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. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 51
... king died without a legitimate heir . For example , after the only legitimate son of Henry I of England was killed in a shipwreck in 1120 , Henry named his daughter Matilda as his heir . When he died 15 years later , however , his ...
... king died without a male heir old enough to inherit his fief ( a piece of land granted by his overlord in return for specific duties ) , his widow and daughter might become wards of the king . This meant that he was responsible for ...
... King Fernâo , upon his death in 1383. Not long before his death , however , she had been married to the king of Castile , and Portuguese nobles feared that the Castilian king would not rule their country well . They thus chose Fernâo's ...
Contents
Women and Religion | 27 |
Women and Work | 59 |
Women and the Family | 91 |
Copyright | |
5 other sections not shown