Class notes
Saints, Witches. and Madwomen
- Course
- HIST336 (HIST336)
- Institution
- University Of Nebraska - Lincoln
Notes August-October for HIST/WMNS336
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26 August 2024Saints, Witches, & Madwomen
Research project
- Topic due 9/29
- Any issue related to women/gender/sex
- Scope 400ce-1800ce
- Bibliography due 11/10
- 9-10 secondary sources
- 2-3 primary sources
- Final draft due 12/10
- Any form except a research paper
28 August 2024
Barbarian Queens
❖ Foundations: The Roman Empire
➢ Mediterranean power, 44BCE-476CE
■ Official religion: christianity after 380 CE
➢ Did not entirely conquer European continent
■ Germanic kingdoms prevailed
■ Rome formed political alliances; marriage a tool
➢ Romans and Germanic people co-existed
■ Most kingdoms do NOT convert
■ Maintain traditional beliefs, rituals, and customs
❖ The state of the world, 500CE
➢ The Roman Empire - 1000BCE-476CE
■ The west collapses → germanic people dominate
■ The east survives → byzantine empire
➢ Cultural, religious uniformity ends
■ Proto French, German, Slavic languages
■ Variety of Germanic religions
■ Tribal law (what stands as a law in one community may not be in
the next) vs. Civic law (puts order above everything else. Calm and
equal protection) - what’s the problem?
➢ Europe feels dark, chaotic, and violent
❖ The Germanic People
➢ Refers to a language and culture NOT a nation/kingdom
➢ Practiced non-uniform pagan religions
■ Emphasis on fertility, divine femininity
■ Heavy animism; divine qualities of nature (worshipping what the
animal represents, spirit animals)
, ■ Polytheistic: many minor supernatural beings
■ Cyclical vs. Linear understanding of time
● Cyclical being a continuing cycle (life, death, rebirth…)
➢ Warrior-based societies
■ Right by conquest
❖ Women and Marriage
➢ The dowry - “the wedding gift”
■ Roman - brought in by the bride
■ Germanic - brought in by the groom
➢ Marriageable age - men always older
■ Roman - average 18
■ Germanic - average 20
➢ Wives became the property of their husband
■ Divorce availability varied dramatically
❖ Marriage and peacemaking
➢ Many competing tribes vying for control
■ Every leader wanted it ALL
■ Marriage alliances seem straightfoward
➢ Tribal consolidation = kingdoms
■ Stringest man wins power
■ Married the daughter of his rival
➢ Primary role of the queen?
■ Birth as many heirs as possible - why?
❖ The Franks
➢ Germanic tribes living along northern frontier of Roman Empire
■ Frequently raided Roman territories
■ Romanized around the 3rd century
➢ Divided into two major groups
■ Salian Franks - made treaties with Romans
■ Rhineland Franks - fought with the Romans
➢ Saloan Franks married to the Romans
■ Blended Roman and Frankish culture
❖ Conversion to Christianity
➢ Begins 315CE, stalls after 400CE
■ Roman church sends Bishops; gets bloody
■ Why might the Franks resist conversion?
➢ Church targets Frankish king
■ Minor kings nominally convert
➢ Church loses land and influence
➢ Rise of Clovis, King of the Salian Franks
■ HATES Christianity
, ❖ Clovis I, c. 466-511
➢ Very sucessful ruler, warrior-king
➢ Consolidated and conquered most of Francia
■ The Bishops HATED him - why?
■ Raided and pillaged churches
■ He intends to rule it all
➢ 493CE, marries Clotilde
■ Part of a peace negotiation
■ She is a Christian before they marry
4 September 2024
Daughter-Wife-Mother-Widow
❖ Wergeld and Women
➢ Wergeld = man price/gold”
■ Price for harming/killing people
■ Paid to the families of the victims
■ Restitution and a deterrent
➢ Assessing the values of women
■ Pre-menopausal women > men – why?
■ Pregnant women > non-pregnant women – why?
■ Wergelds for rape – why?
❖ Lady Troublemaker
➢ Women were to be: silent, obedient, peaceful, and chaste
■ When they break the law -> house arrest (not enforced)
■ Mosy of the laws concerned women’s sexuality – why?
➢ Marrying men without approval
■ Having sex without permission/approval
➢ Buying, making, distributing love potions/spells
■ Frowned upon; not yet punishable by death
➢ Fighting in battle alongside med
■ A woman should always submit to a man, right?
❖ Warrior Women
➢ Sometimes reviled, sometimes beloved
■ When is it okay for women to fight like men?
➢ Germanic/Norse stories filled with warrior women
■ Byrnhild -> brutal, violent, and effective
■ Evoking violence to avoid unwanted marriage
➢ In reality many Germanic and Norse women did fight
■ Encouraged to stop after they converted to Christianity BUT
, ➢ Christian narrative FILLED with warrior women – what does this
mean?
Daughter
❖ Whats age got to do with it?
➢ Birth to 12 years old
■ First year the most dangerous – why?
■ Infant mortality around 50%
➢ Early childhood; 2-7 years old
■ Accompanied mother; older women
■ Play? Yes! What types of toys and games?
➢ Youth-adolescence; 7-12
■ Training for adulthood
■ Learning a trade/skill (boys)
■ Learning domestic duties (girls)
❖ Social obligations
➢ Experience, duties, obligations vary
➢ Social classes in the Middle Ages
■ Those who work → peasants
■ Those who pray → clergy/nuns
■ Those who fight/rule → nobility
■ Also, merchant families; wealth without royal blood
➢ ALL classes valued obedience above all else
➢ Which social group afforded women with the most autonomy ->
peasants
❖ Peasant girls
➢ Serfs, farmers, merchants, and tradesmen
➢ Girls and boys valued for their contribution
■ Boys trained in family business/trade
■ Girls raised to be helpmates for future family
■ Some girls hired out as domestic servants
➢ Marriages arranged by families
■ Dowries supplied by bride’s family
■ Bride gets some say
■ Marriage tended to be more equal
❖ Noble Girls
➢ Daughters of the nobility; kings, dukes, counts
➢ Daughters born after sons always welcomed
■ Daughters born before can create conflict
➢ Noble girls raised to be wives of noblemen
■ Some education; lessons in behavior
➢ Marriages arranged early; around 10-12
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