Gone Medieval Women Crusaders
May 7, 2024
Dr. Natasha Hodgson discusses the hidden history of women in the Crusades with Dr. Eleanor Janega. They shed light on women's diverse roles, motivations, and challenges in medieval expeditions. Exploring figures like Eleanor of Aquitaine and Melisandre of Jerusalem, the podcast reveals the remarkable adventures of medieval pilgrim women and their significant yet overlooked contributions to history.
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Crusader Image Misleads Us
- The modern image of a 'crusader' hides many other participants, especially women.
- Calling medieval travellers 'pilgrims' reveals broader social roles beyond mounted knights.
Women Were Present From The Start
- Women travelled on crusades from the very first expeditions and filled varied roles.
- Knights were a minority; armies included archers, engineers, servants and many women supporting camp life.
Pilgrimage, Penance, And Arms
- Medieval people often called crusade expeditions 'pilgrimages' and framed participation as penance.
- The key legal difference was that crusaders could carry arms, complicating whether armed women counted as crusaders.