Litigating Women: Gender and Justice in Europe, c.1300-c.1800

This edited collection explores the experiences of litigating women across premodern Europe, highlighting continuities and intersections in their experiences of justice. Drawing on archival research from various regions, it is a valuable resource for students and scholars interested in legal studies and gender in medieval and early modern Europe.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 252 pages
Publication date: 31 December 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This edited collection, penned by both established and emerging scholars, unveils the lived experiences of women litigants across premodern Europe, while also providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of research in this ever-expanding field. Each chapter delves into the motivations and strategies of women who engaged in legal action in a diverse array of courts, ranging from local rural and urban courts to ecclesiastical courts and the highest jurisdictions of crown and parliament. Collectively, the emphasis on individual women litigants, rather than how women were defined by legal systems, underscores the enduring similarities in their encounters with justice, while also highlighting the unique and intersecting factors that shaped each woman's negotiation of the courts. Spanning a broad chronology and a wide range of contexts, these studies offer a valuable insight into the practices and priorities of the numerous courts under examination, extending beyond our focus on women litigants.

Drawing upon archival research from England, Scotland, Ireland, France, the Low Countries, Central and Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia, Litigating Women serves as an invaluable resource for students and scholars engaged in the study of legal history and gender in medieval and early modern Europe.

Weight: 420g
Dimension: 154 x 235 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367230289