Christine de Pisan(1364-1430)

By ML, LB, and MF

General• Born in Venice, Italy• Father was promoted

to King Charles V of France’s physician, making them move to Paris, France at age five

• Grew up in the King’s court

• Closer to father than mother

More General• Got a good

education• For safety during the

Hundred Years’ War (a series of wars between France and England, entered a nunnery in 1418, yet continued to write

Education• High ranked family=good education• Got an education similar to that of a boy’s

which was very unusual• Took Latin, philosophy, literature, and the

sciences known to the Medieval world• Well read, interested in the writings of

scholars and clerics of her own time (cleric: a priest or minister of the Christian church)

Family and Relations1) Tomasso de Pizzano (her father)• Moved to Venice in 1357, Christine was born in 1364• Job: the astrologer and medical advisor to King King

Charles V2) Etienne du Castel (her husband)• 1380 Married Christine when she was fifteen years old• Had a happy marriage• Graduate of the University of Paris=well educated• Job: royal secretary• Died in 1390, 3) Her children: Marie (girl), Jean (boy), third child died during

childhood=name unknown

Writing

Writing: Topics• Mainly, she wrote about women’s rights

• She especially liked writing to defend women against what men said about them

The Book of the City of Ladies

The Book of the City of Ladies- This book spoke out for the political and social virtues for women, the right for a woman to receive an education, and defended women against the accusations that females are vain

More Books• The Book of Three Virtues- Gave advice to

women on how to behave so they would receive respect in medieval society. Military strategies

• Love poems mourning her husband’s death- she really loved her husband

• Tributes to other women (Joan of Arc)• Autobiography• The official biography of Charles V

Patronage

Patronage• At that time, writers and other artists were

dependant on wealthy patrons• Patronage: A writer would dedicate his or her

work to a patron and receive a gift of money in return

• Some examples of Christine’s patrons are: the dukes of Burgundy and Orleans

• She wrote the kinds of books she knew would please rich people at the French court- History, Poetry, and Biography

Christine’s Significance(Why are we learning about her?)

Significance

• Became one of the earliest women to support herself through writing

• Endured the deaths of her husband, father, and third child

• Survived part of the Hundred Years’ War

Picture URLs• http://hlte.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/christinedepisan.jpg

• http://mw.mcmaster.ca/images/dbase/britlib/0082w.jpg

• http://z.about.com/d/historymedren/1/0/t/F/2/christine_and_son.jpg

• http://z.about.com/d/historymedren/1/0/z/F/2/christine_isabeau.jpg

• http://xenophongroup.com/montjoie/pizan001.jpg

• http://blufiles.storage.live.com/y1pC2GziETGF-zm0zJ-sYVlsJXhrrZDLMSVpXXTXajncmzDymSMCJ5Ni6PV1y5ExSdfMKXPqNMjIYY

• http://crm.revues.org/docannexe/image/3212/img-12.jpg

• http://barista.media2.org/wp-content/christinedepisan.jpg

• http://www.dead-onwebsites.com/Under%20Discussion/Chris_figure_nine.jpg

• http://kok.blox.pl/resource/557pxChristine_de_Pisan__cathedra.jpg

• https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/mlove/www/images/christine%20de%20pizan.jpg

• http://www.dhushara.com/book/renewal/voices2/pizan.jpg

Questions?

Thanks for Watching!!!