Search Terms
When using Search Engines or Databases to find resources...
Use
“early medieval” OR “dark age”
“religious women” OR “monastic women”
“Germany”
Avoid
“nun” (too generic) AND “East Francia” (too specific)
Subject Headings
204 Religious experience, life, practice
207 Missions and religious education
274 History of Christianity in Europe
281 Early church and Eastern churches
943 Germany and central Europe
BR160-275 Christianity–History–By period–Early and medieval
BX895-939 Christian Denominations–Catholic Church–Study and teaching
BX940-1745 Christian Denominations–Catholic Church–History
BX2400-4563 Christian Denominations–Catholic Church–Monasticism. Religious orders
DD127-135 History of Germany–History–By period–Early and medieval to 1519–Medieval Empire, 481 - 1273–481-918. Merovingians. Carolingians
DD136-144 History of Germany–History–By period–Early and medieval to 1519–Medieval Empire, 481 - 1273–Houses of Saxony and Franconia
Hello!
Early Monasteries and Foundations (500–1200) by Jan Gerchow, Katrinette Bodarwé, Susan Marti, and Hedwig Röckelein
The first chapter of Crown and Veil begins with what may be the controversial assertion that, due to the far reach of Frankish culture, there are enough similarities between women’s monastic foundations to generalize across most of the continent. Despite this fact, special attention is paid to the early foundations in Saxony, providing a listing and overview of the first communities developed east of the Rhine river. The authors go on to examine the changes in what was accepted and expected of women religious, from the early days of Irish influence to the ever-stricter Carolingian reforms. Overall, this chapter provides a foundational overview of the definitions, roles, and responsibilities that will be expanded upon later in the work.
Origin and Early History of Double Monasteries by Mary Bateson
In this article, Bateson conducts an historical survey of double monasteries, or religious houses where both monks and nuns lived, albeit strictly separated and allowing for only limited association. She points out a number of features that define such institutions, but two are critical to understand their origin: a shared church and a shared mass. Her argument for the development of such monastic communities is based on the fact that both needed priests to conduct liturgical rites. The end of the article focuses on the conversion of the Germanic people to Christianity, beginning with a treatment of the earliest missions and foundations up to the end of the early medieval period, though double monasteries had become uncommon by the middle of the 9th century.