Women in Medieval Scotland

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Queen Margaret of Denmark (1456–86), wife of James III

Women in Medieval Scotland includes all aspects of the lives and status of women between the departure of the Romans from North Britain in the fifth century to the introduction of the Renaissance and Reformation in the early sixteenth century. Medieval Scotland was a patriarchal society, but how exactly patriarchy worked in practice is difficult to discern. A large proportion of the women for whom biographical details survive were members of the royal houses of Scotland. Some of these became important figures. There was only one reigning Scottish Queen in this period, the uncrowned and short-lived Margaret, Maid of Norway (r. 1286–90).

Some girls of noble families were taught in

burghers may have extended to women, but for most women educational opportunities remained extremely limited. Despite this there is evidence of female Gaelic poets. By the Late Middle Ages, Lowland society was probably part of the north-west European marriage model, of life-cycle service, with many young people, both male and female, leaving home to become domestic and agricultural servants, followed by relatively late marriage. Women retained their original surname at marriage and, while many girls from the social elite married in their teens, by the end of the period most in the Lowlands only married after a period of life-cycle service, in their twenties. There was no divorce, but separation from bed and board
was allowed in exceptional circumstances.

In the

anchorites. Mary, mother of Jesus, as the epitome of a wife and mother, was probably an important model for women. Some, usually wives, acting through relatives and husbands as benefactors or property owners connected with local altars and cults of devotion. New cults of devotion connected with Jesus
and Mary, mother of Jesus began to reach Scotland in the fifteenth century.

Status

St Margaret of Scotland
, the first king's wife to be recorded as "queen", from a later genealogy
See also: Scottish society in the Middle Ages

Medieval Scotland was a

Wallace (late 1470s).[3] They were also seen as weaker creatures, morally and physically. Considerable emphasis was placed on their chastity, with "whore" being the most common form of abuse, and their conduct was constrained by the informal sanctions of community gossip, should they step outside of the accepted roles of wife or mother.[4]

Royal women

See also:
List of Scottish consorts

A large proportion of the women for who biographical details survive for the Middle Ages, were members of the royal houses of Scotland, either as princesses or

William I, acted as a mediator, judge in her husband's absence and is the first Scottish queen known to have had her own seal.[7]

Education

See also: Education in Medieval Scotland
Ruins of the Iona Nunnery

Girls of noble families were sometimes taught in nunneries such as

The Book of the Dean of Lismore is notable for containing poetry by at least four women.[11] These include Aithbhreac Nighean Coirceadail (f. 1460), who wrote a lament for her husband, the constable of Castle Sween.[12]

Marriage

See also: Marriage in Scotland

By the late Medieval era, Lowland society was probably part of the north-west European marriage model, of life-cycle service and late marriage, usually in the mid-20s, delayed by the need to acquire the resources needed to be able to form a household.

papal dispensation, which could later be used as grounds for annulment if the marriage proved politically or personally inconvenient, although there was no divorce as such.[16] Separation from bed and board was allowed in exceptional circumstances, usually adultery.[1]

Work

Margaret Tudor, praying before a vision of the Virgin and infant Christ, from Hours of James IV of Scotland, c. 1503
See also: Economy of Scotland in the Middle Ages

In Lowland rural society, as in England, many young people, both male and female, probably left home to become domestic and agricultural servants, as they can be seen doing in large numbers from the sixteenth century.[17] Some women would have been engaged as wet nurses to the children of noble and wealthy Lowland families and the important role of midwife was also reserved for women.[18] In the burghs there were probably high proportions of poor households headed by widows, who survived on casual earnings and the profits from selling foodstuffs or ale.[19] Spinning was an expected part of the daily work of Medieval townswomen of all social classes.[20] In crafts, women could sometimes be apprentices, but they could not join guilds in their own right. However, there are records of many widows continuing in their late husband's craft. Some women worked and traded independently, hiring and training employees, which may have made them attractive as marriage partners.[21]

Religion

See also: Christianity in Medieval Scotland

Scotland had relatively few

Mary of the Snows.[29][30]

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 0199563691
    , p. 273.
  2. ISBN 0199563691
    , p. 274.
  3. ISBN 0748621571
    , p. 175.
  4. ISBN 0748621571
    , pp. 170 and 174.
  5. ISBN 0415291828
    , p. 9.
  6. ISBN 1843832852
    , pp. 63–4.
  7. ISBN 1843832852
    , pp. 66–7.
  8. ISBN 0748621571
    , p. 126.
  9. ^
    ISBN 1-84384-096-0
    , pp. 29–30.
  10. ISBN 1-4464-7-563-8
    , pp. 104–7.
  11. ISBN 1598849646
    , pp. 262–3.
  12. ISBN 1598849646
    , pp. 33–4.
  13. ISBN 0199563691
    , p. 277.
  14. ISBN 0748602763
    , pp. 29–35.
  15. ISBN 0199563691
    , p. 271.
  16. ISBN 0748614559
    , pp. 62–3.
  17. ISBN 0521891671
    , p. 52.
  18. ISBN 0748621571
    , pp. 6–10.
  19. ^ E. Ewen, "An Urban Community: The Crafts in Thirteenth Century Aberdeen" in A. Grant and K. J. Stringer, Medieval Scotland: Crown, Lordship and Community: Essays Presented to G.W.S Barrow (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1998), p. 164.
  20. ^ E. Ewen, "An Urban Community: The Crafts in Thirteenth Century Aberdeen" in A. Grant and K. J. Stringer, Medieval Scotland: Crown, Lordship and Community: Essays Presented to G. W. S. Barrow (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1998), p. 171.
  21. ISBN 1843835622
    , p. 110.
  22. ISBN 0521377978
    , p. 86.
  23. ISBN 074860104X
    , p. 80.
  24. ISBN 1843833867
    , pp. 124–141.
  25. ISBN 1843835207
    , pp. 178–14.
  26. ISBN 1843835622
    , p. 109.
  27. ISBN 1843835622
    , pp. 111–12.
  28. ISBN 0748620222
    , p. 11.
  29. ISBN 1843840960
    , pp. 26–9.
  30. ISBN 033363358X
    , p. 147.

External links

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