The AskHistorians Podcast AskHistorians Podcast Episode 180: Women in Medieval Warfare with /u/Hergrim
Aug 19, 2021
A lively exploration of women's real roles in medieval warfare. Short takes on armor, frontline fighting, and why full combat was rare. Accounts of women defending sieges, supporting armies, and using civilian skills in war. Discussion of record bias and why some leaders, including famed figures, captured the imagination.
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Episode notes
Armour As Authority
- Women wearing armour was often symbolic of authority rather than proof they fought in battle.
- Actual instances of women fighting in full armour are rare but fighting unarmoured was more common.
Maria Of Pazuli's Contemporary Record
- Petrarch wrote about Maria of Pazuli in 1343, making her a rare contemporary-recorded female soldier.
- She fought in Italian internecine wars and was recognized by men who laughed at Petrarch's surprise.
Sources Shape Visibility
- Medieval sources shifted to more negative views of women fighters after the 13th century, affecting their visibility.
- Increased literacy and soldier-written accounts in the early modern period made women's roles more visible later on.
