Pope Gregory the Great and the Disputes of Sardinian Women 591-604

Pope Gregory the Great wrote hundreds of letters to all corners of the Roman Catholic world during his papacy AD590–604. They conveyed his wishes concerning the behaviour of his flock, but many of them were also about disputes and his recommendation for their resolution. It is striking that his preference was for mediation and arbitration over litigation, and he was clear how that should be carried out. A discrete example of this preference can be found in letters he wrote to Sardinia, particularly concerning the disputes of women there. 10.1093/arbint/aiy031