Medievalists.net

Where the Middle Ages Begin

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Online Courses
  • Podcast
  • Patreon Login
  • About Us & More
    • About Us
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Films & TV
    • Medieval Studies Programs
    • Places To See
    • Teaching Resources
    • Articles

Medievalists.net

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Online Courses
  • Podcast
  • Patreon Login
  • About Us & More
    • About Us
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Films & TV
    • Medieval Studies Programs
    • Places To See
    • Teaching Resources
    • Articles
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Articles

Germanic Women: Mundium and Property, 400-1000

by Sandra Alvarez
September 7, 2011

Germanic Women: Mundium and Property, 400-1000

Dunn, Kimberlee Harper (University of North Texas)

M.A. Thesis (Science), University of North Texas, August (2006)

Abstract

Many historians would like to discover a time of relative freedom, security and independence for women of the past. The Germanic era, from 400-1000 AD, was a time of stability, and security due to limitations the law placed upon the mundwald and the legal ability of women to possess property. The system of compensations that the Germans initiated in an effort to stop the blood feuds between Germanic families, served as a deterrent to men that might physically or sexually abuse women. The majority of the sources used in this work were the Germanic Codes generally dated from 498-1024 AD. Ancient Roman and Germanic sources provide background information about the individual tribes. Secondary sources provide a contrast to the ideas of this thesis, and information.

Over the last several decades the field of women’s history has tremendously increased. Women’s rights, past and present, have become an important topic both politically and historically. As historians and others re-evaluate the definition of rights and what matters most in society, it seems that the possession of property and the limitations that her guardian might place on that property are the biggest factors in determining the quality of life that women experienced.

Click here to read this thesis from the University of North Texas

Subscribe to Medievalverse




Related Posts

  • Women’s Property Rights in Islamic Law and the Debate over Islamic Economic Performance
  • Women and Property Rights in Al-Andalus and the Maghrib: Social Patterns and Legal Discourse
  • Property, Power and Patriarchy: The Decline of Women's Property Right in England After the Black Death
  • Family Strategies in Medieval London: Financial Planning and the Urban Widow, 1123-1473
  • From Egypt to Umbria: Jewish Women and Property in the Medieval Mediterranean
TagsCarolingians • Charlemagne • Children in the Middle Ages • Christianity in the Middle Ages • Crime in the Middle Ages • Daily Life in the Middle Ages • Early Medieval England • Early Middle Ages • Eighth Century • Gender in the Middle Ages • Marriage in the Middle Ages • Medieval England • Medieval France • Medieval Germany • Medieval Law • Medieval Politics • Medieval Sexuality • Medieval Social History • Medieval Women • Merovingian • Ninth Century • Roman Britain • Roman Empire • Visigoths

Post navigation

Previous Post Previous Post
Next Post Next Post

Medievalists Membership

Become a member to get ad-free access to our website and our articles. Thank you for supporting our website!

Sign Up Member Login

More from Medievalists.net

Become a Patron

We've created a Patreon for Medievalists.net as we want to transition to a more community-funded model.

 

We aim to be the leading content provider about all things medieval. Our website, podcast and Youtube page offers news and resources about the Middle Ages. We hope that are our audience wants to support us so that we can further develop our podcast, hire more writers, build more content, and remove the advertising on our platforms. This will also allow our fans to get more involved in what content we do produce.

Become a Patron Member Login

Medievalists.net

Footer Menu

  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Copyright © 2025 Medievalists.net
  • Powered by WordPress
  • Theme: Uku by Elmastudio
Follow us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter