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by Elizabeth A. Quillen.
Hardback (6.3×9.4 inches). 196 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: Rebellious, Resilien and Rowdy Women
If you were expecting to read about nuns wielding battle-axes and storming castles, you will be severely disappointed. The only “nun” (technically one who never took vows and so was a novice) to wield sword was Cataline de Erauso, who fled a San Sebastien (Spain) convent, cut her hair, dressed as a boy, and eventually became Alonso Diaz Pamiraz de Guzman. Alas, that was in 1608, which to me is the Renaissance. It’s still a marvelous tale of her escape across Spain and to the New World, befriending powerful men and joining the Spanish Army — all the while remaining undetected as a woman until much, much later. She must have been a heckuva swordswoman given the number of duels and fights she won.
The other most fascinating woman of the dozen or so profiled is Marquerite Porete, who wrote the theological book The Mirror of Simple Souls about the goal of spiritual progress on Earth. As it negated the concept of original sin and advocated that living people can use free will to unite with the Divine without the need for clergy, she ran afoul of the Church. They burned her at the stake in 1310.
As for the rest, the majority of nuns were abbesses who ran a convent and were able to intervene in diplomatic and political matters outside the walls. Many of them were of noble blood, and indeed some married into royalty for a while. You will gain a considerable amount of knowledge how these women founded orders in the 1200s, apparently especially in Spain, with significant impact on secular events.
The book contains four black and white photos, six black and white illustrations, and two black and white maps.
This is a well written book. It might not serve as a source for tabletop battles, but it would be a wonderful additional source for RPG characters and settings. Nicely done.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
