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The Letters of the Rozmberk Sisters

Noblewomen in Fifteenth-Century Bohemia

John M. Klassen(trans.) ; Eva Dolezalová(trans.) ; Lynn Szabo(trans.)
The Letters of the Rozmberk Sisters
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The letters of the Rozmberk sisters, Perchta and Anézka, wonderfully illustrate how medieval women viewed themselves. Perchta's letters captivate the reader when she informs her father that his choice of a husband for her has caused her desperate sadness and sorrow in which death seems a better alternative. Despite her unhappiness and her almost total dependence on others, Perchta undertook through her letters to take control of her own fate and to improve the circumstances of her life. Her letters were the means whereby she informed her father and brothers of her misery and persuaded them to take action. In the process the letters tell us about her desire for respect and companionship in marriage. The letters of both sisters show them to be women with a vigorous sense of their own dignity and offer insights into the hopes and disappointments, joys, and vexations of fifteenth century women. The letters also introduce the reader to the environment and the activities of daily castle life, and offer an intimate picture of family life in the fifteenth century. They describe the family both as a place of affection among siblings, but also as a setting for discord and deception.

JOHN M. KLASSEN is Professor of History at Trinity Western University, Canada. He was assisted in the translations by EVA DOLEZALOVA, Historical Institue, Prague, and LYNN SZABO, Trinity Western University.

Boydell & Brewer; May 2001
144 pages; ISBN 9781846151057
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