Medievalists.net » Medieval Women http://www.medievalists.net Where the Middle Ages Begin Sun, 06 Dec 2015 19:35:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.9 Social Roles and Status of Women in a Norfolk small market Town Heacham 1276-1324 http://www.medievalists.net/2015/12/02/social-roles-and-status-of-women-in-a-norfolk-small-market-town-heacham-1276-1324/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/12/02/social-roles-and-status-of-women-in-a-norfolk-small-market-town-heacham-1276-1324/#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2015 04:04:52 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=62963 The objective of this paper is to measure the involvement of women in the Heacham local food and drink market and to assess the social differentiation among these working women mentioned in the 43 leet courts (1276-1324 ca.)

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/12/02/social-roles-and-status-of-women-in-a-norfolk-small-market-town-heacham-1276-1324/feed/ 0 In Search of Guinevere http://www.medievalists.net/2015/11/28/in-search-of-guinevere/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/11/28/in-search-of-guinevere/#comments Sat, 28 Nov 2015 22:51:50 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=62851 As a lifelong lover of Arthurian stories, I have always had a love/hate relationship with Guinevere. In some stories, she is the well-mannered and generous ideal queen; in others she is a jealous and spiteful adulteress. How can she be both? When did she change?

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/11/28/in-search-of-guinevere/feed/ 0 Marking the Face, Curing the Soul? Reading the Disfigurement of Women in the Later Middle Ages http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/29/marking-the-face-curing-the-soul-reading-the-disfigurement-of-women-in-the-later-middle-ages/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/29/marking-the-face-curing-the-soul-reading-the-disfigurement-of-women-in-the-later-middle-ages/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2015 03:53:21 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=61447 This specific example, and a survey of later medieval texts suggests that the period between 1150 and 1500 was one of increasing attention to the facial features of both men and women within and outside clerical circles, driven partly by increased exposure of western Europeans to peoples of different physical appearance, and partly by the rediscovery of the ancient pseudo-science of physiognomy, which claimed to read character traits from facial features.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/29/marking-the-face-curing-the-soul-reading-the-disfigurement-of-women-in-the-later-middle-ages/feed/ 0 ‘The boldest and most remarkable feat ever performed by a woman’: Fiery Joanna and the Siege of Hennebont http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/27/the-boldest-and-most-remarkable-feat-ever-performed-by-a-woman-fiery-joanna-and-the-siege-of-hennebont/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/27/the-boldest-and-most-remarkable-feat-ever-performed-by-a-woman-fiery-joanna-and-the-siege-of-hennebont/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2015 01:46:42 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=61367 It ranks as one of the most fascinating stories from the 14th century, one that chroniclers of that time relished in telling and historians have ever since recounted.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/27/the-boldest-and-most-remarkable-feat-ever-performed-by-a-woman-fiery-joanna-and-the-siege-of-hennebont/feed/ 0 Patrician Purity and the Female Person in Early Renaissance Venice http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/25/patrician-purity-and-the-female-person-in-early-renaissance-venice/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/25/patrician-purity-and-the-female-person-in-early-renaissance-venice/#comments Sat, 26 Sep 2015 03:51:41 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=61348 This essay studies the Venetian patriciate’s enforcement of its exclusiveness and superior status by focusing on the purity and social standing on the women of the class.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/09/25/patrician-purity-and-the-female-person-in-early-renaissance-venice/feed/ 0 Movie Review: Dangerous Beauty http://www.medievalists.net/2015/08/28/movie-review-dangerous-beauty/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/08/28/movie-review-dangerous-beauty/#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2015 16:38:20 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=60571 Late 16th century Venice, where a woman can be a nun, a wife or a courtesan. For Veronica Franco, the free spirited girl scorned by because of her lack of wealth, the choice is an obvious one...

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/08/28/movie-review-dangerous-beauty/feed/ 0 Veronica Franco and the ‘Cortigiane Oneste’: Attaining Power through Prostitution in Sixteenth-Century Venice http://www.medievalists.net/2015/08/12/veronica-franco-and-the-cortigiane-oneste-attaining-power-through-prostitution-in-sixteenth-century-venice/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/08/12/veronica-franco-and-the-cortigiane-oneste-attaining-power-through-prostitution-in-sixteenth-century-venice/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2015 00:36:48 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=60351 Franco was a published author, a poet, and counted the King of France among her lovers.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/08/12/veronica-franco-and-the-cortigiane-oneste-attaining-power-through-prostitution-in-sixteenth-century-venice/feed/ 0 Menstruation: curse or blessing? http://www.medievalists.net/2015/07/27/menstruation-curse-or-blessing/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/07/27/menstruation-curse-or-blessing/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2015 16:06:50 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=60036 Menstruation in our lifetime has been commonly called ‘The Curse’. Our sisters in the 16th century, however, welcomed this cleansing as a fertility sign from God, through the moon that determined the tides of all that flowed on the earth.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/07/27/menstruation-curse-or-blessing/feed/ 0 Prostitution in the Medieval City http://www.medievalists.net/2015/07/21/prostitution-in-the-medieval-city/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/07/21/prostitution-in-the-medieval-city/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2015 10:20:16 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=59893 Prostitution was a vice that was was considered a necessary evil because of "men’s lust". Ecclesiastics felt that if brothels weren’t available to men in cities, they would find other inappropriate outlets for their entertainment. In an effort to curb potential problems, civic officials permitted prostitution to function within the city walls so long as it was regulated and turned a profit.

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]]> http://www.medievalists.net/2015/07/21/prostitution-in-the-medieval-city/feed/ 0 ‘Virile Strength In A Feminine Breast’: Women, Hostageship, Captivity, And Society In The Anglo-French World, C. 1000- C.1300 http://www.medievalists.net/2015/07/15/virile-strength-in-a-feminine-breast-women-hostageship-captivity-and-society-in-the-anglo-french-world-c-1000-c-1300/ http://www.medievalists.net/2015/07/15/virile-strength-in-a-feminine-breast-women-hostageship-captivity-and-society-in-the-anglo-french-world-c-1000-c-1300/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2015 20:07:46 +0000 http://www.medievalists.net/?p=59762 My interest in the relationship between hostage- and captive-taking practices and gender originally arose out of the idea for a much grander project about women and warfare.

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