Women, Marriage, and Family in Medieval Christendom: Essays in Memory of Michael M. Sheehan, C.S.B.: 37 (Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Culture) - Softcover

The eleven essays offered in Women, Marriage, and Family in Medieval Christendom reflect the spirit and originality of Father Michael M. Sheehan, for whom the volume was collected. The essays consider three thematic categories that were dominant in most of Sheehan's own scholarly work: the role, position, and contributions of medieval women; the development of Christian marriage, especially in the High Middle Ages; and the secular family with its legal and emotional relationships. A close reading of the papers, particularly those concerned with the themes of marriage and the family, reveal what we can designate as the Sheehan school of social history. The collection expands on several of Sheehan's research areas, and while it shows a considerable interest in medieval England, it does not disregard the Continent. The volume is a worthy tribute to Sheehan and will be of great interest to students of social and legal history, women's history, the development of marriage, and the idea of the family.

Constance Rousseau is a professor of history at Providence College. Her research focuses on the Italian Renaissance, medieval canon law, and gender. Joel T. Rosenthal is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at State University New York, Stony Brook. He has published widely on women, family, and social history in the late medieval period.