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Marvellous Medieval Matriarchs
If you
thought that what women did during the middle ages was... yawn...sewed
and cooked a lot... well, see what you think after this!
One way or another, many women in the medieval period lived wild and
fascinating lives. The links below will get you exploring the lives of women during the period of the crusades.
There is amazing variation in the lives experienced. Surf to search, then answer the
questions that are below each link.
The-Armoury |
The-Throne-Room | Amazon-of-The-Crusaders
| Queen-of the-Egyptian-Army
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Shagrat
(or Shajarat) al-Durr: Queen of the Egyptian Army - Women who were
'powers behind the throne' are always
fascinating. But those who move out of the shadows to sit on the
throne itself can be even more so. Read about
Shagrat
al-Durr, who
took upon herself the title of Sultan, and regrouped the Egyptian army
to take Damietta back from the Frankish Crusaders.
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Question
| Shagrat
al-Durr became an Islamic Sultan and was the
Queen of the Egyptian Army. However she was
eventually fired from this position by the
Caliph of Baghdad. What common Islamic attitude
or idea was reinforced when Shagrat's was dismissed from her position
of Sultan?
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Eleanor
of Aquitaine: Amazon of the Crusaders
- Eleanor of Aquitaine was a powerful
personality in feudal Europe. It
has been said that Queen Eleanor
appeared at a cathedral in Vézelay (France) dressed like an Amazon galloping through the
crowds on a white horse, urging them to join the crusades. She
certainly went. Discover
her story!
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Question
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Eleanor of Aquitaine
married Louis VII, King of France at the age of 15 . I guess being
the Queen of France is pretty good reason for some fame, but this alone is not why Eleanor is
famous. Why is Eleanor of Aquitaine remembered?
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The
Throne Room
- Though women were often used as pawns in the medieval political
arena, not all women allowed their political abilities to go to waste.
Read about those who lived a political life here!
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Question
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Women did involve themselves
in politics in Medieval Europe, but generally needed to be of a
certain political and social class. What class would a woman need to
be from to do this? Why? What type of political activity did these women
generally engage in and why this and not other types of activity?
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| The
Armoury
- Some Medieval women were soldiers. As commanders, defenders,
or
mercenaries, women made their mark on medieval warfare. However...there
was something unique about why women
warriors were feared... |
Question
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Many
women fighters
were included in the ranks of both mercenary and national armies. They
were sometimes feared more than men. Why
were they feared?
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