Medieval and Early Modern Women

medieval-women: Sorghaghtani Beki Kereyid princess (a clan...

Sun, 24 Jun 2018 10:06:21 -0400

Sorghaghtani Beki

Kereyid princess (a clan within modern China and Mongolia) and daughter-in-law of Genghis Khan

Birth late 1100’s - Death 1252

Claim to fame: one of the most powerful and competent women in the Mongol Empire, she promoted education and tolerance over exploitation.

As an adolescent, Sorghaghtani’s father gave her to Genghis Khan, who then passed her to his son, Tolui. The marriage produced four sons and, like most Mongol women of the time, Sorghaghtani managed affairs at home during the regular absence of her campaigning husband.

After Tolui’s death, Sorghaghtani controlled his appanages in parts of Mongolia, Iran and China. She refused marraige proposals from prestigious men, claiming that her sons needed her attention. This was an important decision for the Mongol Empire as all four sons, Möngke Khan, Hulagu Khan, Ariq Böke, and Kublai Khan became leaders in their own right.

Although illiterate, Sorghaghtani recognised the importance of literacy in running a widespread empire. Her sons therefore studied different languages and cultures from within the empire in order to better administer conquered lands. She was a Nestorian Christian but respected other religions, likewise, her sons were liberal minded and tolerant in matters of religion. She instilled in them her belief that the peoples of the Empire must be supported rather than mindlessly exploited.

Sorghaghtani raised her sons to be leaders, removed competitors and manoeuvred family politics in their favour. Her influence was decisive and considerably strengthened Mongol rule.

Sorghaghtani was well remembered by Muslim, Chinese and Christian chroniclers alike. European missionaries described her as “the most renowned of the Mongols”, and Syriac scholar Bar Hebraeus quoted, “If I were to see among the race of women another woman like this, I should say that the race of women was far superior to that of men.”

Womeninworldhistory.com

Mongolia-attractions.com

Wiki

shuddhi: MASTER of Heiligenkreuz The Death of St. Clare 1410

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 09:57:49 -0400

shuddhi:

MASTER of Heiligenkreuz

The Death of St. Clare

1410

gemma-antiqua: Ostrogothic gold and garnet earrings, dated to...

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 09:18:56 -0400

gemma-antiqua:

Ostrogothic gold and garnet earrings, dated to the early 5th century CE. Found in the Royal Athena galleries.

Uta von Ballenstedt Margravine of Meissen Born c. 1000 —...

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 08:33:37 -0400

Uta von Ballenstedt

Margravine of Meissen

Born c. 1000 — Died pre-1046

Uta was a member of the House of Ascania. Through her marriage to Margrave Eckard II, she was the Margravine of Meissen in Saxony, eastern Germany.

Presumably to promote the rise of the Ascanian dynasty, Uta’s father married her to Eckard II in about 1026. However, the marriage produced no children, resulting in the extinction of the Ekkeharding dynasty.

The couple contributed a significant amount to construct what would become the Naumburg Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul.

When the Cathedral was completed in the mid-13th century, the presiding bishop honoured the founders, Ekkehard, Uta and 10 other nobles by commissioning the anonymous ‘Naumburg Master’ to produce life-size painted statues of them to adorn the cathedral. The sculptures are remarkable as secular rather than biblical decorations for the cathedral, particularly as they depict nobles rather than kings or emperors. The depictions are now generally considered masterpieces of Gothic art.

In the 20th century, the statue of Uta was used by the Nazi’s as a prototype of the ideal Aryan woman, even appearing as an Aryan role model in Fritz Hippler’s propaganda film The Eternal Jew.

It is also believed that the statue inspired the depiction of the Evil Queen in Disney’s 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. You be the judge!

NB: the dates from when her image was used to depict a ‘Teutonic Madonna’ in various Nazi propaganda makes me wonder if that was why her likeness was used to represent an evil character in the Disney film. Just a thought!

medievalart: Matilda of Ringelheim (894/897-968) A 12th-Century...

Sat, 24 Feb 2018 20:11:48 -0500

medievalart:

Matilda of Ringelheim (894/897-968)
A 12th-Century illumination depicting queen Matilda and her husband Henry the Fowler.

archaicwonder: Extremely Rare Viking ‘Early Christian’ Hoard...

Sat, 24 Feb 2018 20:11:12 -0500

archaicwonder:

Extremely Rare Viking ‘Early Christian’ Hoard Group, 10th-11th Century AD

"He who carries away a nun from her house, although the nun consent, shall be punished by three..."

