Medieval Noblewomen Pushing the Boundaries, session at 27th International Medieval Congress, University of Leeds, July 6–9, 2020

Women frequently had to negotiate the boundaries between society’s expectations and their lived experience – at times working against the roles traditionally ascribed to them. Noblewomen occupied a unique position in society which, arguably, afforded them greater agency and access to power. And yet, they too had to navigate boundaries, often pushing beyond what was perceived to be the norm. Since the latter part of the twentieth century there has been a great expansion in scholarship centered on women and their place in medieval society. Frequently, this has focused on queenship, but it has also extended to studies exploring individual noblewomen, as well as groups of women, using prosopographical methods. This strand of sessions aims to bring together scholars working on medieval noblewomen-to build on and develop the discourse that has developed over the past few decades, ultimately with the aim of building a global network of scholars working in this vibrant area of research.

We invite proposals for 20-minute papers on all aspects of research relating to noblewomen, especially those that take a broad approach. We would welcome papers spanning across the geographical medieval world, as well as across disciplines. Topics could include, but are not limited to

• Noblewomen in society
• The role and involvement of noblewomen in politics and political life
• Women and the law
• Ecclesiastical women and interactions with religious communities
• The role of women in the development of culture
• Women and literature

Session organizers
Harriet Kersey, Canterbury Christ Church University
Charlotte Pickard, Cardiff University, Open University