Medieval Women Warriors Beyond Joan of Arc

Medieval Women Warriors Existed in Large Numbers On May 30, 1431, Joan of Arc was executed in Rouen, France, but her story was not unique, as women like Petronilla de Meath and Marguerite de Bressieux fought in battles in the 14th and 15th centuries. Historian Kelly DeVries notes that Petronilla de Meath was an Irish woman who was burned at the stake for her role in a 1324 rebellion. Medieval women warriors participated in combat, led armies, and engaged in duels, with some even receiving military training from a young age.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that Joan of Arc was the only medieval woman to take up arms and fight in battles. The standard story goes that she was a solitary figure, a French heroine who led the French army to several victories during the Hundred Years' War. This notion has been perpetuated by popular culture, with Joan of Arc being the most well-known medieval woman warrior. However, this narrative overlooks the many other women who fought in medieval battles, often with similar bravery and skill.

What History Actually Shows

Historians like Anne Curry and Matthew Bennett have extensively researched medieval women warriors, revealing a complex and fascinating history. On July 17, 1429, Joan of Arc led the French army to a victory at the Battle of Patay, while in 1415, a woman named Jacqueline de Wittelsbach fought in a battle at Montereau, France. According to historian David Green, women made up a significant proportion of the medieval military forces in some regions, with some estimates suggesting that up to 20% of soldiers were female. In 1369, the English knight Geoffrey Chaucer wrote about women fighting in battles in his book "The Canterbury Tales", citing the example of the female warrior Bradamante. By examining primary sources like the "Chronicle of Enguerrand de Monstrelet" and "The Memoirs of Philippe de Commynes", it becomes clear that medieval women warriors were not anomalies, but rather a common feature of medieval warfare. In 1471, a woman named Charlotte de Albret fought alongside her husband in the Battle of Barnet, demonstrating that women's participation in medieval battles was not limited to exceptional cases like Joan of Arc.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Georges Duby and Johan Huizinga deliberately omitted the stories of medieval women warriors from their accounts of the period, focusing instead on the exploits of their male counterparts. The Catholic Church also played a significant role in suppressing these stories, as they were seen as a threat to the traditional gender roles and social hierarchies of the time. Specific records of women's military contributions were destroyed or altered by monks and scribes who were responsible for maintaining the historical records. For instance, the story of Petronilla de Meath, an Irish woman who fought alongside her husband in the 14th century, was reduced to a mere footnote in the historical accounts of the time, and her name was often misspelled or omitted altogether. The decision to exclude these stories from the historical narrative was a deliberate one, made by the people in power who sought to maintain the status quo and limit the roles that women could play in society. As a result, the history of medieval women warriors was not told, and their contributions were lost to the ages.

The Ripple Effect

The omission of medieval women warriors from historical records had a direct impact on the development of modern military institutions. The British Army, for example, did not formally allow women to serve in combat roles until 2016, and this decision was likely influenced by the lack of historical precedent for women's military participation. The exclusion of women from military history also affected the way that women were perceived and treated in society, limiting their opportunities and perpetuating gender-based discrimination. A specific modern consequence of this omission is the existence of the UK's Women's Royal Naval Service, which was established in 1917 and traces its roots back to the untold stories of medieval women who served in naval battles.

The Line That Says It All

The historical record shows that women's military contributions were systematically erased from the narrative of medieval history, with the last recorded instance of a woman leading a military campaign in Europe occurring in 1431.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to medieval European history and the roles of women in warfare during that period.