Christine de Pizan: Medieval "Feminist" & Writer

Christine de Pizan (c. 1364 - 1430) was one of the most influential writers and commentators of medieval France during the turn of the fifteenth century. She wrote on politics and society and we would consider her a feminist of her day, as she wrote several works advocating for women of all classes--sort of. She wrote on inspiring women in her own time period, in history, and mythology.

Christine was well-connected and knew the French royal family personally. She was commissioned by kings, queens, dukes, and other important personages throughout France and Europe to write for them. She is unequivocally the most influential woman writer of her day, and is generally considered the first woman in European history to make her profession from writing.

*Apologies for the audio issues in the final 12 minutes of the episode. We tried to fix them as best we could.

SHOWNOTES

• 1:22 Jackie Intro
• 1:58 Who was Christine?
• 2:33 “She is unequivocally the most influential writer of her day”
• 3:05 History according to AI
• 4:51 Christine’s parents and childhood
• 8:11 Before the Louvre was a sprawling museum it was a medieval castle!
• 9:13 More about Christine’s childhood
• 10:30 Christine’s marriage
• 12:36 Christine’s husband and children
• 13:06 “Marriage is the ideal state between men and women as long as men treat their wives as perfect companions”
• 14:00 Tragedy and hardship
• 16:59 Christine’s widowhood
• 17:31 “Grief is the same throughout the ages”
• 24:21 Christine becomes a writer
• 28:19 Becoming a voice for women
• 29:55 Chivalry
• 33:10 Christine as royal biographer
• 35:37 A work of self-reflection
• 37:53 Christine as a political commentator
• 41:25 “The Book of the City of Ladies”
• 43:16 “The Treasure of the City of Ladies”
• 46:55 Christine’s book on warfare
• 52:56 Christine’s retirement
• 54:30 Christine’s accounts of Joan of Arc
• 57:00 Bibliography

The Order of the Rose: The Life & Ideas of Christine de Pizan by Enid McLeod

The Book of the City of Ladies by Christine de Pizan

The Treasure of the City of Ladies by Christine de Pizan

Christine's other works may be a bit more difficult to find in print, but should be available in university libraries. Check out https://worldcat.org/

The Book of Deeds and Arms of Chivalry by Christine de Pizan

The Book of Deeds and Good Morals of the Wise King Charles V by Christine de Pizan

The Book of Peace by Christine de Pizan

The Book of the Body Politic by Christine de Pizan

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