CHRISTINA OF MARKYATE: A TWELFTH-CENTURY HOLY WOMAN; ED. BY SAMUEL FANOUS...ET AL

Samuel Fanous and Henrietta Leyser present a vivid interdisciplinary study devoted to the life, work and extant vita of Christina of Markyate, which draws on research from a wide range of disciplines. This fascinating and comprehensive collection surveys the life of an extraordinary medieval woman. Christina of Markyate made a vow of chastity at an early age, against the wishes of her parents who intended her to marry. When forced into wedlock, she fled in disguise and went into hiding, receiving refuge in a network of hermitages. Christina became a religious recluse and eventually founded a priory of nuns attached to St. Albans. Beautifully illustrated, this book provides students who regularly encounter Christina with a research compendium from which to begin their studies, and introduces Christina to a wider audience. Humanities BOOK COVER 1 TITLE 4 COPYRIGHT 5 CONTENTS 6 ILLUSTRATIONS 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 9 ABBREVIATIONS 10 CONTRIBUTORS 12 PREFACE 16 1 CHRISTINA OF MARKYATE 18 2 CHRISTINA OF MARKYATE 29 3 ST ALBANS AND WOMEN’S MONASTICISM 42 4 CHRISTINA OF MARKYATE AND THE DOUBLE CROWN 70 5 THE UNKNOWN PILGRIM 96 6 THE LOVES OF CHRISTINA OF MARKYATE 116 7 THE MARRIAGES OF CHRISTINA OF MARKYATE 133 8 RANULF FLAMBARD AND CHRISTINA OF MARKYATE 155 9 DINING AT MARKYATE WITH LADY CHRISTINA 160 10 ALTERNATIVE INTIMACIES 177 11 CHRISTINA’S TEMPTING 201 12 THE ST ALBANS PSALTER 214 13 THE LIFE OF ST ALEXIS, 475–1125 234 14 CHRISTINA OF MARKYATE AND THE HERMITS AND ANCHORITES OF ENGLAND 246 LIST OF SITES AND HERMITS 257 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 271 INDEX OF NAMES AND PLACES 278 The essays collected in this volume survey the life of Christina, her work & the extant lives of the saint. The contributors draw on research from a wide area of medieval scholarship & the collection includes both introductions to the saint & closely researched scholarly papers