Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index


  • Record Number: 5731
  • Author(s)/Creator(s): Klassen , John M.
  • Contributor(s):
  • Title: The Challenge of Marriage through the Eyes of a Fifteenth Century Noble Woman
  • Source: Husitství-Reformace-Renesance. Sborník K 60. narozeninám Frantis?ka S?mahela.  Edited by Jaroslav Pánek, Miloslav Polívka, and Noemi Rejchrtová in collaboration with Jaroslav Boubín and Jaroslav LáníkPráce Historického Ústavu Cav Opera Instituti Historici Pragae.  Historicky ustav, 1994.  Pages 649 - 660.
  • Description:
  • Article Type: Essay
  • Subject (See Also): Bohemia Dowries Family Husbands Letters Marriage Noble Women Perchta of Rozmberk, Wife of John Lichtenstejn Sexuality Wives
  • Award Note:
  • Geographic Area: Eastern Europe
  • Century: 15
  • Primary Evidence:
  • Illustrations:
  • Table:
  • Abstract: Perchta of Rozmberk's (1429-1476) correspondence offers a look into the soul of an individual woman as well as into the dynamics of late medieval aristocratic marriage. Finding herself a virtual captive in a disastrous marriage, she took control over her own fate by writing a stream of letters to her father and brothers. In the process she describes her unhappiness and reflects the expectations a woman had for personal respect, love and sexual relations in marriage. Her letters also illustrate how affection between daughter and father, and sister and brothers eventually influenced the males to reduce political and material goals in marriage strategies and pay more attention to the wishes of the daughter or sister. [Abstract submitted by the author to the Medieval Feminist Index.]
  • Related Resources:
  • Author's Affiliation: Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia
  • Conference Info: - , -
  • Year of Publication: 1994.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN/ISBN: 8085268337