Sun, 08 Oct 2017 05:29:57 -0400

“He who carries away a nun from her house, although the nun consent, shall be punished by three years’ imprisonment, and shall make suitable satisfaction to the house from whence she was taken, and nevertheless shall make fine at the King’s will”

- Statute rolls of the Parliament of Ireland, 13th year of King Edward I of England, 1285.

"Aed O Domnaill, king of Tir Conaill, came into Carbury and ravaged the whole district, being advised..."

Sun, 01 Oct 2017 08:55:41 -0400

“Aed O Domnaill, king of Tir Conaill, came into Carbury and ravaged the whole district, being advised thereto by his wife, the daughter of Magnus O Conchobair. She herself, with all the gallowglasses and men of the Clan Murtagh that she could obtain, marched against the churches of Drumcliff and plundered many of its clergy.”

- Annála Connacht 1315

medieval-women: Jeanne Laisné (nicknamed Jeanne Hachette -...

Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:22:15 -0400

medieval-women:

Jeanne Laisné (nicknamed Jeanne Hachette - ‘Jean the Hatchet’).

Born 1456 - died ?

Claim to fame: a French military heroine who prevented the capture of Beauvais.

In June of 1472 Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, laid siege to the French town of Beauvais. Over the course of the three week siege, a peasant woman named Jeanne Laisne joined a contingent of women and children responsible for loading the town’s cannons, delivering munitions and dumping boiling liquid over the walls onto the attackers.

By 27 June, many of the French defenders had lost hope and begun to flee as an assault from the Burgundians seemed set to defeat the town. An officer was about to plant the Burgundian flag on the wall and claim Beauvais when Jeanne grabbed a hatchet and flung herself upon him, hurling him off the wall and tearing down the flag. Her bravery revived the courage of the garrison and the French soldiers returned to their posts, keeping the Burgundians at bay until reinforcements arrived and the town was saved.

By way of recognition, King Louis XI heaped favours on Jeanne and ordered for the ‘Procession of the Assault’ to take place in Beauvais every year with women marching at the head of the parade. This tradition still continues.

In 1851, a bronze statue sculpted by Gabriel-Vital Dubray (pictured above) was unveiled in Beauvais by Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte.

Sources: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

medieval-women: Bertrade de Montfort Queen consort of the...

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 12:11:50 -0400

medieval-women:

Bertrade de Montfort

Queen consort of the Franks

Born c. 1070 – Died 14 February 1117

Claim to Fame: married a married man whom she left to marry another married man whilst they were both still married…

Bertrade (or Bertrada) was the daughter of Simon I de Montfort. The chronicler John of Marmoutier described her as someone “whom no good man ever praised save for her beauty”.

Though he was already married, the Count of Anjou, Fulk IV, fell passionately in love with Bertrade. They were married in 1089, and had a son, Fulk V.

Just three years later, Bertrade left her husband for King Philip I of France. Bertrade and Phillip were married despite the fact that they both had spouses living. Incredibly, Bertrade persuaded Philip and Fulk to be friends.

Phillip’s passion for Bertrade was such that he refused to leave her even when he was excommunicated and prevented from taking part in the First Crusade.

The couple had three children and Bertrade is rumoured to have attempted to kill Phillip’s son Louis (her stepson) in order to have one of her sons become the heir.

Bertrade spent her final years in Fontevraud Abbey and died in 1117. Her descendants ruled for centuries in England (Plantagenets) and Jerusalem.

medieval-women: Facial Reconstruction of Agnes of...

Mon, 07 Aug 2017 22:07:03 -0400

medieval-women:

Facial Reconstruction of Agnes of Antioch
Queen Consort of Hungary
Born 1154 – Died c.1184

Agnes was the daughter of Constance, Sovereign Princess of Antioch and Raynald of Châtillon. She became the first wife of Béla III of Hungary.

Her intact tomb was accidentally discovered during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 which has allowed her remains to be studied and her appearance reconstructed.

Factoid: Agnes was the great niece of Queen Melisende of Jerusalem (more on Melisende to come soon).

Sources: 1. 2.
More images.

medieval-women: Women in Salic Law Excerpts regarding the...

Thu, 03 Aug 2017 07:36:20 -0400

medieval-women:

Women in Salic Law

Excerpts regarding the treatment of women from the Lex Salica (Salic Law), the civil law code compiled around the time of King Clovis (roughly 500 C.E.) for the Salian Franks.

So interesting/disturbing to see how the ‘worth’ of women is based on their reproductive capability. A fertile woman is worth three times more than an infertile woman.

nancybirch: The nobility of your forbears magnified you, O...

