Abstract

This book challenges many assumptions about the aristocratic family, specifically the dominance of patrilineage, primogeniture, and patriarchy. Based on careful analysis of the documents, specifically medieval charters, it offers a new interpretation of medieval family life that emphasizes the affection that bound family members together. Taking a feminist approach, this work rescues women from the margins of history and refutes the characterization of the "male Middle Ages" coined by the noted French medievalist Georges Duby. The book demonstrates the autonomy and influence that women had in ruling lordships, managing households and children, controlling property, and forging key relationships with the medieval church.