Everyday life, clothing, education, marriage and more… What do you think differentiated the women of the Middle Ages from the women of today?
“Good thing I’m not living in that era!” Let’s look at how life flowed for the women of the Dark Ages.
The daily life of medieval women was in some ways similar to the life of today’s women, but in other ways it was quite extraordinary.
Most medieval people made a living from agriculture and animal husbandry, and women were just as busy with these jobs as men. In addition, women were responsible for teaching their children to read and write, and all the household chores were on them.
However, during the period, besides the housewives, there were also writers, craftsmen, spinners, jewelers, parchment makers, glove makers and painters. A woman named Margery Kempe even ran a brewery and later a horse mill, using horses to grind corn.
Also, in the Middle Ages, education for women was nonexistent, but in a very minority. Because only the nobility and women belonging to religious orders had access to this opportunity. This education was not just about reading and writing. It was also possible for them to learn housework and sewing and embroidery.
The marriage age of these women was quite low.
In this period, it was quite common for the nobles, who attached great importance to the continuation of the line, to marry from the age of 12, and younger girls could be engaged legally by proxy. Those who were going to marry could not choose their spouses, especially if they were from upper-class families.
Women in the West could travel as they wished and work outside the home. So there was no such thing as staying home. A male companion was given to the woman who was going to travel so that she would not be alone when it came to various dangers on the roads. These companions were not necessarily their husbands, either.
In addition to this situation, the beauty standards of medieval women were also rather strange compared to today.
For example, French and Flemish noblewomen voluntarily plucked even the hair on their foreheads, thus aiming to gain an extraordinary appearance.
Christian women often wore a veil over their hair or tied a thin and aesthetically pleasing piece of cloth, similar to a headscarf. When it comes to clothing, their styles, which were different from today, attracted a great deal of attention.
At that time, clothing was still fairly ordinary, and women wore a linen dress similar to a nightgown. At that time, wearing underwear was not common and was not used much. They usually wore an ankle-length tunic and another dress over it. Belts were never missing either.
Also, the clothes of that time did not have any pockets, and women wore a drawstring bag around their waist. Again, the mantle was one of their most common garments. In fact, these jackets almost resembled a cloak, as they were made of felted wool and fur-style materials rather than a coat.
Let’s come to the subject of hygiene, which is very curious about the dark age.
Whether or how often women took a shower during the Middle Ages is one of the biggest questions that comes to mind. There is no evidence of taking a shower at that time, but it is also confirmed by some sources that the wealthy used the bathroom and the poor used buckets and brushes. Accordingly, it is possible to say that bathing is rarely done.
The high birth rate at that time also meant that women had far fewer menstrual cycles than they should have. But to a greater or lesser extent, this was of course unavoidable, and the women used whatever cloth they could find and marsh moss, known for its special absorbency, for this purpose.
Of course, there were also women who left their mark during this period.
Known to have lived in the 15th century, French Jeanne d’Arc was an example of a woman who defyed medieval norms, and thanks to her, VII. Charles became king of France. In fact, the French army had entered the war under Jeanne’s command. However, after a certain time, he was accused of heresy and was burned at the stake.
In addition, Christine de Pisan and Julian of Norwich were well-known writers of the period and were known to be strong advocates of women’s equality. You can also see the pages of a book by Jeanne de Montbaston in the image above.
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