The role of women in Tudor times

The role of women in Tudor times, altered very little over the preceding centuries.

Despite the fact that England was ruled by two Tudor queens during this period, women were still regarded as being inferior to men.

Girls born into a poor household would receive some basic education from their mother, though this would just be life skills such as sewing, cooking and such.

It was commonly believed that teaching girls or women to read and write, was a waste of time which could be better spent elsewhere.

Those girls from a wealthy family learned only slightly more, such as how to manage a household, embroidering, learning to play an instrument, dancing and in some cases different languages.

Many marriages were arranged, and took place when a girl reached the age of fourteen - it was thought that if they left it any longer they would be viewed as being too old.

The poorer families, thought girls were an extra expense that the family could do without, a young girl simply being an extra mouth to feed, who brought no money into the home.

Popular names for women during the Tudor era were:

Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret, Anne, Alice, Jane, Joan, Catherine, Agnes, and Elinor.

Elizabeth became the most common name for girls towards the second of the 16th century, perhaps because England was being ruled by Queen Elizabeth.

Whether they were royalty or from the poorest of families, the role of women were the same ~ they all needed to have a son to carry on the family name.

It was not uncommon for a Tudor wife to be pregnant every year. The risk of miscarriages, as well as the rate of infant mortality, was high.

While the mother was preparing for the arrival of her new baby, she would also be making preparations for the care of the child, should she be unfortunate enough to die in childbirth or soon after.

In many cases, women were not even treated properly while suffering from illnesses related to childbirth or infections, especially among the poorer classes.

Pregnancy was extremely difficult to diagnose, and very few physicians were actually ready to confirm pregnancy, even if they suspected it.

It put women’s health in grave danger.

There were strict rules in place, which stated how a woman could dress.

For example, she was allowed to wear her hair loose, only if she was unmarried.

A married woman had to fasten her hair up, and wear it beneath a veil and hood.

Sleeves could only be worn long, and skirts had to reach the floor.

The colours that she was allowed to wear were also restricted through the effects of the sumptuary laws.

Tudor clothing consisted of thick skirts, held up together with loops.

On the top, there was the bodice and a brightly coloured long gown.

Women often tended to make their waists look as thin as possible. For this purpose, they used corsets and wore wide skirts.

The middle-class and the poor women usually wore a woollen gown with an apron on top.

A cloth bonnet was worn on the head.

According to the law, the husband had full rights over his wife, which means that she was effectively his property to do with as he pleased.

Wife beating was commonplace, and escape from a violent marriage was practically impossible.

For a long time, women were seen as property of their husband, therefore could not inherit any estates or property after his death.

They could not even make their own will, without the consent of their husband.

The women in the nobility, had it no better.

She also had to supervise the servants, expected to be skilled in household expenses and works, entertaining other nobilty, and be able to raise children......

Whilst still being a good, dutiful and loving wife to her Husband.

So, in a nutshell ~

Women in 16th century England, were limited to providing an heir to the family, and supporting her husband in running his house.

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Source~ElizabethanEnglandLife

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