Women in the Middle Ages – roles and rights.
Women in modern Medieval Festivals (foto: Mihai Plămădeală)
Between the 5th and the 15th century, women played several roles in society: wife, mother, peasant, craftswoman, noble, queen, mother, even byzantine Empress, if we think Irene of Athens. Following the concils in 441 and 553, from Orange and Orleans, being a priest or a bishop were dignities reserved for men, but after the development of monasticims in western Europe, the option to be a monk, even abbot, was available also for women, thus giving them the possibility to escape marriage and procreation. In modern medieval festivals, women have the right to do whatever men do, provided they wish and can.
