Women in Medieval Society Sophie Hinkle Women in Medieval Society

Roles of Medieval Women House work Birth and raise children Please their husbands Help out with extra work on land

Women in their class structure Peasant women Noble Women Married a little older than nobles because family needed extra hands Cared for own children as well as sometimes noble children Worked from earliest age possible and were considered adults at 10-11 Married younger as a political gesture or to benefit family Were not forced to care for own children While it wasn’t a lot, received more respect than peasant women

Laws for Women…set by men of course Not allowed to marry without parent consent Could not own businesses Not allowed to divorce husbands Could not own property unless they were widows Could not inherit any land from parents if there were surviving brothers Please Note: Church also greatly influenced position of women. Remember Eve was cause of “The Fall of Man”

Some Influential Women in Medieval Society Eleanor of Aquitaine- Queen of France through her own right, then Queen of England through marriage of Henry II. She sent her sons to kill Henry after hearing of his adultery. While unsuccessful and imprisoned for attempt to murder, she retook throne because she outlived Henry. Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim- employed as a canoness, poet, dramatist and historian, she was the first known female play writer. Isabella of France- Queen of England through marriage with Edward II. She ran away with her lover Roger Mortimer and killed Edward. When her son took the throne he killed Roger and banished Isabella. The later crowning of Edward III as king of France started the Hundred Year’s War.

Fun Facts Gender wage gap was real. For example, reaping would grant men 8 pence a day but only 5 pence for women. Hay making would get men 6 pence and 4 for women. Life as a servant for rich families was considered a dream job Most poor women didn’t live past their late 20’s Only women that had some access to education were nuns Unmarried women wore their hair down, and married women wore hair up and covered with a cloth Clothes were baggy and colored bland. They were forced to wear what husbands wanted them to. End of Middle Ages began witch hunt hysteria with over 80% of victims as women

Works Cited Medieval Gender, www.medievalgender.org.uk/about/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2017. Lewis, Jone Johnson. “Twelve Medieval Women of Power and Influence.” ThoughtCo, www.thoughtco.com/notable-women-of- medieval-europe-3529688. Accessed 19 Sept. 2017. “Medieval Women.” History Learning Site, www.historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval-england/medieval-women/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2017. “Women in the Middle Ages.” Women in the Middle Ages - World History Online, www.heeve.com/middle-ages-history/women-in-the- middle-ages.html. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.

Works Cited Pictures “Eleanor of Aquitaine.” Pictify, pictify.saatchigallery.com/335850/eleanor-of- aquitaine. Accessed 21 Sept. 2017. Galbi, Author Douglas. “Hrotsvit of Gandersheim on men in the Life of Saint Thais.” Purple motes, www.purplemotes.net/2014/11/30/hrotsvit-gandersheim- thais/. Accessed 21 Sept. 2017. “Galleries.” Ancestral Memories , herebedragons.weebly.com/galleries.html. Accessed 21 Sept. 2017. “Posts about Medieval 1100-1450 on History of Costume.” History of Costume, historyofeuropeanfashion.wordpress.com/category/medieval-1100-1450/. Accessed 21 Sept. 2017. VictoriaLopez. “Women in Medieval Times.” Women in Medieval Times, 1 Jan. 1970, womeninmedievaltimes.blogspot.com/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2017.