Role of Women in the Middle Ages By: Demi Renfro and Autumn Teeters Core 2

Noblewomen Noblewomen were the wives and daughters of the noblemen They took care of the sick and poor The noblewomen themselves could own land They could inherit land from their parents or husbands When a nobleman was away the women ruled the manor

Noblewomen continued Noblewomen could also send knights into battle

Nuns They lived very simply and could not marry They also served as doctors They gave up their life & possessions to live a life in monasteries & convents

Serfs They Would work next to their husband and children all day If a woman was a merchant they would ply many crafts They would do weaving and brewing

Urban working women They were also urban working women who worked in the cities. They were housewives to the master of the house (husbands). A woman who was married worked in the house of her husband. When women did work they were paid minimum wage.

Wet nurses A wet nurse was a woman who would nurse a baby after its birth. Poor women often had wet nurses so that they could go back to work. Wet nurses were also known as nannies or cleaning women.

Peasants The majority of women were peasants They have to plant, tend, and harvest at least one good crop They try to harvest about 2 crops per year Peasants usually lived in a small town. They usually lived in a 2 room cottage.

Witchcraft In the middle ages people were scared of witchcraft They thought that magic was an illusion by the devil There are 2 kinds of magic: Black magic and White magic Black magic was about the devil

More Witchcraft White magic was a Christian symbol

Websites for information www.medievalspells.com www.wikipedia.com www.roleofwomen.com

Questions What was the class of the majority of women? What is the difference between black magic and white magic? What family (class) did nuns usually come from? What was the job of wet nurses?

Answers The majority of most women were (peasants.) Black magic is a symbol of the (devil) and white magic is a symbol of (Christianity.) Nuns usually came from the (noble family.) Wet nurses usually took care of a baby when it was first born.

Church for women Women were denied official religious roles until, later in the years Nuns and abbesses worked devoted to extend the influence or the church, their lay sisters remained strictly subordinate to their husband and family.

Medieval Queens Eleanor of castile Isabella of france Philippa of Hainault Mary de Bohum Catherine of Valois Margaret of Anjov

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