The First Queen of Albion: Albina (with Professor Lisa Ruch)

Long before Rome rose and empires clashed, a darker legend took root in the mist-shrouded isles of Britain.

Banished from their homeland for defying their fate, Albina and her thirty sisters—princesses of extraordinary beauty and ambition—are cast adrift upon the sea. When they reach the wild, untamed shores of ancient Albion, they refuse to submit to any man or king. Instead, they claim the land as their own, becoming its first rulers and giving rise to one of the most enduring and mysterious legends in British mythology.

Their story is one of exile, rebellion, giants, and the mythical origins of Britain itself. It is a tale preserved in medieval chronicles and retold through generations as the beginning of Albion's legendary past.

In this episode of Tales of Albion, we explore the complete legend of Albina and her sisters with Professor Lisa Ruch, uncovering the origins of one of Britain's oldest foundation myths and asking what this remarkable story reveals about medieval ideas of history, identity, and the creation of Albion.

Some stories build nations. Others curse them.

Featuring Zachary Peatling Instagram: @zacharyjpeatling

Professor Lisa Ruch baypath.edu/academics/faculty-directory/biography/lisa-ruch Her book on Albina: cambriapress.com/pub.cfm?bid=567

Tales of Albion theme by @kierenpeatling

Watch on YouTube (41 min)