Although numerous studies of medieval women and a number of biographies of medieval queens and noblewomen have appeared in recent years, comparatively few studies have sought to combine biographical and prosopographical approaches in order to develop portraits of specific women in order to highlight different life experiences of medieval women. The individual chapters can be read as separate histories of their specific subjects as well as case studies which together provide a coherent picture of the medieval English noblewoman.

Mitchell takes a regional approach in exploring the lives of families in the Middle Ages. Starting with the late Roman families the first five chapters explore the roles of family members defined by tradition and law, what constituted a legal marriage and a family, to whom the children belonged, and who was included in the extended family. The remaining chapters delve into daily family life - homes of various social classes and the division of labor, both maintaining the home and family-based labor such as agriculture, banking, manufacturing of goods, and mercantile activity. Religious cultures of the medieval world varied but all often included oblation of children to monasteries, religious ceremonies for life stages, and family obligations in the religious culture. Birth, death and inheritance all affected the family and new families were often formed from previous generations and "defunct" family lines. Non-traditional families included family structures advocated by heretical groups - the Cathars and the Beguines, families created without marriage - concubinage relationships, and those that developed as a result of social and environmental stresses - the Black Death, war, and natural disasters. Perfect for students studying the Middle Ages and medieval life, this work provides a clear and engaging narrative on the day-to-day lives of the family. Reference resources include a timeline, sources for further reading, photographs and an index. Volumes in the Family Life Through History series focus on the day-to-day lives and roles of families. The roles of all family members are defined and information on daily family life, the role of the family in society, and the ever-changingdefinition of the term family' are discussed. Discussion of the nuclear family, single parent homes, foster and adoptive families, stepfamilies, and gay and lesbian families are included where appropriate. Topics such as meal planning, homes, entertainment and celebrations, are discussed along with larger social issues that originate in the home like domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and divorce. Ideal for students and general readers alike, books in this series bring the history of everyday people to life.

First published in 1999. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Essays written by specialists in their respective fields cover a range of topics unmatched in depth and breadth by any other introductory text. Depictions of women in literature and art, women in the medieval urban landscape, and the issue of women's relation to definitions of deviance and otherness all receive particular attention.

This collection of essays, whose title echoes that of her most well-known book, celebrates the career of Barbara A. Hanawalt, emerita George III Professor of British Studies at The Ohio State University. The volume's contents -- ranging from politics to family histories, from intimate portraits to extensive prosopographies -- are authored by both former students and career-long colleagues and friends, and reflect the wide range of topics on which Professor Hanawalt has written as well as her varied methodological approaches and disciplinary interests. The essays also mirror the variety of sources Professor Hanawalt has utilized in her work: public documents of the law courts and chancery; private deeds, charters, and wills; works of both religious and secular literature. The collection not only illustrates and reinforces the influence of Barbara Hanawalt's work on modern-day medieval studies, it is also a testament to her inspiring friendship and guidance during a career that has now spanned more than three decades.

This volume provides a selection of primary documents from medieval England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, thereby enabling readers to directly access information about life long ago in the region. Voices of Medieval England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales: Contemporary Accounts of Daily Life provides a broad selection of primary documents that are appropriate in level and content for a variety of readers. It includes dozens of primary document excerpts that illustrate important elements of daily life during the medieval period. Each document is accompanied by an introduction that supplies relevant historical background, context points to help readers evaluate the document, a description of the results and consequences of the document, and a "Further Information" section listing important print and electronic resources as well as any relevant films or television programs. Covering an important curricular topic, this book provides extensive contextual material along with guidance to help students read documents. Additionally, it serves to support Common Core State Standards by helping students develop critical thinking skills through document analysis.

Although numerous general studies of medieval women and a number of biographies of medieval queens have appeared in recent years, there have been comparatively few studies that combine biographical and prosopographical methodologies in order to develop portraits of specific women as case studies of the different life experiences of medieval women. The individual chapters can be read as separate histories of their specific subjects as well as case studies which together provide a coherent picture of the medieval English noblewoman.

Heir to an earldom, and wife and widow of William de Valence (half-brother of King Henry III), Joan de Valence was an important actor in the volatile political world of thirteenth-century England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Yet, astonishingly, her story of survival, perseverance, and influence has never been told until now. Joan de Valence: The Life and Influence of a Thirteenth-Century Noblewoman draws on archival research, as well as tools of historical analysis and gender studies, to peel back the layers of this remarkable noblewoman's life. From her survival of the wars between king and baronage at mid-century to her life as a widow and magnate of the realm, the story of Joan de Valance, as Mitchell argues, exemplifies the range of experiences of noblewomen during the middle ages.

Heir to an earldom, and wife and widow of William de Valence (half-brother of King Henry III), Joan de Valence was an important actor in the volatile political world of thirteenth-century England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Yet, astonishingly, her story of survival, perseverance, and influence has never been told until now. Joan de Valence: The Life and Influence of a Thirteenth-Century Noblewoman draws on archival research, as well as tools of historical analysis and gender studies, to peel back the layers of this remarkable noblewoman's life. From her survival of the wars between king and baronage at mid-century to her life as a widow and magnate of the realm, the story of Joan de Valance, as Mitchell argues, exemplifies the range of experiences of noblewomen during the middle ages.