Vita of Life of Leoba: Gender Roles during the Charlemagne Dynasty The Carolingian hagiography “Life of Leoba,” written by Rudolf of Fulda, exemplified gender relations in early medieval Frankish culture and society. Rudolf of Fulda in the vita of Leoba depicted the expected roles of women during the ninth century. The main purpose of Rudolf’s vita was to prove Leoba's worthiness of sainthood and to set a precedent for all Christian women to follow; furthermore, through overcoming the patriarchy of the ninth century, the “Life of Leoba” reflected the ideas, values, and relationships of early medieval society. The model values of a Christian women, the treatment towards women, and the ways women gained authority, influence, and individual freedom
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The rules and disciplines were strictly enforced; to illustrate, once a woman entered a convent, she was required by law to stay there until her death (Rudolf 259). Margaret Cotter-Lynch, author of Reading Leoba, stated, “Rudolf’s ideals concerning religious women’s behavior seem to align with the official positions of the ninth-century Carolingian church after the Benedictine reforms: religious women are to be strictly cloistered, focused on internal piety and prayer, with very limited if any engagement with either the ecclesiastical or secular worlds beyond the covent’s walls” (14). Women were not permitted to enter the monastery of the monks, likewise the monks were not permitted to enter the nun’s monastery except for rare occasions (Rudolf 259). Women were viewed as property; accordingly, parents often gave their daughters to monasteries to praise and honor God. To illustrate, Aebba, Leoba's mother, gave her to a monastery to thank the Lord for granting her the ability to conceive a child (Rudolf 262). Women rarely were recognized in the public eye; therefore, when Leoba performed miracles, they were kept secret by the Church for a long period of time until the word of her virtue and miracles spread by way of mouth. It could be inferred that the Church concealed the glory of the Lord because Leoba was a …show more content…
The Carolingian society highly valued dedication and servitude to God; thus, Rudolf wrote about the holy virgin Leoba to set the standard for how pious Christian women should behave and the values expected from them. Women in positions of authority during the ninth century Carolingian dynasty were rare and restricted to the most holy and virtuous women of God. Leoba was given authority socially and religiously. Through the vita Life of Leoba, the treatment of women, the model values of a Christian woman, and the ways women gained authority, influence, and individual freedom reflected the ideas, values, and relationships of early medieval society. Leoba’s dedication to learning, wide spread influence, and miracles showed monks and other male leaders were willing to testify to the magnitude and wide-spread power of holy women during medieval times; additionally, they testified to Leoba's place as a saint and as the handmaid of
The rules and disciplines were strictly enforced; to illustrate, once a woman entered a convent, she was required by law to stay there until her death (Rudolf 259). Margaret Cotter-Lynch, author of Reading Leoba, stated, “Rudolf’s ideals concerning religious women’s behavior seem to align with the official positions of the ninth-century Carolingian church after the Benedictine reforms: religious women are to be strictly cloistered, focused on internal piety and prayer, with very limited if any engagement with either the ecclesiastical or secular worlds beyond the covent’s walls” (14). Women were not permitted to enter the monastery of the monks, likewise the monks were not permitted to enter the nun’s monastery except for rare occasions (Rudolf 259). Women were viewed as property; accordingly, parents often gave their daughters to monasteries to praise and honor God. To illustrate, Aebba, Leoba's mother, gave her to a monastery to thank the Lord for granting her the ability to conceive a child (Rudolf 262). Women rarely were recognized in the public eye; therefore, when Leoba performed miracles, they were kept secret by the Church for a long period of time until the word of her virtue and miracles spread by way of mouth. It could be inferred that the Church concealed the glory of the Lord because Leoba was a …show more content…
The Carolingian society highly valued dedication and servitude to God; thus, Rudolf wrote about the holy virgin Leoba to set the standard for how pious Christian women should behave and the values expected from them. Women in positions of authority during the ninth century Carolingian dynasty were rare and restricted to the most holy and virtuous women of God. Leoba was given authority socially and religiously. Through the vita Life of Leoba, the treatment of women, the model values of a Christian woman, and the ways women gained authority, influence, and individual freedom reflected the ideas, values, and relationships of early medieval society. Leoba’s dedication to learning, wide spread influence, and miracles showed monks and other male leaders were willing to testify to the magnitude and wide-spread power of holy women during medieval times; additionally, they testified to Leoba's place as a saint and as the handmaid of