Women’s Roles in Medieval Britain Royalty to Peasantry

A Woman’s Sphere Childhood Marriage Children Legal Trouble…

Social Orders RoyaltyMiddle ClassPeasant

Royalty at Play Royal women spent their childhood being raised in the court of their future husbands. Work? –Learning language and customs –Learning domestic roles

What’s love got to do with it? Royal women married young Betrothals were made as alliances Love and marriage were not connected Affairs typical on both sides of the relationship

Baby fever Primary function of royal women was to provide a male heir The gender of the child is blamed on the woman A baby-less marriage is no good

Royal Women as Vessels Royal women could inherit wealth and land but had no control of their assets Inheritance is passed from royal mom/wife to royal husband/son.

Stuck in the middle… Middle class women are raised as apprentices to their mothers Worked through childhood learning their trade Jobs they could hold include: inn keeper, tavern maid, baker

He loves me, He loves me not Arranged marriages help promote a family’s standing in society Daughter could opt out of an un-wanted marriage by joining a convent Two choices: marry a man or “marry God” no such thing as a single woman.

Baby Girls Girls born into middle class families offered her parents a chance to become upwardly mobile. Parents strove to find a “good match” for their daughters with sons whose families were higher on the social ladder

From a legal standpoint… Middle class women could not only inherit wealth and land, they also maintained (limited) control of their estate. Middle class women could also testify in court

You better work, Girl Childhood means learning to work the farm 3 days of the week, the day’s profit goes to the lord of the fief.

At last, my love has come along Peasant women have more freedom than women in middle and upper class in choosing a mate. Social mobility is not an option, therefore peasants could marry for love.

Children—Maybe? More children mean more workers, but also more mouths to feed Childbirth is a health risk. Birth control practiced Many babies did not survive infancy.

Legally…you have nothing.

Where would YOU want to be?