Women's Monasticism and Medieval Society: Nunneries in France and England, 890-1215
"Venarde provides a lucid survey of the mundane motivations of the founders, members, protectors, and critics of nunneries in France and England during the central Middle Ages. . . . He is the first to chart the volume and pattern of foundation of nunneries over several centuries. . . . Venarde shows that the noblewomen who made up the majority of nuns during the period of most rapid expansion (1080–1170) often were looking for alternatives to marriage and/or were being protected by their families. Nuns and the founders and patrons of their houses came from the very same petty nobility that benefited most from the contemporary growth of the rural economy and fragmentation of political power."—Choice"Venarde's 'group portrait' of female religious houses is convincing, with appropriate regional and temporal nuances. At times, the research . . . produces unexpected conclusions. . . . An original and informative approach to the development of religious life, not just of women but by implication of men as well."—Catholic Historical Review"Bruce Venarde's clearly written analysis of both English and continental material for the history of women's monasticism has given us a clearer picture of the complex relationship between monasteries for men and those for women, their institutional development and expansion, and the causes for the decline of new monastic foundations in the thirteenth century."—History"Venarde provides a detailed study of the origins and foundation of women's monasteries in fifteen dioceses during the tenth through thirteenth centuries. . . . Venarde has made an invaluable contribution to the study of medieval women by providing us with fundamental, long-awaited data ."—Speculum"The author's database is a statistical goldmine. The text is also well-researched an provides a very impressive insight into the foundations of many communities. . . A different approach."—Ann Kessler, American Benedictine Review. December, 1999."In this timely contribution to the history of women's monasticism, Bruce L. Venarde has discovered information about the feminine experience previously thought to be unavailable. . . . A very original book."—Constance B. Bouchard, University of Akron