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Female Roles in Medieval Scandinavia MARKÉTA PODOLSKÁ Department of Germanic Studies, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague Time and Place: Norway 1280-1320

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Female Roles in Medieval Scandinavia MARKÉTA PODOLSKÁ Department of Germanic Studies, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague Time and Place: Norway 1280-1320 Female Roles in medieval Scandinavia MARKÉTA PODOLSKÁ Department of Germanic Studies, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague Time and place: Norway 1280-1320 some basic demographic characteristics: Vágar population – excluding the sidelands (Iceland…) -> maximum for medieval Norway before the plague 343 000, less tnat 10 % in cities BENEDICTOW „Demography“. In: Medieval Scandnavia. p. 124) Trondheim Hamar Bergen Oslo Tønsberg Sarpsborg Oslo around 1300, Stavanger Skien Keller. Marstrand Konghelle Age structure, life expectancy Norway Mikulčice 9th century Place e Period 0 Age % Age % Frösön 17,7 1070-1350 0-14 42,5-50 0-14 39,4 Mære 23,0 1100-1550 15-19 10 15-49 57,3 Sola 21,5 Middle Ages 20-39 25 50+ 3,3 Tønsberg in sittu 26,9 1050-1536 40-59 15 Tønsberg , all 25,3 1050-1536 60+ 2-5 based on: P.Horská, M.Kučera, E.Maur, M.Stloukal: Dětství, rodina a stáří v Trondheim 25,6 1100-1550 dějinách Evropy, Praha 1990 Benedictow: „Gravarvorlig demografi“, p. 156 nothing out of ordinary…. Primary sources 1) Diplomatarium norvegicum Diplomatic source – mostly legal documents 1280-1320 – around Eufemia's life 1069 diplomas -> 214 with/about women 2) Translated riddarasögur (and Eufemiavisor) foreign literary tradition, Eufemiavisor after 1300, but first transl. already 1236 WHY? Wife gives consent to selling… Husband and wife are selling… The most frequent scenarios selling property changing inheritance Which social group? Whose property? (does it really belong to the shared property, or hers?) Medgift hafa heiman – has from home diplomas listing the dowry of the bride (DN I 132, 160, 120, III 61, IX 81, 82) (III 45, XIX 377, 390) Her right and responsibility Independence, usually only HER property (important consequences for the inheritance) Provent in a bishopric, monastery… Buy lodging and food… as a lay How many. why? -> old age, safe place… different social background, but enough money/property needed -> different level of luxury… Consent of eventual heirs Cohabitatio – concubine of a priest and dispensations for priests 1250-1350: 800 papal dispensations for priests born to unmarries parents. letters investigating In „our“ 40 years: 241 such dispensations (incl. 71 sons of cohabitation, priests) validity of marriag rumors concerning for the scale: in the Norwegian population 1100 priests in impropriate behaviour the High Middle Ages (Holtan, p.170.) (like sleeping with sister of one΄s fiance…) Warnings and sanctions for priests living with a woman „suspectas mulieres“, „concubina publica“ Sometimes we meet the outcomes – „Magga Prestdatter“ (DN V 55) Overview based on the Diplomatarium -> What is happening when a woman is mentioned? 43 Property changes (selling, buing, HOW switching, approving) Giving dowry to daughter OFTEN ? 81 Soul offerings 11 Buying place in provent Correspondence: king Edward 11 Children/concubines of priests Church investigating marriage 32 other (testaments, particulatiries) 6 9 21 Active/Passive? Someone acting on her behalf? Under which circumstances? Standing by? Present at the situation? How often as witnesses? She acts on her own? -> on behalf of her children? / or someone on her behalf? Husband (/father/(fiance)) – ususally together as husbans and wife or he on her behalf Widows? -> hard to ascertain if he is alive Social status General outline, but not complete information Marriage in the royal family Hakon með guðs miskunn Noregs konongr son Magnus konongs. sændir allum monnum þæim sem þetta bref sia eða h/oe/yra Q. G. ok sina. ver vilium at þer vitir, þo at ver gæfuem Margret „Queen of þessar jarðer hæiman með Aghnæisi dottor vare, er ver giptum herra Hafþore Jons syni, er Scotland“ sua hæita, j vestra gardenum j Smiðz ruði, þriu sponn ok /oe/yre; j Fr/oe/yhofs sokn af Borgyn tuau sponn; j Vlloom vestra gardenom, fiughur sponn; j Laðu engi tuæir aurar; j Þriukstaðum, Isabel Bruce halfan setta /oe/yre, j Lundz sokn af Vittale n/oe/rdre, halfuan /oe/yre; af sydra Vittale, halfan annan /oe/yre, j Hof sokn (af) Birkiflætj. tuaura; j Enda j Matlausa grænj atta /oe/rtogar; j Skia þuæit, fiughur sponn; j Eindriða rudi halfan þridia /oe/yre; jtem j Siofuarlijd j Nes sokn. halft timbr skinna; j Auðunar ruði þriu sponn ok halfr þridi /oe/yrir; j Haugha lijð Agnes, daughter of hæfsællda; j Læm. af Olstadum. þriu sponn; þa hafum ver þær aftr tækit vndir queen Eufemia – konongdomen, til æfuenlegar æignar. En þæim herra Hafþore ok Agnæisi dottor vare, her dowry: DN I 132: hafum ver gefuet aftr j mot með sama skilorðe sæx marka bol j Surku nese j Sol/oe/yium; með allum þæim