Women's Roles in the Middle AgesInformation about women in this truly fascinating period from 500 to 1500 is in great demand and has been a challenge for historians to uncover. Bardsley has mined a wide range of primary sources, from noblewomen's writing, court rolls, chivalric literature, laws and legal documents, to archeology and artwork. This fresh survey provides readers with an excellent understanding of how women high and low fared in terms of religion, work, family, law, culture, and politics and public life. Even though medieval women were divided by social class, religion, age, marital status, place and period, they were all subject to an overarching patriarchal structure and sometimes could transcend their inferior status. Numerous examples of these exceptional women and their words are included. |
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... fact that their members typically came from lower social ranks than nuns and the fact that the church was ambivalent about Beguines meant that they struggled for enough money to keep going . The church's ambivalence about Beguines ...
... fact , rape was often seen as a crime against property rather than a crime against the person . A rapist was considered to have stolen the property of another man : a daughter , a wife , or a woman under his guardianship . A woman could ...
... fact their wives may have been just as influential in deciding which artists , authors , or causes to support . For instance , Duke Henry I of Silesia and his wife , Hedwig , are known to have founded a number of religious institu ...
Contents
Women and Religion | 27 |
Women and Work | 59 |
Women and the Family | 91 |
Copyright | |
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