Analysis Of The Social Status Of The English Noblewomen During The11-15th Century

This thesis primarily studies the social status of the British noblewomen during the11-15th century. Aims to analyze inheritance and marriage, political status and legalrights and costumes (which indicating social status was materialized spiritual necessities)to explore the evolution trend of women’s social status in this special period.The body of thesis consists of four parts:First, it summarizes British society during the11-12th century, providing historicalbackground to the change of the British noblewomen’s social status in this period.British established guarded feudal hierarchy, after the Norman Conquest. Medievalpolitics is the politics of nobility. The church is fully integrated into the orbit offeudalism, turning into one of the largest feudal lords. So it is more involved in thefeudal affairs, and plays a characteristic influence to the British society. Economicchanges occur, which brings to the appearance of currency rent, commercialdevelopment and urban revival.Second, through inheritance and marriage, political status and legal rights andClothing styles and dress of The Romanesque period, analyze British noblewomen’ssocial status of the11-12th century. In the condition of the men’s priority inherited,daughters inherited the land is not widespread. Child marriage is still in closelymonitoring the family authority, can not escape the arrangements of feudal lords also.Women can not enjoy any legitimate public rights, can not hold any public office, cannot enjoy equal rights to men. Costume of the Romanesque era is thick and closed.Shape is Stiffness. It does not reveal the body. The veil hanging from head almostcovers up the body. Women’s clothing is almost in learning man’s dress up and styles,till the late Romanesque, when began to tighten the waist, highlighting women’s bodyand curves, which is a precursor to clothing displaying sex.Third, it summarizes the development in political, economic and religious ofBritish society during the13-15th century. Currency rent eventually occupies leadership.Serfdom collapses. The new citizens become part of nobility. With the integration andinteraction of various social strata, class gap narrowing, the characteristics of the British feudal hierarchy are fading. Papal authority beyond vulgar reached its apogee in the13th century, but rapid decline in the14th century. With the decline of the church andthe loosening of the ideological shackles, humanism and human consciousness isdreamily put on the development agenda.Forth, analyze the development and change of the social status of English aristocratwomen of13-15th century. Under limited inheritance system, women have moreopportunities to become heir. The widow inherited her husband property of1/3fixed inthe form of law. Some of the rights of women have improved, the widow enjoy all thelegal autonomy. In Fourteenth Century, women’s clothing began to bare flesh——thecoat cote hardi. Male and female clothing appearance began to have their differentaesthetic standards. Religious color gradual abdication from the clothing, humanityreversion emerged.