English Noblewomen in the Later Middle Ages

The denigration of women in many works of medieval literature and their lack of legal identity for much of their lives have been taken to mean that the noblewoman's role was subordinate and shadowy. Clearly women could not participate in warfare and formal politics. but this does not mean that their role in medieval history was invariably insignificant. What that role was will be examined. . . . (10-11).

Due to the fact that women were seen by the recorders of history in the later Middle Ages as insignificant characters in society, the main sources of that period are far from rich in recording whatever roles that women did play. For that reason, Ward was forced to glean bits and pieces about women's roles from the popular and secondary sources.

Among those sources are the so-called chronicles of the era, which were compiled by writers recording local history, sometimes commissioned by

. . .
s all emphasize the link between the noblewoman and land, a link which was vital because of the way in which land conferred power in the later Middle Ages" (5). Ward admits to gaps in the record which must be inferred. For example, with respect to the role of the noblewoman in marriage, we read that Factors such as beauty and character are occasionally mentioned and are likely to have been under-recorded. There was no place in legal documents and marriage contracts for such information, and the chroniclers who might have made such personal comments rarely did so. [On the other hand,] wills . . . sometimes provide a clue as to the feelings between husband and wife in the nature and distribution of the bequests and the provisions for burial (28). Ward makes the interesting and significant observation that noblewomen played an important role---even in their execution of traditional roles---in giving the society a strong sense of order and continuity. Despite the fact that many marriages were arranged between the families of the couple, and despite the additional fact that political factors weighed heavily in arranging those marriages, the fact remains that when the husband died, the widow inherited property and with that property
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Middle Ages, Ages Ward, Edward II's, Dame Alice, English Wills, Rolls Elizabeth, Bates Editor, Margaret Paston, Widow Lands, middle ages, Ralph Stafford, traditional roles, roles women, women's roles, elizabeth de, de burgh, elizabeth de burgh, calendar patent rolls, marriage contracts, ward makes, women's history, 5 ward, royal legal records, noblewomen middle ages, english noblewomen middle,
Approximate Word count = 1761
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

More Essays on English Noblewomen in the Later Middle Ages