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16 Century College Education for Women

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Rowan
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16 Century College Education for Women

Post by Rowan » Thu February 26th, 2015, 3:42 pm

Is it possible that women were allowed a college education in Scotland as early as the 16th century?

annis
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Post by annis » Sun March 22nd, 2015, 7:11 pm

I would say almost certainly not. Although the rise of humanism during the Renaissance period made it fashionable at that time for women to be taught higher learning in the same way as men (Elizabeth I of England is perfect example), this was generally restricted to the rich and titled classes, and was provided by private tutors. Girls didn't get to attend universities until the late 19th century in most Western countries and even then there was stiff opposition to the idea.

Scotland was ahead of many countries, though, in establishing early on an effective system of public schooling which meant that by the 18th/19th centuries there was an unusually high degree of literacy through all classes of Scottish society. Girls were included, but maybe not to the same extent as boys.

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MLE (Emily Cotton)
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Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Mon March 23rd, 2015, 4:28 am

Education has always been a status symbol, for both sexes. Knowing how to read and write implies that the person does not have to engage in physical labor to earn their bread.
Spanish women in the 16th century were literate to a higher degree than the rest of Europe, because paper, and therefore plentiful reading material, was introduced much earlier than further north. Fray Luis de Granada wrote a treatise on practicing daily spirituality which was mocked by those who disagreed as being 'mostly read by carpenter's wives'.

What caught my eye was that the wives of 16th-century Spanish carpenters had an average level of literacy that they would be reading at all!

But noblewomen of most countries in Europe and the Muslim world were literate. They didn't attend university as we know it because of the problem of chaperonage. Young women have a universal tendency to get emotionally and physically involved, resulting in babies. So do young men, of course, but that is not so much a problem for their sex.

Helen_Davis

Re:

Post by Helen_Davis » Tue October 27th, 2015, 7:32 pm

MLE (Emily Cotton) wrote:Education has always been a status symbol, for both sexes. Knowing how to read and write implies that the person does not have to engage in physical labor to earn their bread.
Spanish women in the 16th century were literate to a higher degree than the rest of Europe, because paper, and therefore plentiful reading material, was introduced much earlier than further north. Fray Luis de Granada wrote a treatise on practicing daily spirituality which was mocked by those who disagreed as being 'mostly read by carpenter's wives'.

What caught my eye was that the wives of 16th-century Spanish carpenters had an average level of literacy that they would be reading at all!

But noblewomen of most countries in Europe and the Muslim world were literate. They didn't attend university as we know it because of the problem of chaperonage. Young women have a universal tendency to get emotionally and physically involved, resulting in babies. So do young men, of course, but that is not so much a problem for their sex.
Spain really? they habe not been known historically for being very enlightened when it comes to.women's rights.

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MLE (Emily Cotton)
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Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Re: 16 Century College Education for Women

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Tue October 27th, 2015, 8:20 pm

Quite the contrary, women were allowed to inherit the throne in Spain long before they were in other European countries. In addition to which, if they married, a spouse could not 'inherit' his wife's throne. That's why, when Isabella of Castile died, her husband Ferdinand had to give up power and return to being just King Ferdinand of Aragon. While his daughter, Juana (known as 'la Loca) became queen regnant.

I always have to find interesting ways to explain this in my novels (as yet unavailable, I edit ferociously) because modern readers will be puzzled at how Juana could be the reigning Queen of Castile while her father Ferdinand is still running things.

I might also note that, although the Spanish Inquisition was a blot on the country's name, as Europe moved into the seventeenth century the total of people condemned for heresy in Spain was MUCH smaller than the number of witches killed in Protestant northern Europe. Witch-hunts were primarily misogynistic--aimed almost exclusively at women, and an effective tool for terrorizing female nonconformity.

Not that I'm defending either, I just wanted to point out that Spanish women were no worse off than their European counterparts, and in some ways, were better off.

Helen_Davis

Re: 16 Century College Education for Women

Post by Helen_Davis » Wed October 28th, 2015, 4:25 pm

MLE (Emily Cotton) wrote:Quite the contrary, women were allowed to inherit the throne in Spain long before they were in other European countries. In addition to which, if they married, a spouse could not 'inherit' his wife's throne. That's why, when Isabella of Castile died, her husband Ferdinand had to give up power and return to being just King Ferdinand of Aragon. While his daughter, Juana (known as 'la Loca) became queen regnant.

I always have to find interesting ways to explain this in my novels (as yet unavailable, I edit ferociously) because modern readers will be puzzled at how Juana could be the reigning Queen of Castile while her father Ferdinand is still running things.

I might also note that, although the Spanish Inquisition was a blot on the country's name, as Europe moved into the seventeenth century the total of people condemned for heresy in Spain was MUCH smaller than the number of witches killed in Protestant northern Europe. Witch-hunts were primarily misogynistic--aimed almost exclusively at women, and an effective tool for terrorizing female nonconformity.

Not that I'm defending either, I just wanted to point out that Spanish women were no worse off than their European counterparts, and in some ways, were better off.
intesting MLE. Will PM you for more info. I need to learn more about the medieval and Renaissance period. I've been really immersed in ancient and recent modern history lately.

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