the condition-of-women-in-the-middle-ages-

THE CONDITION OF WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE AGES

CHURCH They should obey their husbands

TWO DIFFERENTIDEAS ABOUT

WOMEN

They should be pure and holy like the Virgin Mary

They could not be trusted and were a moral danger to men like Eve

MARRIAGE The single most important event in the lives of men and women

Family Decision because of financial reasons.

Husband = Woman`s master.

Disobedient wife beaten

BIRTHEvery wife

from 20 until 40

first duty was to give

her husband a children,

preferably a SON.Producing children

was dangerous

and exhausting

When “her” lord was away she had other responsabilities:

She was in charge of the manor & the village lands.

She was in charge of all the servants, villagers, the harvest & the animals.

She had to defend the mannor if it was attacked.

Run the household, welcome visitors, store enough food for winter.

She was expected to have enough knowledge of herbs and plants to make suitable medicines for those who were sick.

Most women were peasants

They worked in the fields, looked after the children, the animals, made home made food (cheese) and grew vegetables.

Animals share the family shelter . The family home was dark and smelly.

A woman`s condition improved if her husband died.

She could get control of the money her family had.

But, she had to marry again:

It was difficult to look after a land without the help of a man.

Men wanted widow`s lands.