lunnyndom sem till hennar liggia, eða leghet hafua at forno ok nyiu; með þessom skilmala, at þau skulu þersa iorð hafua frialslegha firir huærium manne, æ meðan er hon lifuir, ok þæira loglegr arfue af henni niðrkomen, eftir hana, en ef þau æigu æi loglegan arfua sem nu er sagt, þa skal þerse jorð aftr vndir konongdomen falla; af þui firirbioðom ver huærium manne þersa jorð. eða þær aðrar sem ver hafum hæiman gefuet með henni, hindra, eða talma. firir þæim, nema sa er þat gerer, vili sæta logleghom ræfsingum. Var þetta bref gort j Bjargvinn þrim nattom æftir þrettanda dagh jola, a þtrettanda are rikis vars; herra Biarne Auðunar son jnsiglaðe; en Thorgæir klærkr ritaðe. Norwegian Kings and Queens 1280-1320 Eirik Magnusson [13] OO Margaret of Scotland [20] died 2 years later [25] OO Isabel Bruce [21], widow (27), stayed in Bergen Håkon V. Magnusson [29] OO Eufemia of Rügen [29/19], died 7 years before him Magnus Eiriksson [19] OO Blanka of Naumur [15], died 11 years before him Children of the Royal House -> their marriages Margarette Eiriksdatter, queen of Scotland (born 1283, queen since 1286) Ingejbiörg Eiriksdatter [15] OO Valdemar Magnusson [32] od Sweden, his 2nd wife widow (21), stayed in Sweden 1st wife [22] OO Kristina Torgilsdotter, 3 years divorce Ingebiörg Håkonsdatter [11] OO Erik Magnusson [30] of Sweden, died 6 years later [26] OO Knut Porse [?] duke of Halland, died 3 years later [Agnes [12] OO Havtore Jonsson(27?]] Håkon Magnusson [23] OO Margareta [10] d. of Valdemar Atterdag; widow (27), queen regent Eirik Magnusson [17] OO Beatrix of Bavaria [12], both died 1359 Knightly epic in Scandinavia TRANSLATIONS (in the sense of ADAPTATIONS) „chivalric sagas“ Brought contemporary courtly epic to Scandinavia 2 milesotnes: Hákon Hákonarson (1216-1273); Eufemiavosor, queen Eufemia (1280-1312) Different cycles introduced – multiple sagas around Charlemagne, Chrétien de Troyes΄ romances of the knights of king Arthur, even satirical Bretin lais about infidelity…, story of Dietrich von Bern, later also Herzog Friedrich… Strong contrast to the Old Norse tradition with Gunnhildr and Hallgerd, or the fantastic vallkyries. Yet… Female roles in the chivalric sagas Different roles and purposes in the plot, such as queens unnasta („most beloved“) servants (maidens as helpers…) evil women – too active, evil plans (Karlamagnús saga) – not more evil than evil men Seduction (neither this is a female trait). No STRONGLY misogynist tendencies rather passive – but not necessarily as passive as in the original texts („tuned down“) an accessory, a necessary requirement for a successful knightly carreer, but we CAN find some strong female characters here too. Old Norse consent to marriage in Erex saga… - women΄s consent needed, - husband and wife acting together Conclusions - but usually the husband acts on behalf of his wife - a woman CAN be active, has to be able to run the household Old Norse law tradition: women did not share the same rights as men (protection…), other responsibilities. However NOT oppression. Medgift. x NB not likestilling (gender equality) As elsewhere: most independence widows, but it was sensible to re-marry soon Fiction in the society: The more archaic ideology of the sagas of Icelanders vs the chivalric knightly ideology courtly love to lady NEW, open feelings. Women as crucial theme (for the price of more passive females) and motivation of the hero΄s development Karlamagnús saga: woman as a part of feudum and title for services, or the silently suffering wife. Strengleikar: apart from the Arthurian-like good ladies and feys, also not loyal women, seducing and unfaithful -> a great variety of „settings“ and roles all at once The underlying message of the desireable/undesirable conduct (the ON influence IS occasionally apparent, queens) Translated knightly epic to ON „chivalric sagas“ (prose) Flóres saga ok Blankifrúr Eufemiaviser (verse) Tristrams saga Gvímars saga Ivan Løveridder Erex saga Partalopa saga Hertug Frederik af Normandi Ívens saga Tiódels saga Flores og Blanseflor Parcevals saga Elis saga ok Rósamundu Valvers þáttr Flóvents saga Strengleikar Bevers saga Möttuls saga Karlamagnús saga (Trójimanna saga) Selected bibliography Diplomatarium norvegicum I - XXI Ole Jørgen Benedictow: „Gravalvorlig demografi: døden i norsk middelalder“. In: Jørgen Haavardsholm: Nytt lys på middelalderen. Oslo, 1997. Inger Holtan: „Frillelevnad i norsk høgmellomalder“. Ibid. Sverre Bagge: „Kvinner i politikken i middelalderen“. In: Ingvild Øye (Ed.):. Bergen, 1989. Anna Elisa Tryti: „Kvinner og kosterliv“. Ibid. Middelalderkvinner – liv og virke. Onsgadskvelder i Bryggens Museum IV Bjørn Bandlien (Ed.): Eufemia – Oslos middelalderdronning. Oslo, 2012. KLNM: „Medgift“, „Provent“, „Arveret“, „Ægteskab“ Ole Jørgen Benedictow: „Demography“. In: Phillip Pulsiano (Ed.): Medieval Scandinavia. An Encyclopedia. , 1993. P.Horská, M.Kučera, E.Maur, M.Stloukal: Dětství, rodina a stáří v dějinách Evropy, Praha 1990.
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