Leadership in Medieval English Nunneries (Studies in the History of Medieval Religion)

This book is an examination of the late medieval English nunnery superior as a power broker. Based primarily upon historical records of sixteen female houses in the period from 1280 to 1540, it addresses leadership models, questions of social identity and varying perceptions of the role and performance of the abbess or prioress. Whether leading an abbey or priory, the superior discharged responsibility for both the spiritual and economic care of her convent in an era notable for the subjugation of females and for its schizoid view of their physical and spiritual attributes. The discussion is informed by a large range of documentary evidence, including selections from episcopal registers, account rolls, plea rolls, Chancery documents, letters, petitions, medieval literature and comparative material from additional nunneries. The theme of conflict recurs throughout, as religious women are revealed steering their communities between the directives of the church and! the demands of their budgets or their secular neighbours. The Dissolution and its effects on the morale and behaviour of the last superiors conclude the study.