Some kind of an argument about courtesans in the gamer girl thread that was deleted as OT to the thread. It made me curious - can someone enlighten me as to the historical function and status of a courtesan in late-medieval Europe? An actual courtesan I mean, not a euphemism for a streetwalker prostitute. As I understand it (vaguely) a courtesan was a 'kept woman' possibly of good-ish birth but without personal wealth, who would hang around a royal court or similar place, living off charm, wits and rarely-realised promise of her favours (this being the source of her political power). She would often be 'serially monogamous' - ie have one patron/lover at a time. Is this roughly accurate?
What is the role of a courtesan in a late medieval setting?
- Thread starter S'mon
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Morbidity
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Hmm pretty accurate. It is interesting to note the power that these women had over their own lives and destinies as well as political policy in some cases compared to wives who were frequently completely powerless.
Have a look at this website: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255-s01/courtesans/defining-the-courtesan.htm
Have a look at this website: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255-s01/courtesans/defining-the-courtesan.htm
Morbidity said:
Thanks Morbidity - interesting link. The definition there seems to be 'high class prostitute catering to the wealthy' - somewhat like Pamela Bordes, say (a modern courtesan of the 1990s who had MPs as clients). It seems more a bourgeois/upper-middle-class profession as defined there though, I was thinking more of the very highest tier of society, among the royal courts and nobility.
Bagpuss
Legend
See if you can rent Dangerous Beauty aka The Honest Courtesan aka A Destiny of Her Own (from 1998). Staring Catherine McCormack.
It's not medieval but it's about a Venetian courtesan becomes a hero to her city, but later becomes the target of an inquisition by the Church for witchcraft.
Really good film about a courtesan.
It's not medieval but it's about a Venetian courtesan becomes a hero to her city, but later becomes the target of an inquisition by the Church for witchcraft.
Really good film about a courtesan.
Buttercup
Princess of Florin
Carnifex is correct. Mistress does not equal courtesan.
And actually, there were a number of women in the middle ages who owned property and/or businesses in their own right, and even were honored members of guilds.
Edit: also note that the website linked to above discusses 19th century courtesans.
And actually, there were a number of women in the middle ages who owned property and/or businesses in their own right, and even were honored members of guilds.
Edit: also note that the website linked to above discusses 19th century courtesans.
Last edited:
Another link with some more info...
http://webpages.charter.net/wildrose/Articlefolder/prostitution.htm
http://webpages.charter.net/wildrose/Articlefolder/prostitution.htm
Morbidity
First Post
Buttercup said:
Only if they were single or widowed. Married women were chattel and had no rights. I seem to recall (though my knowledge of law in the middle-ages is sketchy at best) that for a noble woman to remain single in England she had to pay a sum of money to the king every year and the king pretty much arbitrarily decided what sum it would be. Since that info comes from remembering something out of a biography on Katherine Swynford though it's entirely possible that it's wrong.
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