Week 12: Gender and Reformation

Europe’s Reformations

Childhood

• Childhood: short
• Boy Teenagers drank and got into trouble.
• Girl Teenagers were expected to keep their “honor”
• Marriage:
  • North: 25-30.
  • South & East: 15-23

Women and Property

• Women always treated as minors.
• The Dowry.
• Widowhood.
• Remarriage.

Other Opportunities in Catholicism.

• Convents.
• Vows of Chastity.
• Cloistered life.
• Nuns as Educators.
• Prostitution and Brothels.

Women and the Reformation.

• Women as Leaders of the Reformation.
• Women frequently converted before their husbands.
• Marguerite de Navarre (1492-1549)
• 20% of Canonized saints in 16th-17th c. were women.
• Theresa of Avila (1515-1582)
• Leaders implementing the Catholic Reformation.

The Reformation and Women.

• Closure of convents.
• Elevation of Marriage & Motherhood.
• Consistories and abusive husbands.
• Closure of brothels.
  • 1532: Augsburg
  • The crime became fornication.

Patriarchy in the Age of Confessionalization.

• Protecting religion coincided with keeping order.
• Keeping order took precedence.

The Witch hunts.

• 100,000-200,000 people officially tried for witchcraft
• 40,000-60,000 executed (75-80% women)
• Pact with the Devil.
• Inquisition the most lenient.
• Targeted women not meeting society’s expectations.
  • Willful.
  • Disobedient.
  • Spinnsters.