Sat, 29 Jul 2017 11:48:51 -0400

nancybirch:

The nobility of your forbears magnified you, O Edith,
And you, a king’s bride, magnify your forbears.
Much beauty and much wisdom were yours
And also probity together with sobriety.
You teach the stars, measuring, arithmetic, the art of the lyre,
The ways of learning and grammar.
An understanding of rhetoric allowed you to pour out speeches,
And moral rectitude informs your tongue – Godfrey of Cambrai, prior of Winchester Cathedral (1082-1107)
Edith of Wessex was born c. 1025, the eldest daughter of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and his wife Gytha. Her family was a formidable one: Godwin was one of the most powerful men in England, while Gytha was the sister-in-law of Cnut.
She was raised at Wilton Abbey, which she later had rebuilt as a sign of gratitude. There she learned Latin, French, Danish, and some Irish as well as grammar, rhetoric, arithmetic, weaving, embroidery, and astronomy. There is little else we know about her early life apart from her education, but she seems to have been especially close to her brother Tostig.
Edith’s father, Godwin, had a troubled relationship with King Edward the Confessor because Edward believed that Godwin was responsible for the death of his brother. Even so, Godwin was the most powerful man in England and Edward needed his support, and so married Edith at Godwin’s behest on 23 January 1045.
The relationship does not seem to have been a particularly romantic one. They were 20 or so years apart in age and he disliked her family, but all the same she had some influence and it was said that she always advised Edward wisely, and did a lot to improve his kingly image.
In 1051, Godwin and Edward’s relationship significantly deteriorated. Rather than risk arrest, Godwin fled the country with his sons. Edith was sent to a nunnery and all her lands confiscated, perhaps because he didn’t like her, thought they had little hope of conceiving together and wished to remarry, or simply wanted to get revenge on her father. The next year Godwin returned to England and civil war looked likely, but Edward lacked support and was forced to restore Godwin’s lands to him and reinstate Edith as Queen.
Though the two were still unable to have children (probably not because Edward had taken a vow of chastity, as is often said), Edith’s influence as Queen grew, as is shown by the increase in the amount of charters she witnessed, and she joined the circle of Edward’s most trusted advisers.
In 1055, Edith’s brother, Tostig, became Earl of Northumbria but his rule was hugely unpopular and 10 years later the local Northumbrian population rebelled, killing Tostig’s officials and outlawing him, asking instead to be ruled by a member of the leading Mercian family. There is some evidence that many of the Northumbrian people viewed Edith as complicit in Tostig’s tyranny, and indeed it’s likely that she herself had one of Tostig’s political enemies assassinated. Finally, one of Edith’s other brothers, Harold was sent to deal with the matter. He agreed to the rebels demands, depriving Tostig of his earldom, and Tostig, who fled to Flanders, never forgave Harold, nor did Edith.
On 5 January 1066, Edward the Confessor died, leaving Edith’s brother as King Harold II. The main chronicle on Edward’s reign, commissioned by Edith herself, actually attempts to discredit Harold’s claim, showing the extent of the rift between the siblings. Some historians, such as James Campbell, even believe that Edith was in personal danger from Harold, who wanted to placate the still restless Northumbrians by treating Edith harshly.
Harold successfully fought off Norwegian invaders that year at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, in which Tostig died fighting on the side of the Norwegians. Edith’s reaction is not recorded, but it is easy to imagine that she must have been heartbroken. Harold’s next major battle, the Battle of Hastings, was fought against William, Duke of Normandy. Harold and 2 of Edith’s other brothers died that day, and William was proclaimed King.
William sent men to Winchester to demand tribute from Queen Edith and she willingly complied. As a result, William allowed her to keep all her estates and income. Following this, Edith lived a comfortable life and when she died on 18 December 1075, she was recorded as the richest woman in England. She was laid to rest next to her husband in Winchester Cathedral and given a funeral befitting a queen.
As with so many women in history, Edith is often overlooked, but we have much to thank her for. Because she commissioned the Vita Edwardi Regis, she is responsible for much of the information we have on this period, and art historian Carola Hicks even suggests that she commissioned the Bayeaux Tapestry. Regardless of whether this theory is true, Edith is a person worth remembering. She was strong, determined, and loving, though some of her more corrupt actions are utterly deplorable. Nonetheless, her influence and contribution to Edward the Confessor’s reign is not one that should be forgotten.

heronskeleton: Viking Combs. The Vikings were very particular...

Sat, 29 Jul 2017 11:18:40 -0400

heronskeleton:

Viking Combs. The Vikings were very particular about their hair.

Fredegund Queen Consort of Neustria (western Francia) Born ? -...

