their knees in front of them let alone a band of women brought to fight. Their undeniable thirst for blood, no matter how they get it, creates a warrior in them that all fear as they are known for their ability to deceive and mutilate without concern. As you grasp the edge of your seat you wonder if there is a chance for survival and hope runs deep with each page you turn.

You know of Ursula's death from the beginning of the book, when her sister is presented with a head from a woman who could be Ursula. As her sister inspects the head she decrees that this is not Ursula and the search continues, as rumor has it that she has definitely been killed in action. But could these rumors be wrong? Could she have survived the most horrendous of attacks? You remain hopeful to the end and realize that even if she is gone, her legend shall live forever.

The reality of "Ursula's Maiden Army" reminds you that while the book reads like a fantasy fiction, the truth behind it depicts characters that are above and beyond any you will ever meet again. Each character is given such strength by the author that you feel as though you know them as both women and warriors. The historical note at the end of the book seems to pull it all together and put enough touch of reality into the story to make you realize that the women warriors of this age in time were truly beyond anything we could fathom today.

Book received free of charge.

What is it that is so enthralling about fantasy's touch on history? Philip Griffin's Ursula is an exemplary model of a heroic protagonist who never stops revealing her earthy, practical and idealistic, almost supernatural personality traits.

Viewed in history as both of royal and saintly status, Ursula creates a maiden army, the First and Second Athena, a group of warriors who will battle Picts, Hibernians, and Saxons, later eventually destroyed by the invading Huns. But what is fascinating about this novel is the combination of obedience to Augustus Constantine III, "Emperor of the West and Grand Commander of all its armies," and the woman-warrior thinking, feeling, and action she takes as head of this amazingly powerful army.

She will both fall in love and then die because of her refusal to love an enemy of her people - a poignant, memorable ending for sure!

A fascinating read about loyalty, immense courage, and a heart dedicated to all that is noble and true! Nicely done!

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on November 24, 2006

When the men of Brittania are called away from the country to fight, Brittania is almost defenseless against raiders. After a vicious invasion from a neighboring people, Princess Ursula and her friends come up with a plan for the capable women to step in as defenders. Ursula's father and the other people eagerly accept the young women's help. From protecting Brittania from attackers, it is a small step to assisting the army when the men are overwhelmed.

Based on a little-known legend, Ursula's Maiden Army is filled with historical background and detail. The author did a good job of taking a bit of information and building a credible tale.

This book had much potential, however the story dragged in many places. The characters would relate experiences instead of taking the reader through them. I wanted to see the action unfold rather than hearing about victories secondhand.

The time period is one that is rarely done, making it of more interest. The place names aren't familiar, but the maps provided help the reader relate to today's locations.

Armchair Interviews says: For those who enjoy historical eras, this book will be an interesting read.

Ursula's Maiden Army is historical fiction at its best. Built around the hazy tales and legends of Britannic princess Ursula in the fifth century, Ursula's Maiden Army is a reworking of the known legends and scant facts that surround the princess' maiden army of thousands who defended their homeland from invading Picts, Hibernians, and Saxons when their men did not return from their recall to the Continent, in the beginning of what would become the collapse of the Roman Empire. Ursula and her maidens use armor, horses, and cunning to defeat their enemies in hand-to-hand combat. Though destined for bloody martyrdom outside Colonia at the hands of Huns in Germania, these women did not suffer their eventual fate tamely. Instead, legend records that a British princess emasculated (and killed) Mundzuk, father of Attila, on a wedding bed. The tales of Ursula, and her friends, Pinnosa, Brittola, Cordula, Martha, and Saula in their adventures together are fiercely entertaining. Ursula is not presented as someone accustomed to killing, nor are her friends. Rather, it becomes something they are driven to accomplish as a last resort, almost a sacramental deed. Working with little historical precedent, author Philip Griffin has developed a highly charismatic figure in Ursula, believable in her deeds and choices, both heroic and human.