Mon, 05 Jun 2017 10:26:56 -0400

Fredegund

Queen Consort of Neustria (western Francia)

Born ? - Died 597 CE

Claim to Fame: A brutal and formidable queen, best know for her forty year feud with her sister-in-law, Queen Brunhild of Austrasia.

Background: High-ranking women in Merovingian Gaul could hold substantial wealth and status in the fifth and sixth centuries which enabled them to exercise significant social, political and religious influence.

Born into a low-ranking family, Fredegund was a servant to the first wife of King Chilperic I of Neustria, Audovera. She seduced Chilperic and convinced him to divorce and expel Audovera. Chilperic then married a wealthy second wife, Galsuenda, but she soon died and was swiftly replaced as queen by Fredegund. Stories of Galsuenda’s death vary but it is believed that she spoke out against the immorality of Chilperic’s court so the King and his favourite mistress, Fredegund, had her strangled in bed. The powerful Queen Brunhild of Austrasia was both the sister-in-law of Chilperic (she was married to his brother) and the sister of Galsuenda. Brunhild’s fury at her sister’s death sparked a feud between the once unified houses of Austrasia and Neustria that spanned over forty years. The rivalry between Brunhild and Fredegund was particularly bitter and lead their families through generations of conflict.

Fredegund is represented in primary sources as a particularly violent woman who used her desirability to manipulate and corrupt those around her. She frequently contracted assassins as well as torturing, maiming and killing opponents. Among her many alleged misdeeds, Fredegund was suspected of ordering the assassination of Brunhild’s husband, Sigebert I, and attempting to assassinate Brunhild’s son Childebert II, her brother-in-law Guntram of Burgundy, and even Brunhild herself. In a jealous rage, she even attempted to murder her own daughter, Rigunth, by slamming the lid of a chest down on her neck as she reached for the jewelry inside. However, her violence was not limited to royal family members, and included a number of officials, clergymen and locals. In a classic example, Fredegund attempted to quell a dispute between kinsmen but ‘when she failed to reconcile them with gentle words she tamed them on both sides with the ax’ by inviting them to a feast and having them all murdered. Her formidable reputation served her well and she manipulated all levels of society through the fear of her fury.

When a dysentery epidemic struck her husband and two of her sons in 580 CE, Fredegund was plunged into remorse. Believing the epidemic was punishment for her sins, she burned unfair tax records and donated to the church and the poor after her sons succumbed to the disease.

In 584 CE, her husband, Chilperic, was mysteriously assassinated and Fredegund sought refuge in the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral. She died of natural causes 8 December 597 in Paris and is entombed in Saint Denis Basilica.

Several years after Fredegund’s death, her son Clothar II defeated Brunhild in battle and, despite the Queen being in her late sixties, he had her stretched on the rack for three days and then torn apart by four horses. Such was the bitterness of their familial enmity.

Note: The main source for Fredegund’s life is Gregory of Tours’ History of the Franks. Gregory was patronised by Queen Brunhild so his depictions of her qualities and the evils of her rival, Fredegund, are likely biased. Other sources recognise Fredegund’s brutality but treat her and Brunhild more equitably.

~ Much of this mini-bio is based on an essay of mine, so please PM me for sources.

jeannepompadour:Illustration from the Tarif-i-Husain-Shâhi...

Mon, 22 May 2017 12:33:16 -0400

jeannepompadour:

Illustration from the Tarif-i-Husain-Shâhi Manuskript, 1565-69 India

jeannepompadour: Lettice Cressy, Lady Tasburgh of Bodney,...

Tue, 18 Apr 2017 09:45:19 -0400

jeannepompadour:

Lettice Cressy, Lady Tasburgh of Bodney, Norfolk and her children by an unknown artist of the English School, 1605

The three older daughters seem to be channeling Elizabeth I…

Whenever you get back to writing up bios you should do one on Sybilla, the Queen of Jerusalem. She had a very interesting life...

Tue, 18 Apr 2017 09:40:10 -0400

Thank you! Yes, that is a fantastic suggestion. I have read up on her in the past and she is certainly a great candidate. I am also intending on writing up mini-bios on a few Merovingian and Byzantine women that I wrote an essay on recently but it has been a busy period of work and wildlife rescue for me lately! I hope to be back on board properly soon 😊

archaicwonder: Viking Gold and Rock Crystal Pendant, 9th-11th...

Sat, 11 Mar 2017 12:39:44 -0500

archaicwonder:

Viking Gold and Rock Crystal Pendant, 9th-11th Century AD

cuirassier: 13th century Western European nobility,...

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 08:17:07 -0500

cuirassier:

13th century Western European nobility, from”Medieval fashions” by Tom Tierney

Those were the days!